Cry Freedom Film Rewiew

CRY FREEDOM- FILM REWIEW.

Along with Nelson Mandela and Robert Sobukwe, Steve Biko was one of the most important anti-apartheid leaders in mid-20th century South Africa.

Liberal newspaper editor Donald Woods (Kevin Kline) has convinced himself that Steve Biko (Denzel Washington) is an anti-white racist. Biko has been "banned" by the regime – meaning that he cannot associate with more than one person outside his immediate family at any one time, nor travel outside a specific area. Woods goes to meet him. In the film, Woods politely objects to Biko's message, and Biko responds with a gentle sermon on the plight of black South Africans. It's considerably toned down from the authentic version recounted in Woods's memoir, in which Woods lost his temper, shouting: "I don't have to bloody well apologise for being born white!" Biko's real-life response was good-natured, but more powerful and confrontational than the one in the film. He explained that he tried to discourage hatred of any sort, but his priority was to liberate black people – not to worry about the hurt feelings of white liberals. Director Richard Attenborough, much lauded for the Gandhihe created, projects an almost identical personality on to this icon. But the Gandhian in South Africa was Mandela, not Biko.

Mohamed Boukricha

    Merzouga is a small town , situated in the south of Morocco , with few people. Interesting views and landscapes and also a touristic place , a lot of people visit Merzouga because it's a relaxing and wonderfull place.

MERZOUGA

            Nine months ago, my friends and I travelled to Merzouga. We caught a train from the train station of Tangier. The trip lasted 5 days.

Merzouga is in the south of Morocco. It is a spectacular site. It is a desert. When we got to Merzouga, we had to rent a 4x4 car to pass a field and got to the resort. The resort was a luxury place with a beautiful swimming pool and a big restaurant. Every day we had was party at night.

We enjoyed the trip. Probably this year we are going to spend a good week again.

TAURUS

         I was born on 20th of May in 1997. My horoscope is Taurus.

The people whose horoscope is Taurus, is always calm. My favourite colour is the white and the blue. But people say that Taurus zodiac sign´s people favourite colour is the blue and the green. A Taurus lends to be practical, determined and have a stronge force.

Taureans are stable and conservative people. They do fitfully follow a leader in having confidence. They love peace and quiet and they are very respectful of the laws and rules. They have habit reluctant to change. They are more practical  than intellectual. They have a habit, my habit is play football and surf on the internet.

FILM REVIEW: “CRY FREEDOM”.

         The movie titled “Cry Freedom” is a british drama directed by Richard Attenborough (british director and producer). The movie was filmed in the late 1970s.

The movie treat about the South Africa´s movement called Apartheid.

The Apartheid consisted in the separation of the South Africa population by discriminatory treatment towards blacks reasons. During the movie, there is a person called Steve Biko. He represents the black society of people. He is brave and adventurous. He became leader four South Africans. But the black leader is dead at the hands of the white South African police (1970).

Personally, I liked the movie because it talks about important matter and South African event. And it is well know things about countries of our continent.

 

Film review

Chaimae Hounain

 Cry Freedom begins with the story of a friendship between a white liberal South African editor and an idealistic young black leader who later dies at the hands of the South African police. But the black leader is dead and buried by the movie's halfway point, and the rest of the story centers on the editor's desire to escape South Africa and publish a book.

Film review Cry Freedom.

                                                                     Cry Freedom 

"Cry Freedom" begins with the story of a friendship between a white liberal South African editor and an idealistic young black leader who later dies at the hands of the South African police. But the black leader is dead and buried by the movie's halfway point, and the rest of the story centers on the editor's desire to escape South Africa and publish a book.

 You know there is something wrong with the premise of this movie when you see that the actress who plays the editor's wife is billed above the actor who plays the black leader. This movie promises to be an honest account of the turmoil in South Africa but turns into a routine cliff-hanger about the editor's flight across the border.

The problem with this movie is similar to the dilemma in South Africa: Whites occupy the foreground and establish the terms of the discussion, while the 80 percent non-white majority remains a shadowy, half-seen presence in the background.

I think the importance of this film is that we're all equal no matter the color of our skin, our religion or our culture and traditions.

Film review Cry Freedom by Randa Chairi Mohamed

                                           CRY FREEDOM

        

         The film is based on two books written by Donald Woods, one of the protagonists, after escaping from South Africa. This film is based on facts.

         This film has important moral significance.

         This 1987 film is fighting for a cause that now a days, we are still try to fight, this cause is racism. In this film Biko fight against racism. He helps black community get ahead and have the same standard of  living  as white people had in South Africa. Biko died in jail but is remember as a hero, who tried to save the black community from injustice. Donald helps Biko try to achieve democracy.

         This movie made me think about all those black people starving and living under a government dictator ship.
    

