scream for freedom

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Movie
German title scream for freedom
Original title Cry Freedom
Country of production United Kingdom
original language English
Publishing year 1987
length 157 minutes
Age rating FSK 12
Rod
Director Richard Attenborough
script John Briley
production Richard Attenborough
music George Fenton ,
Jonas Gwangwa
camera Ronnie Taylor
cut Lesley Walker
occupation

Freedom Cry is a film about Steve Biko , Donald Woods and apartheid in South Africa .

The film is based on a non-fiction book by journalist Donald Woods and describes the story of Steve Biko, the founder of the Black Consciousness Movement (BCM), who pays for his work for the rights of his black people with his life, and the related story of the non-fiction author himself The film shows the consequences of apartheid politics to a large audience.

At the beginning, the names of the entire crew are shown, as the credits usually provided for this are followed by a list of people who died during their imprisonment in South Africa.

action

The film shows how two South Africans, Steve Biko , who is under a spell , and Donald Woods, the white newspaper editor, get to know and appreciate each other.

Biko is arrested by the police on his way to a meeting. He is not given anything to eat and is brutally tortured. Despite his life-threatening health, he was transported to a distant police hospital, where he died of his injuries. Very affected by this, Woods wants to go on a lecture tour to the USA, but is arrested by the police before departure and he is also banned, which means, among other things, that he will not be with more than one person in one for the next five years May be space and not leave a certain area. He is also forbidden to write, which hits him hard as a journalist. Nevertheless, during this time he wrote a book about everything that happened, which he always had to hide.

After some thought, he realizes that he has to look for his chance in flight, and on New Year's Eve, disguised as a priest, with the help of friends, goes to Lesotho . His family follows him before the police can stop them. In order to fly out of Lesotho, however, the plane must cross South African territory. It is important to him that the written book reaches a publisher in England to report to the outside world about the prevailing conditions. The press is informed of the escape and the South African government threatens interceptors, but since Woods and his family have received UN passports and a Lesotho government official is on board, they take the risk and flee.

Reviews

“A liberal South African journalist's friendship with a Bantu leader forms the basis for a strong indictment of the excesses of apartheid politics. [...] noteworthy because of its humanitarian tendency. "

- Lexicon of international film

Awards (selection)

In 1988 the film was nominated for an Oscar in the categories of Best Supporting Actor (Denzel Washington), Best Film Music and Best Song .

In the same year the film won a British Academy Film Award for Best Sound . There were nominations in six other categories such as Best Film .

Others

In South Africa, the Vlakplaas secret police unit carried out bombings on cinemas showing the film.

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ A cry for freedom. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed October 11, 2016 .Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used 
  2. ^ TRC to consider police amnesty applications for 1980 bombings. SAPA , July 14, 1998, accessed on December 1, 2012 (English, requests for amnesty to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission ).