Cry Freedom 1987

type: Movie

language: English

duration: 157 min

genre: drama

theme: epic

director: Richard Attenborough

Score: 6 / 10

Cry Freedom is a 1987 epic apartheid drama film directed and produced by Richard Attenborough, set in late-1970s apartheid-era South Africa. The screenplay was written by John Briley based on a pair of books by journalist Donald Woods. The film centres on the real-life events involving South African activist Steve Biko and his friend Donald Woods, who initially finds him too radical, and attempts to understand his way of life. Denzel Washington stars as Biko, while Kevin Kline portrays Woods. Cry Freedom delves into the ideas of discrimination, political corruption, and the repercussions of violence.

Plot

Following a news story depicting the demolition of a slum in East London in the south-east of the Cape Province in South Africa, liberal white South African journalist Donald Woods (Kevin Kline) seeks more information about the incident and ventures off to meet the anti-Apartheid black activist Steve Biko (Denzel Washington), a leading member of the Black Consciousness Movement. Biko has been officially ''banned'' by the Government of South Africa and is not permitted to leave his defined 'banning area' at King William's Town. Woods is opposed to Biko's banning, but remains critical of his political views. Biko invites Woods to visit a black township to see the impoverished conditions and to witness the effect of the Government-imposed restrictions, which make up the apartheid system. Woods begins to agree with Biko's desire for a South Africa where blacks have the same opportunities and freedoms as those enjoyed by the white population. As Woods comes to understand Biko's point of view, a friendship slowly develops between them.

Awards

National Board of Review: Top Ten Films

Cast

More details

author	John Briley
award	National Board of Review: Top Ten Films
contentLocation	South Africa
director	Richard Attenborough
editor	Lesley Walker
events	apartheid
genre	drama political
keywords	anti-apartheid arrest backpack ban banning order bantu bantu peoples black activist black consciousness movement botswana brain injury britain british high commission bruce haigh cape province cape town disguised as a priest donald woods en route family home gather government of lesotho government of south africa government official hunger strike impoverish internal resistance to apartheid itching powder jimmy kruger king william\'s town kingdom of lesotho liberal liberalism in south africa london make up maseru meet nkosi sikelel\' iafrika political asylum pretoria south african speak steve biko the king township trek united kingdom united nations united nations laissez-passer united nations passports wash wendy wendy woods white minority-controlled white minority rule white population white south african white south africans
musicBy	George Fenton
nomination	Academy Award for Best Original Score Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
producer	Richard Attenborough
productionCompany	Marble Arch Productions
publisher	United International Pictures Universal Pictures
recordedAt	Kenya Zimbabwe
theme	activists epic race and ethnicity