                                 

Film review Cry Freedom

Cry Freedom (film review)

Thinking that humans could have treated other humans that bad just because they couldnt understant that people are different make me sick. 

The color of our skin would not have to be reason of war but years ago happened this way. And this is what the film is about. 

Cry Freedom is a drama a film about a fight against the Apartheid started by a member of the black movement against the biggest racist law ever that forbid them from all their rights and continued by Donald Woods, a  white journalist who after listening to what Biko had to say in the name of all the black society and after seeing how they are allowed to live, changed his beliefs in the Apartheid and started fighting for black rights. 

The Apartheid was a cruel law made to make inferiors the black Africans. They were the keepers of the country, they weren't allowed to study in colleges, or to have important jobs. They served as chofers, bargage men/women, housekeepers...

Stephen Biko, as other fighters of the black movement, are heros. In the film, which is based on reality, Stephen shows  that you do not have to be afraid of what you really believe in, You have to fight for what you want to get. He did it, he tried all ways to stop South African's government, but he got killed himself under police custody.  He was treated like an animal, thrown in the floor denied from medical assistance. But he he got killed for what he believed in, he believed in a fair South Africa, as many others, who couldnt speak freely because they were not as brave as Biko was. 

Thank god there were people like Donals Woods, capable of risking everything to help others. Because even having evverything is his life he could not be completely happy knowing that there are humans as him suffering. 

In a speech given by Nelson Mandela, this one describes Donals Woods as an incredible, brave and lovely human with a great and big heart.

In the film,when Donald saw his body and realised os what he had suffered he decided to publish a book about him, about Stephen and his fight. But his own country does not let him, and Donald becomes forbidden, so he decides to run away his all his family to London where he is allowed to publish it.

Now a days, it sounds crazy to think that someome could be judged just for the colour of his skin, but actually the Apartheid wasn'd erradicated until 1994, so just twenty years ago there was still existing a law against humans rights. 

 I still try to understand how could that happen, how could a government killed thousands of thousands innocent children and adultes who just wanted to be free. 

The end of the Apartheid (video)

Film review by Bochra Arrouch

Cry freedom is a British film produced and directed by Richard Attenborough, written by John Briley and released in 1987.

The film treated the problem of Apartheid in South Africa, where black people were discriminated for their color and separated from the white people in so many public places. They were having no human rights and also some of them were banned by the South African government, as the case of Steve Biko in the film who wasn’t permitted to live his defined banning area at King William’s Town.

After knowing the truth about Apartheid, Donald Woods (a South African journalist and anti-apartheid activist) started to work against the Apartheid problem in partnership with Steve Biko (an anti-apartheid activist in South Africa). Donald Woods tried to show the truth about the death of Biko to people for that but he was banned by the South African authorities. Although the fact of been banned he didn’t stop fighting and showing the corrupt and the racism of the South African authorities.

For me, a human being should not give up on defending his rights of living in peace and democracy, no matter what the price he will pay for. 

MOHAMED BOUKRICHA

TAURUS

I was born on 20th of May in 1997. My horoscope is Taurus.

The people whose horoscope is Taurus, is always calm. My favourite colour is the white and the blue. But people say that Taurus zodiac sign´s people favourite colour is the blue and the green. A Taurus lends to be practical, determined and have a stronge force.

Taureans are stable and conservative people. They do fitfully follow a leader in having confidence. They love peace and quiet and they are very respectful of the laws and rules. They have habit reluctant to change. They are more practical  than intellectual. They have a habit, my habit is play football and surf on the internet.

MERZOUGA

Nine months ago, my friends and I travelled to Merzouga. We caught a train from the train station of Tangier. The trip lasted 5 days.

Merzouga is in the south of Morocco. It is a spectacular site. It is a desert. When we got to Merzouga, we had to rent a 4x4 car to pass a field and got to the resort. The resort was a luxury place with a beautiful swimming pool and a big restaurant. Every day we had was party at night.

We enjoyed the trip. Probably this year we are going to spend a good week again.

FILM REVIEW: “CRY FREEDOM”.

The movie titled “Cry Freedom” is a british drama directed by Richard Attenborough (british director and producer). The movie was filmed in the late 1970s.

The movie treat about the South Africa´s movement called Apartheid.

The Apartheid consisted in the separation of the South Africa population by discriminatory treatment towards blacks reasons. During the movie, there is a person called Steve Biko. He represents the black society of people. He is brave and adventurous. He became leader four South Africans. But the black leader is dead at the hands of the white South African police (1970).

Personally, I liked the movie because it talks about important matter and South African event. And it is well know things about countries of our continent.

