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Felix (2013) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2013 · 97 mins · English
Directed by
Roberta Durrant
Starring
Langley Kirkwood, Stephen Jennings, Waldemar Schultz, Adrian Galley, Royston Stoffels, André Jacobs

Felix Xaba, a 13-year-old, aspires to play the saxophone, inspired by his deceased father. His mother, Lindiwe, disapproves of jazz music, believing it to be harmful. Seeking to pursue his dream, Felix leaves his friends and accepts a scholarship to an exclusive private school. There, he defies his mother's wishes and seeks guidance from two former band members of his father to prepare for the school’s upcoming jazz concert.

On this page (5)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (12)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Felix (2013)

Where can you watch Felix? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Fawesome and Plex: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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12 events in order · contains spoilers

Felix Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Felix (2013) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Jazz forbidden at home

    Felix Xaba dreams of becoming a jazzman like his late father Zweli. His mother Lindiwe brands jazz 'the devil's music' and bans it from their home, hoping to steer him toward a safer life. Felix keeps the dream alive, imagining a future where he can carry on his father's legacy.

    When
    Childhood
    Where
    Township home
  2. Secret pennywhistle practice

    Denied formal training, Felix keeps the music alive by practicing a pennywhistle in secret. He clings to every scrap of rhythm, hoping a chance will come to show his real talent. The secret hobby buffers him against the harsh world outside.

    When
    Childhood
    Where
    Hidden spot near home
  3. Scholarship into elitist school

    Felix wins a scholarship to a private school and enters a judgmental, elitist environment where he is treated as a pitiful nobody. A gang of bullies, led by Junior Junior, makes his life miserable and humiliating on a daily basis. The contrast between worlds sharpens his resolve.

    When
    Early adolescence
    Where
    Private school
  4. Bra Joe offers solace

    In this harsh new world, Felix finds fragile comfort in Bra Joe, a drunken old busker who wields a sax outside the tavern. Joe once shared stages with his father’s old band, the Bozza Boys, and begins to share that history with Felix. Their unlikely mentorship plants the idea that Felix can reclaim his roots through music.

    When
    During school years
    Where
    Outside tavern / Bra Joe's spot
  5. First audition fails

    An audition notice for the school jazz concert becomes Felix's spark. He fails the first audition because he can't read music or play the sax. The setback gouges at his confidence, but it also reveals the gaps he must fill.

    When
    Before second audition
    Where
    School audition room
  6. Second chance earned

    Mrs. Cartwright, Felix's English teacher, persuades the music teacher to give him a second chance. Felix returns with renewed determination and a plan to learn, not just perform. The teacher's intervention rekindles his hope.

    When
    Immediately after first audition
    Where
    School
  7. Crash course in sax

    With Joe’s help, Bra Joe ropes in Fingers Fortuin to coach Felix. They embark on a crash course in saxophone, teaching him to wield the instrument and to connect with his father's music. Felix begins to understand his roots and the Bozza Boys’ legacy.

    When
    Pre-audition
    Where
    Practice spaces, Joe's space
  8. Mother's discovery and crackdown

    Lindiwe discovers that the drunken busker is coaching Felix on her late husband’s sax and explodes with fury. She pawns the sax and forbids Felix any contact with Joe or with jazz. The family’s rift deepens as Felix wages a quiet rebellion.

    When
    After coaching begins
    Where
    Home
  9. Bozza Boys reunion fundraiser

    Undeterred, Felix goes behind his mother's back to track down surviving Bozza Boys. With Joe's help, he convinces them to reunite for a jazz fundraiser in the tavern. The goal is to reclaim Zweli’s sax from the pawnshop.

    When
    Pre-fundraiser
    Where
    Tavern and pawnshop
  10. Fundraiser triumph

    The fundraiser is a roaring success that raises money to buy back the sax. Felix returns to the private school world with renewed confidence and a sense of purpose. The crowd's energy rekindles his belief that he can honor his father through music.

    When
    Before school concert
    Where
    Tavern
  11. Encore reveal and concert

    Felix announces a surprise encore dedicated to Tata Zweli and to his mother. A trumpet sounds offstage, and Felix leads the Bozza Boys onto the school concert stage for a show-stopping performance. Even the teachers are moved to dance in the aisle.

