Fiche Personne
Théâtre
Cinéma/TV
John Kani
Réalisateur/trice, Acteur/trice, Scénariste
Afrique du Sud

Français
Acteur emblématique du théâtre et comédien majeur du cinéma, John Kani est un nom important de la scène culturelle sud-africaine. Il est aussi réalisateur avec Nothing but the truth (2008) qu’il a écrit et joué au théâtre.
English
Bonsile John Kani (1943 -) is a South African actor, director and playwright.
He was born in New Brighton, South Africa.
Kani joined The Serpent Players (a group of actors whose first performance was in the former snake pit of the zoo, hence the name) in Port Elizabeth in 1965 and helped to create many plays that went unpublished but were performed to a resounding reception.
These were followed by the more famous Sizwe Banzi is Dead and The Island, co-written with Athol Fugard and Winston Ntshona, in the early 1970s. He also received an Olivier nomination for his role in My Children My Africa!
Kani’s work has been widely performed around the world, including New York, where he and Winston Ntshona won a Tony Award in 1975 for Sizwe Banzi Is Dead and The Island. These two plays were presented in repertory at the Edison Theatre for a total of 52 performances.
Nothing but the Truth (2002) was his debut as sole playwright and was first performed in the Market Theatre in Johannesburg. This play takes place in post-apartheid South Africa and does not concern the conflicts between whites and blacks, but the rift between blacks who stayed in South Africa to fight apartheid, and those who left only to return when the hated regime folded. It won the 2003 Fleur du Cap Awards for best actor and best new South African play. In the same year he was also awarded a special Obie award for his extraordinary contribution to theatre in the USA.
Kani is executive trustee of the Market Theatre Foundation, founder and director of the Market Theatre Laboratory and chairman of the National Arts Council of SA.
He was born in New Brighton, South Africa.
Kani joined The Serpent Players (a group of actors whose first performance was in the former snake pit of the zoo, hence the name) in Port Elizabeth in 1965 and helped to create many plays that went unpublished but were performed to a resounding reception.
These were followed by the more famous Sizwe Banzi is Dead and The Island, co-written with Athol Fugard and Winston Ntshona, in the early 1970s. He also received an Olivier nomination for his role in My Children My Africa!
Kani’s work has been widely performed around the world, including New York, where he and Winston Ntshona won a Tony Award in 1975 for Sizwe Banzi Is Dead and The Island. These two plays were presented in repertory at the Edison Theatre for a total of 52 performances.
Nothing but the Truth (2002) was his debut as sole playwright and was first performed in the Market Theatre in Johannesburg. This play takes place in post-apartheid South Africa and does not concern the conflicts between whites and blacks, but the rift between blacks who stayed in South Africa to fight apartheid, and those who left only to return when the hated regime folded. It won the 2003 Fleur du Cap Awards for best actor and best new South African play. In the same year he was also awarded a special Obie award for his extraordinary contribution to theatre in the USA.
Kani is executive trustee of the Market Theatre Foundation, founder and director of the Market Theatre Laboratory and chairman of the National Arts Council of SA.
Films(s)
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Black PantherLong-métrage – 2017Après les événements qui se sont déroulés dans Captain America : Civil War, T’Challa revient chez lui prendre sa place sur le trône du Wakanda, une nation africaine technologiquement très avancée. Mais lorsqu’un vieil en…John Kani est lié(e) à ce film en tant que acteur/trice
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How to steal 2 millionLong-métrage – 2011Dans la jungle urbaine, Jack essaie de trouver ses marques. cela fait cinq ans qu’il n’a pas vu son partenaire et meilleur ami, Twala. Jack a passé cinq en prison pour un vol qui a mal tourné. Twala n’a jamais été pris e…John Kani est lié(e) à ce film en tant que acteur/trice
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Nothing but the truth, une vérité sud-africaineLong-métrage – 2008Brimades. Humiliations. Tragédies. Tel se présentait le lot de Sipho malgré 43 ans de bons et loyaux services comme bibliothécaire sous l’Apartheid. Avec la nouvelle Afrique du Sud il espère être promu bibliothécaire en …John Kani est lié(e) à ce film en tant que réalisateur/trice
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Kini et AdamsLong-métrage – 1997C’est l’histoire poignante d’une amitié entre deux hommes qui partagent un rêve, celui de s’associer pour des affaires. Ne disposant pas des moyens financiers nécessaires à l’achat d’une voiture, ils décident d’en recons…John Kani est lié(e) à ce film en tant que acteur/trice
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SOWETO GREENLong-métrage – 1994Le Dr Curtis Tshabalala, un expatrié sud-africain vivant à Beverly Hills avec sa femme américaine Cora, retourne dans son pays natal de Soweto avec l'espoir de planter des arbres et le rêve…John Kani est lié(e) à ce film en tant que acteur/trice
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Sarafina !Long-métrage – 1992Partant de l’oppression sous l’Afrique du Sud de l’apartheid, c’est l’histoire de Sarafina (Leleti Khumalo) à qui son enseignante (Whoopi Goldberg) montre comment échapper à la bigoterie par le biais de la musique. A tr…John Kani est lié(e) à ce film en tant que acteur/trice
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Saturday night at the PalaceLong-métrage – 1987de Robert Davies 1987, 89 minutes, 35mmJohn Kani est lié(e) à ce film en tant que acteur/trice
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Grass is singing (The)Long-métrage – 1982Une riche femmes d’affaires (interprétée par Karen Black), plongée dans la vie cosmopolitaine de l’Afrique du Sud, tombe amoureuse d’un homme qui est tout son opposé, un fermier (joué par John Thaw). Abandonnant sa maiso…John Kani est lié(e) à ce film en tant que acteur/trice
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MARIGOLDS IN AUGUSTLong-métrage – 1980Un jardinier noir se déplace à pied au milieu de la communauté blanche à la recherche d’un emploi. Il découvre qu’un autre noir souhaite lui aussi être embauché…John Kani est lié(e) à ce film en tant que acteur/trice
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