📸: Actor Space

STUDIOCANAL has announced The Road Home, a major feature film exploring the defiant collaboration between Paul Simon, Hugh Masekela, and Miriam Makeba during the 1986 Graceland era. Starring Thabo Rametsi and Cynthia Erivo, the R300 million production begins filming in Cape Town this June, marking a monumental investment in African storytelling and cinema.

Key Highlights

• Title: The Road Home
• Cast: Cynthia Erivo, Thabo Rametsi and Guy Pearce
• Release Date: TBC

View this post on Instagram

A ZAR 300 Million Production Champions African Storytelling on the Global Stage

23 April 2026

STUDIOCANAL, the production powerhouse behind CANAL+, has announced The Road Home, an ambitious feature film that will bring the extraordinary story of Paul Simon’s groundbreaking 1986 album Graceland to audiences worldwide. Principal photography commences in Cape Town on June 29th, marking a watershed moment for South African cinema and a powerful commitment to African storytelling at the highest international level. The film tells the defiant story of how South African musicians, Hugh Masekela and Miriam Makeba, leveraged music as a weapon against apartheid, navigating the fraught political landscape that erupted when Simon’s album became the focal point of a UN Cultural Boycott.

A Story of Conflict, Courage, and Collaboration

The narrative tension is compelling: exiled trumpet legend Hugh Masekela must choose between allegiance to his mentor, Archbishop Trevor Huddleston, who leads the Anti-Apartheid Movement’s boycott, and his own conviction that music could transcend politics and reach the world’s conscience. In a bold move, Masekela joins forces with Paul Simon and Miriam Makeba to form the Graceland band—a defiant assertion that South African voices deserved a global platform. “This film exemplifies CANAL+’s commitment to investing in outstanding local content and bringing powerful African stories to the screen with authenticity and ambition,” says Anna Marsh, CEO of STUDIOCANAL.

A Stellar Cast Brings History to Life

Celebrated South African actor Thabo Rametsi plays Hugh Masekela, with David Pearce as Archbishop Trevor Huddleston and Tony Award-winning actress Cynthia Erivo as Miriam Makeba. The production features 68 locally based cast members and an estimated 3,500 extras drawn from Cape Town communities, ensuring South African voices and faces are woven throughout the film.

A Monumental Investment in South African Cinema

With a budget of approximately ZAR 300 million, The Road Home represents a significant bet on South African filmmaking. CANAL+ is providing majority financing—a tangible demonstration of its commitment made during its acquisition of MultiChoice Group to invest in premium, locally rooted African content. The production will employ over 300 South African crew members, with only essential specialist roles filled internationally, ensuring resources circulate through South Africa’s creative economy and strengthen the nation’s film industry capacity.

Authenticity Through Rigorous Research

The screenplay was developed through meticulous research with the Hugh Masekela Heritage Foundation and acclaimed South African novelist Zakes Mda, ensuring emotional and historical integrity. Director Kristopher Bronner conducted in-depth interviews with Paul Simon himself to ensure those who lived through these events informed every scene. The decision to film in Cape Town—rather than relocating internationally—anchors the story in the actual landscape and cultural geography that shaped these musicians’ experiences.

A Moment for South African Cinema

The Road Home arrives at a pivotal moment for South African film, signaling that major international studios are willing to invest substantially in South African stories, told with South African creative leadership and shot in local locations. The production validates Cape Town’s status as a world-class filmmaking destination, combining infrastructure with a creative community that has deep roots in the stories being told.

A Legacy of Music and Resistance

At its core, The Road Home is about belief—in the power of music, in redemption, and in the idea that art can transcend divisions. While the Graceland album has long been celebrated for its artistic innovation, the story of how South African musicians navigated the moral complexities of collaboration and used their art as an instrument of freedom has remained largely untold on screen. Production commences June 29th.

About the Production

The Road Home is produced by STUDIOCANAL in partnership with Flora Films. The film begins principal photography in Cape Town on June 29th and is expected to employ over 300 local crew members and approximately 3,500 extras. The production budget is approximately ZAR 300 million.

Follow studiocanal for more updates.