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Darrell James Roodt

Young South African writer-director who attracted international critical acclaim with his first feature, "Place of Weeping" (1986). An intelligent and impassioned chronicler of the fight against apartheid, Roodt has brought a consistently interesting approach to films such as "The Stick" (1988), which follows a South African military platoon engaged in a struggle with black guerillas. A hit on the international festival circuit, "The Stick" paved the way for Roodt's first American-produced film, "Jobman" (1990). Roodt returned to South African issues with "Sarafina!" (1992), based on the popular stage musical. Though it brought him his widest exposure to date and gave him the chance to work with a major star (Whoopi Goldberg), the film failed to achieve either the critical or commercial success which had attended the stage version. Roodt's follow-up, "Father Hood" (1993), was his first American subject. Starring Patrick Swayze, this was a family comedy-drama set on a cross-country trip from L.A. to New Orleans.