Beat the Drum
Synopsis
Young Musa is orphaned after a mysterious illness strikes his village in KwaZulu Natal. To help his grandmother, Musa sets out for Johannesburg with his father's last gift, a tribal drum, in search of work and his uncle. The journey confronts him with the stark realities of urban life, but his indomitable spirit never wavers; he returns with a truth and understanding his elders have failed to grasp.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Beat the DrumOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2013-04-09
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →
Owen Sejake
Nobe Lebese
Mary Twala
Ntombi
Clive Scott
Pieter Botha
Noluthando Maleka
Letti
Junior Singo
Musa
Maurice Carpede
Tumisho
Tom Fairfoot
Stefan Botha
Glen Gabela
Teacher
Seputla Sebogodi
Joe
Nthati Moshesh
Frances
Adelaide Shabalala
Village Sangoma
Dineo Nchabeleng
Thandi
Jeremiah Ndlovu
Village Elder
Elliot Makhubo
Village Man
Lindelani Buthelezi
Truckstop Owner
Fats Bookholane
Muthi Seller
Keketso Semoko
Sophie
Dini Nondumo
Tyro
Release History & Theatrical Window
October 10, 2003
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$2M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$895
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
0x
-$2M deficit
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- David Hickson
- Screenplay & Story
- David McBrayer
- Original Score
- Ramin Djawadi, Klaus Badelt
- Original Title
- Beat the Drum
- Country of Origin
- South Africa, United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- Zulu, English
- Runtime
- 1h 54m
- Production Budget
- $2M
- Worldwide Gross
- $895
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
David Hickson
David McBrayer
Ramin Djawadi, Klaus Badelt
Lance Gewer
Mark Winitsky
Richard Shaw, David McBrayer, Karen S. Shapiro
Department Leadership Roster
David Hickson
Director
David McBrayer
Writer
Richard Shaw
Producer
David McBrayer
Producer
Karen S. Shapiro
Producer
Mark Winitsky
Editor
Ramin Djawadi
Original Music Composer
Klaus Badelt
Original Music Composer
Lance Gewer
Director of Photography
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG: Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.
Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Beat the Drum.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Beat the Drum.
MovieLens[30K:40K]
IMDb Archive
500 best 2003's movies
Missing Mine
Home movies
Similar Titles to Beat the Drum
Movies sharing stylistic DNA, tone, and thematic storytelling
6.4
6.3
6.3
7.7
5.6
5.0
4.3
4.0
6.5
8.0
8.0
More Like Beat the Drum
Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.
Frequently Asked Questions About Beat the Drum
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Beat the Drum about?
Young Musa is orphaned after a mysterious illness strikes his village in KwaZulu Natal. To help his grandmother, Musa sets out for Johannesburg with his father's last gift, a tribal drum, in search of work and his uncle. The journey confronts him with the stark realities of urban life, but his indomitable spirit never wavers; he returns with a truth and understanding his elders have failed to grasp.
Who directed Beat the Drum?
Beat the Drum was directed by David Hickson.
Who stars in Beat the Drum?
The principal cast of Beat the Drum includes Owen Sejake, Mary Twala, Clive Scott, Noluthando Maleka, Junior Singo.
When was Beat the Drum released and how long is it?
Beat the Drum was released in 2003 with a total runtime of 1h 54m.
What was the box office and production budget of Beat the Drum?
Beat the Drum had a reported production budget of $2M and grossed $895 at the worldwide box office (0 return on budget, classified as a underperformed).
Who composed the musical score for Beat the Drum?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Beat the Drum was composed by Ramin Djawadi, Klaus Badelt.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Beat the Drum?
Beat the Drum holds official age classifications: DE: 16 (FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.); US: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.).