Richard Attenborough’s film Cry Freedom is a striking embodiment of the events of black history and the struggle for the racial equality in South Africa during the regime of apartheid. The main characters of the story are white news editor Donald Woods (Kelvin Klein) and black freedom fighter Steve Bantu Biko (Denzel Washington). Initially, Woods, yielding to white prejudice, accused Biko of racism, thinking that he extols the black race against the white one. However, after a personal meeting with the leader of the resistance, the editor begins to understand the essence of Biko’s true intentions, and decides to help to achieve the goal by any means.
Once real-existing person, Steve Biko is shown as a great orator. His eloquence is so inviolable and perfect that crowds of black people go after him only to hear a sentence out of his mouth. He embodies the confidence, high intelligence and courage. It is unbelievable how the white government of that time distorted the meaning of his words. Biko was attributed the intention to incite racial hatred, but in fact, he fought for the “black consciousness”. The leader uttered: “We have to fill the black community with our own pride. We have to teach our black children black history; tell them about our black heroes, our black culture, so they don't face the white man believing they are inferior.” (Attenborough, Cry Freedom).
Steve Biko loved his country and intended to change South Africa. His death has triggered the development of a strong black identity. Donald Woods, who risked fleeing the country in order to publish a book about the true situation in South Africa, gave the world to know about his friend Steve Biko, the black people and their fight against racism.
Works Cited
Cry Freedom. Dir. Richard Attenborough. Perfs. Denzel Washington, Kelvin Kline. Universal Pictures, 1987. Film.