Film review: Cry Freedom

This is the story of the life of Stephen Biko (Denzel Washington), an activist known for his fight against apartheid South Africa as seen through the eyes of his friend Donald Woods (Kevin Kline), the chief editor of a white called liberal newspaper Daily Dispatch. Biko want to get well, equality of rights between races in South Africa. Woods wrote, initially, several critical editorials about Biko, but after meeting him for the first time, change your mind. They meet several times and Woods and his family begin to be investigated by the police. Biko was killed by the government in 1977 because of their protests against their mistreatment of black citizens. The South African journalist is forced to flee the country after attempting to investigate the death in custody of his friend the black activist. Additionally, Woods is writing a book about the life of Biko and the only way to get it is published is in the country illegally escape.

Cry Freedom Film review by salima

Cry freedom is a movie based on the novel by Donald Woods.

It´s about the events of the seventies in South Africa and the appearance of apartheid. During this novel Woods tells us how this law divided the habitants of South Africa .The white people in a side and the black people in the other side.

During the fight against this injustice, Steve Biko the founder the founder of the anti - apartheid association and one of the activists of the era who fought for freedom is killed by government and from here the editor and friend of Biko, Donald Woods initiates a new route that transmitted from his book, the voice of Biko and all victims of apartheid.

Film review (activities)

Questions:

1)    In which years does the story take place ?
The story takes place during the 70s.

2)    Which are the names of the cities? Can you find then on a map?

King William’s town, Pretoria, Lesotto and Otswana. Also Cape Town.

3)    Give short descriptions about the cities and places:

The cities were divided between the black zone and the white zone because of the Apartheid law, so the white zone was beautiful, clean, with an incredible views, big and luxury mansions, good cars…

But the black zone was devastating, they weren’t allowed even to live under good conditions, it was all dirty and the children haven’t even what to wear, no good saint system, they were pushed to live like animals.

King’s Williams Town os where Stephen Biko and Donald Woods live. It’s located In the Easter Cape. Founded by sir Benjamin d’Urban.

Pretoria is located in the northeast part of Gauterng province.

Botswana is located in southern Africa.

Cape Town is where Biko was going in the moment he got arrested.

4)    What do you think is the importance of the real story told in this film?

In my opinion the solidarity that has Donald Woods with Biko’s people at that point that he would risk everything that he had with no guaranty of success to help the others and start a fight tha would give them freedom. Donald Woods had everything: money, a good job, a good house, good position in society, he had everything to be happy but he wasn’t because he couldn’t be knowing that others were suffering.

5)    Name the relevant characters, and find information about them.

Stephen Biko was one of  the leaders who has had the movement against the Apartheid law. He fought against this law until  he got killed for his beliefs under police custody. 

Donald Woods is the journalist, editor and founder of the East London’s daily dispatch  who made the impossible to publish the book about Stephen Biko after this one was brutally murdered.

6)    What did you learn in this film?

I learned that we have to help others to get the minimum of happiness if we see them suffering even if we have a comfortable life.  I learnt about the importance of solidarity and also to fight for what I really want. Defend my  beliefs until the death.

7)    Write English words you heard in the film and you think they are important for the story:

I think the only word which deserves to be written here is Apartheid, a racist word with a racist meaning.

A law against the rights of black people.

8)    What nationalities are mentioned in the film? What do they have in common?

They are mentioned South African people and British people, and what they have in common is that some of them are fighting the Apartheid and others are fighting for it.

Activity 2:

1)    What does the word ‘Apartheid’ mean? In what language?

Apartheid is a law against black people who was made to take away of them their rights “legally”. They were treated as animals.

Apartheid is an African word which means racial segregation.

2)    How were people organized according to race in South Africa?

They were divided in two zones: the black people (the keepers) and the white people (the Africans).

3)    What countries are South Africans’ ancestors from? What ethnic groups are there? What languages do they speak?

They are ancestors from the Europeans. There are the black community and the Africans. They speak African and English. 

4)    When did the Apartheid become an official government  policy in South Africa?

Apartheid became an official government policy and law in 1943 and it ended in 1994.

5)    What was the purpose of Apartheid?

The purpose of Apartheid was to separate the inferior class (the black people) from the white people.

6)    State of emergency in the 80s.

7)    How and when did the Apartheid end?

One important factor in the end of Apartheid was pressure from the inside of the country? Members of the government began to have doubts about the system, and several parties which were opposed to it also began to grow in South Africa, starting in the 70s.

There was also a lot of external pressure especially from western nations, some of them had extensive civil rights legislation.

South Africa also experienced immense economic pressure to end the Apartheid. Many churches also applies pressure. Combined with violent demonstrations from black people and white people supporting the cause made the Apartheid end in 1994.  

Film review by Nada El Hadri

Cry Freedom is a British film which took place in the 70s and it was directed by Richard Attenborough. The film is about the friendship between two persons with diferent races and it’s based in real events. Donald Woods ( a newspaper editor) with Steve Biko try to end the racism but Biko dies , so he had to finish the job alone. After this movie many things have changed in South Africa because now it doesn´t matter if you are white or black.