    When
    During the concert
    Where
    School concert hall
  12. Lindiwe's pride

    As the finale crescendos, Lindiwe ululates in the front row and finally beams with pride. She recognizes that Felix has become king of the sax, following in Zweli’s footsteps. The family and Felix share a moment of triumph.

    When
    End of performance
    Where
    School auditorium

Last updated: October 03, 2025 at 06:47

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Timeline questions answered

Felix Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Felix (2013): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Felix's mother ban jazz music?

Lindiwe forbids jazz because she associates it with the destructive path her late husband Zweli took, spending his life in taverns and drinking. She genuinely believes jazz is 'the devil's music' and hopes that blocking it will steer Felix toward a safer, more stable life. Her fear comes from losing her husband and wanting to protect her son from the same fate.

Foreshadowing: The story establishes early on that Lindiwe's disapproval stems from personal loss, not from hatred of music itself.

  • Lindiwe
  • jazz ban
  • Zweli
  • mother
  • fear
  • protection
Q2

Why does Lindiwe pawn Felix's saxophone?

When Lindiwe discovers that Bra Joe, a drunken busker, is coaching Felix on her late husband's saxophone, she reacts with fury. She sees Joe as another musician who wasted his life drinking, just like Zweli. Pawning the saxophone is her way of cutting Felix off from what she views as a dangerous path back into the world that claimed her husband.

Foreshadowing: This moment represents the peak of Lindiwe's resistance and sets up the central conflict of the film.

  • Lindiwe
  • pawn
  • saxophone
  • Bra Joe
  • anger
  • Zweli
Q3

How does Felix learn to play the saxophone so quickly?

Felix receives intensive coaching from two former members of his father's band, Bra Joe and Fingers Fortuin. Together they give him a crash course in saxophone, teaching him not just technical skills but also connecting him to his father's musical legacy. His determination and natural talent, combined with this mentorship, allow him to prepare enough for the school audition.

Foreshadowing: Felix's quick learning foreshadows his genetic connection to his father, a talented saxophonist.

  • Felix
  • saxophone
  • learn
  • Bra Joe
  • Fingers Fortuin
  • Bozza Boys
  • coaching
Q4

How does Felix track down the Bozza Boys?

After his mother pawns the saxophone and forbids contact with Bra Joe, Felix goes behind her back and actively searches for the surviving members of his father's old band. With Bra Joe's help, he locates them and convinces the former Bozza Boys to reunite for a jazz fundraiser at the tavern. This effort demonstrates both his determination and his connection to his father's musical past.

Foreshadowing: Felix's initiative in finding the Bozza Boys shows his willingness to fight for his dream despite obstacles.

  • Felix
  • Bozza Boys
  • find
  • reunite
  • fundraiser
  • Bra Joe
  • tavern
Q5

Why does Lindiwe accept jazz by the end of the movie?

Lindiwe's perspective shifts when she witnesses Felix's genuine talent and passion, combined with the heartfelt encore dedicated to both his father and herself. Seeing her son succeed and honor his father's memory, while also acknowledging her, allows her to realize that music itself isn't the enemy. The performance proves that Felix can pursue his dream without repeating Zweli's mistakes.

Foreshadowing: The story plants hope throughout that Lindiwe's love for Felix will ultimately overcome her fear of music.

  • Lindiwe
  • acceptance
  • jazz
  • concert
  • encore
  • pride
  • Felix
Q6

What happened to Felix's father Zweli?

Felix's father Zweli was a famous saxophonist who played with the Bozza Boys, a legendary jazz band in Cape Town. He has passed away before the story begins, and the film implies he died after a life spent in taverns drinking, exactly what Lindiwe fears Felix will become. His legacy lives on through his saxophone and his music, which Felix seeks to honor.

Foreshadowing: Felix's dream to become a jazzman like his father drives the entire narrative.

  • Zweli
  • father
  • died
  • saxophonist
  • Bozza Boys
  • legacy
Q7

Who is Bra Joe to Felix?

Bra Joe is an elderly busker who plays saxophone outside a tavern and was once a member of The Bozza Boys, the same band Felix's father led. He becomes Felix's mentor and the link to his father's musical past. Despite being a drunken old man, Joe is kind to Felix and helps him reconnect with his heritage through music.

Foreshadowing: Bra Joe's connection to Zweli is revealed gradually, making him a crucial bridge between Felix and his lost father.

  • Bra Joe
  • mentor
  • busker
  • Bozza Boys
  • saxophone
  • Zweli
Q8

How does the fundraiser help Felix get his saxophone back?

The jazz fundraiser organized by Felix and the Bozza Boys at the tavern is successful and raises enough money for Felix to buy back his father's saxophone from the pawnshop. This not only restores the instrument but also gives Felix the confidence and momentum he needs for his school audition.

Foreshadowing: The fundraiser represents Felix's first major victory and proves his ability to make things happen.

  • fundraiser
  • saxophone
  • pawnshop
  • buy back
  • Bozza Boys
  • money
Q9

Why does Mrs. Cartwright help Felix get a second audition?

Mrs. Cartwright is Felix's English teacher at the private school who recognizes his determination and potential. After he fails the first audition, she advocates for him and persuades the music teacher to give him a second chance. Her support is pivotal because it gives Felix the opportunity he needs to prove himself.

Foreshadowing: Mrs. Cartwright's intervention shows that Felix finds allies in his new, unfamiliar environment.

  • Mrs. Cartwright
  • second chance
  • audition
  • teacher
  • support
Q10

Why does Junior Junior bully Felix at school?

Junior Junior leads a group of bullies at the private school who target Felix because he comes from a township background on a scholarship. They see him as an outsider and treat him as 'a pitiful nobody,' making his already difficult transition even harder. This bullying creates the challenging environment Felix must overcome.

Foreshadowing: The bullying highlights the class divide Felix must navigate and makes his ultimate triumph more meaningful.

  • Junior Junior
  • bullies
  • private school
  • township
  • outsider
  • scholarship

Movie threads

More Movies Like Felix, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Felix tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about chasing artistic dreams like Felix

Determined characters overcoming obstacles to chase a creative dream. If you enjoyed Felix's inspiring story of musical ambition, you'll love these movies about pursuing artistic passions. This section features similar coming-of-age stories and heartfelt dramas where characters fight for their creative dreams against the odds, perfect for fans of uplifting and determined journeys.

  • inspiring
  • heartfelt
  • determined
  • triumphant
  • passionate
  • uplifting
  • Tone: hopeful, heartfelt
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives typically follow a linear underdog arc, where a clear goal (e.g., a big performance, a crucial audition) provides the central plot. The protagonist encounters specific obstacles—often relational, like a disapproving parent—but finds support in unexpected mentors. The story builds steadily towards a climax that proves the value of their passion, both artistically and personally.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here for their shared focus on the emotional power of art as a personal calling. They balance medium emotional weight with a fundamentally hopeful tone, creating an inspiring and heartfelt viewing experience centered on determination, legacy, and the joy of creative expression.

Movies about healing family conflict through legacy like Felix

Characters mending broken family bonds by embracing a inherited passion. For viewers who loved how Felix used music to connect with his father's memory and heal the rift with his mother, this list features similar emotional stories. Discover movies where a shared legacy or inherited passion helps families overcome grief and conflict, offering hopeful and resonant narratives about reconciliation.

  • heartfelt
  • nostalgic
  • hopeful
  • emotional
  • triumphant
  • healing
  • Tone: hopeful, nostalgic
  • Pacing: steady, emotional
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The plot often revolves around a protagonist exploring a talent or interest tied to a deceased or estranged relative, which a surviving parent initially rejects due to painful associations. The conflict is deeply personal and emotional. The resolution involves a symbolic act—like a performance—that demonstrates the positive value of the legacy, allowing the family to reframe their grief and reconnect.

Why they belong together: This thread connects films that use a specific narrative mechanism—an inherited passion—to explore themes of grief, parent-child conflict, and reconciliation. They share a medium emotional weight, a steady pacing that allows for character development, and a ultimately happy ending that feels earned through emotional understanding.

Every angle

Felix (2013) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Felix in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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