You Laugh But It's True

The days of apartheid, when everything people said or did was subject to censorship, are still fresh in the memory of South Africans. Some still haven't come to the realization that they are now free to say what they think and express themselves as they like, especially if it involves art and culture. As a stand-up comic, young Trevor Noah finds himself in a tradition that was historically nourished by whites. As the child of a white father and a black mother, he doesn't belong to either of the categories that were always so strictly separated - he's neither black nor white. In his shows, the history of his country and his youth, a time when interracial marriages were unheard of, play prominent roles. Trevor has only been at it for a couple of years, but he decides that it's time for a one-man show. His manager thinks it's a serious gamble, as he's worried about Trevor's lack of experience. Dynamically edited, Township to the Stage intersperses interviews with footage of performances and follows Trevor as he visits people and places from his childhood. (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)