Esihle Ndleleni and Cait Pansegrouw talk to us about Black Burns Fast

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Following a successful festival run that included its international premiere at the 2026 Berlinale (Berlin International Film Festival) and the honour of closing BFI Flare's 50th anniversary edition, Black Burns Fast hit cinemas in South African cinemas on 31 July.

Written and directed by Sandulela Asanda in her feature film debut, the production comes from the acclaimed team behind Inxeba and This Is Not a Burial, It's a Resurrection.

Set at an elite girls' boarding school, Black Burns Fast is a coming-of-age drama that follows 17-year-old Luthando, a gifted scholarship student whose carefully structured world is disrupted by the arrival of a mysterious new pupil, Ayanda. As her feelings begin to deepen, Luthando must navigate conflicting identities and expectations, all while fearing rejection from her mother and peers as she comes to terms with her sexuality.
3 Aug 5AM English South Africa News

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