Cry freedom by MR

Mehdi Rian 1ºBAC

CRY FREEDOM

The film narrates the story about the friendship between Donald Woods (Newspaper editor) and Steve Biko (a famous South African activist) and their fight against Apartheid. The film shows us the cruelty and the racism that were suffered over the years in South African society. That was a big event in the history of the country and changed the coexistence between black and withe people. The film made me think about how evil we can get to be with our own species, It´s very sad.

Movie Review: Cry Freedom Zaid Bousdar

Directed and produced by Richard Attenborough, and released in 1987 this inhuman and violent story about the Apartheid tells how black people suffered from this wild and irrational politic and economic system.

The story is about a journalist and an editor called Donald Woods who is against the Apartheid and his black friend Steve Biko who was an anti-Apartheid activist. Both people tried to stop the Apartheid.

This movie is based on true events. When Biko first appears in the film, he has already been "banned" by the South African government. "Banning" meant he was not allowed to be in the same room with more than one other person outside his immediate family, and not allowed to write anything for either public or private consumption. Additionally, he was not allowed to leave his defined banning area. We can see how cruel and racist white people were. This only with Biko. While with other people they used to kill them.In the begining Woods critisized Biko's actions in his newspaper  but later when he met him he knew he was wrong. Biko invites Woods to visit a black town to see the bad and terrible conditions and to witness the effect of theApartheid system. Then Woods understands the situation and tries to help Biko to make South Africa a country where blacks and whites have the same rights and the same opportunities. Biko dies. Then Woods tries to tell the police about the murder of Biko. He meets with Jimmy Kruger, the South African Minister of Justice, but his efforts to expose the truth lead to his own banning. His family are targeted by the police and they try to finish them using some dirty tricks. Woods tries to go to England. After a long trip he escapes to Lesotho and from there he flies to Bostwana where he is helped by an Australian politician.

In the end of the movie they show the names of the anti-Apartheid activist. Most of them commited suicide and some of them are said to have fallen down stairs.

In my opinion this movie represent how corrupted and selfish is the mind of a lot of people. Blacks are humans too. The colour doesn`t matter, but people judge only the appearance of the others not the heart. I think even now black people are looked as inferior and useless but. How many famous black people are there now compared to 60 years ago? The difference is huge and all this was possible because of the effort of black oppositors to stop Apartheid. A lot of people died, yes. But their sacrifice wasn`t in vain. They  saved South Africa from a black future.

Black people must have the same rights as white people and white people must respect them more and stop thinking they are superior.

But the most shocking thing I saw in ths movie is the mentality of white people. They only imprison and execute the in case they fight in defense of their rights. Other things I saw is how South Africa was litterally separated in two different races, black and white. This kind of things shouldnt exist. Why this didn't happend to oriental person? Is it because of the colour? Probably. No. Sure, it is because of the colour. In some cultures people see black as somthing which gives you bad luck and it is bad and useless. Just think in the popular black cat. ''If the black cat walks besides you it will give you bad luck for the rest of the day''. It is something stupid. But back in time people believed in this kind of racist things. Why do they don't say that white cat gives bad luck? I think it's because of the religion more than anything. In some religions black people are treated as monsters and demons.

This movie was creepy in my opinion. I can't imagine this kind of things happening now in my country. But well. The good thing in all this is that now black people and white people are equal.

Film review by Zaid Zitan

CRY FREEDOM

 Cry freedom is a British film directed and produced by Richard Attenborough that shows the true of the apartheid and the real situation of black people. Released in 1987, it is based in true facts written in the book “Cry freedom” by Donald Woods.

 This film tells the life of Steve Biko (performed by Denzel Washington), a black activist; and his friend Donald Woods (portrayed by Kevin 

Kline), a liberal man and editor of the famous South African newspaper “The daily despatch”. Together they are the voice of black ones and their aim is to raise awareness of people so they fight for their rights. Suddenly, Biko is killed and then Woods has to deal with the situation alone and go abroad so that all the entire world could listen to Biko´s ideas.

After this story was released, a lot of thing changed. Nowadays South Africa is democratic country where it doesn´t matter if you are white or black, short or tall, thin or fat … and not only in South Africa. All humanity had improved its thinking, but have we reached the real freedom or it is like any other lie? Most people think that, unlike few countries, we live in a completely free world where we can do everything we want and where we have all facilities we need. My view is completely opposite. We have a long way to achieve our purposes and aims. For example, there is still a male chauvinist behaviour in our social life even in European countries and you can easily find a case where an European and an Arabic with the same CV, doing the same job and the first one earns more money than the second.

All in all, the world hasn´t already reached the real freedom; however this situation is changing day after day.