Cry Freedom
Cry Freedom
The opening sequence depicts a South African police raid on an illegal shanti-town. Quick cuts create a sense of chaos, panic and confusion as uniformed police bludgeon Africans who run in fear. Close up shots of a vicious barking police dog are juxtaposed against a terrified baby screaming in order to shock the responder. Other quick cuts reveal policeman raping women and assaulting black Africans who are not resisting.
The following scene depicts a young woman listening to a radio broadcast which states the raid was peaceful, with many people returning to their home towns. As the woman listens, her facial expression is one of contempt and anger for she knows this is false.
A return to the shanti-town uses a panning shot as bulldozers demolish the township. And people are arrested and taken away. The music which accompanies this is a Zulu protest song which reaches crescendo as the camera seizes its pan. It stops on the poster depicting Stephen Biko, a black rights activist.
In Donald Woods’ office a close up shot focuses on photographs of police brutality during the raid contradicting the official news.
When asked if Woods will print them he relies defiantly “I’ll risk it”. Clearly, Woods is an individual who does not believe in or support the Afrikaans government approach, making him an individual with different values, beliefs and attitudes to the wider white South African society.
A close up on Woods as he declares Biko is building a wall of black hatred and prejudice and I will fight him establishes Woods’ character as a champion of humanity. However he has misinterpreted Biko’s philosophy and political agenda at the outset.
Biko’s black consciousness means he wishes to end the perception of blacks that they are inferior to whites. However when he “put some of these thoughts down on paper” he was immediately banned by the South African government merely for expressing a desire for equality. The view of
The opening sequence depicts a South African police raid on an illegal shanti-town. Quick cuts create a sense of chaos, panic and confusion as uniformed police bludgeon Africans who run in fear. Close up shots of a vicious barking police dog are juxtaposed against a terrified baby screaming in order to shock the responder. Other quick cuts reveal policeman raping women and assaulting black Africans who are not resisting.
The following scene depicts a young woman listening to a radio broadcast which states the raid was peaceful, with many people returning to their home towns. As the woman listens, her facial expression is one of contempt and anger for she knows this is false.
A return to the shanti-town uses a panning shot as bulldozers demolish the township. And people are arrested and taken away. The music which accompanies this is a Zulu protest song which reaches crescendo as the camera seizes its pan. It stops on the poster depicting Stephen Biko, a black rights activist.
In Donald Woods’ office a close up shot focuses on photographs of police brutality during the raid contradicting the official news.
When asked if Woods will print them he relies defiantly “I’ll risk it”. Clearly, Woods is an individual who does not believe in or support the Afrikaans government approach, making him an individual with different values, beliefs and attitudes to the wider white South African society.
A close up on Woods as he declares Biko is building a wall of black hatred and prejudice and I will fight him establishes Woods’ character as a champion of humanity. However he has misinterpreted Biko’s philosophy and political agenda at the outset.
Biko’s black consciousness means he wishes to end the perception of blacks that they are inferior to whites. However when he “put some of these thoughts down on paper” he was immediately banned by the South African government merely for expressing a desire for equality. The view of