TIFF 2025–Zamo Mkhwanazi’s Laundry Sheds Light on Apartheid-Era Struggles

The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is a global showcase for international cinema. TIFF 2025, South African filmmaker Zamo Mkhwanazi attended with international industry figures. Her film “Laundry” premiered at TIFF to positive reviews. Set in 1968, The movie  explores how apartheid shaped everyday life for a Black family.

“Laundry” opens in a laundromat where community interactions reveal personal histories and tensions. For many South Africans, laundries are a good place to bond with other people and find some form of solidarity. The setting shows how Black South Africans were exploited and discriminated against. The movie is a symbol of survival and quiet resistance. Under apartheid’s repression, music and song emerge in the film as forms of cultural resistance and expression.

Zamo Mkhwanazi, an award-winning filmmaker known for her unique storytelling skills, has drawn international attention with her new movie. With this film, she shows the legacy of apartheid and its present-day social echoes. She not only revisited the past, but reclaimed the dignity of women who have struggled over the years. The movie uses the present reality to capture the weight of apartheid. This approach appeals to TIFF’s audiences who were thrilled by the performance.

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The inclusion of Laundry at TIFF is a huge milestone for the Africa movie industry, especially South African cinemas, with internationally recognised South African films such as Tsotsi paving the way.

Mkhwanazi’s film traces the struggles of South Africans under apartheid, bringing intimate human stories to the front. By premiering at TIFF, the film brings global attention to the courage and resilience of South African communities. This film has sealed Mkhwanazi reputation as a bold voice in international cinema