This is National Wake traces the wild rise and tragic fall of a multiracial South African punk band, dubbed “the band that defied apartheid,” whose members risked everything to taste freedom. This debut feature, steeped in astonishing archival footage of a 1970s anti-racist counterculture that few know existed, reveals a band whose music and memories comprise a profound meditation on how history is lived through art and in our minds.

This is National Wake was produced in association with XTR, with support from ITVS. It premiered in competition at the prestigious Sheffield DocFest and has won awards at festivals around the world.

A note from Director Mirissa Neff

I was gripped by National Wake’s story from the first moment I heard their music in 2013, and making a film about South Africa’s apartheid-era punk rock heroes has been the most rewarding experience of my artistic life. These days the question I’m asked most is, “How can I stream This is National Wake?”

The film has received invitations to be showcased on prestigious online platforms, at cinemas and universities around the world, and it is poised to be available on streamers like Amazon, iTunes, and Netflix. But for any of this to happen, we need to pay final archival fees with organizations like the Associated Press and Reuters.

Your tax deductible donation will help us cross this finish line and finally launch the inspiring story of National Wake into the world!