Cry Freedom

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Cry Freedom is a feature film directed by Richard Attenborough, produced in 1987, which is set in the 1970s, during the apartheid era of South Africa. The film was shot in neighbouring Zimbabwe, and, although not banned in South Africa, cinemas were faced with bomb threats from extreme right-wing whites. According to the Internet Movie Database, the film was seized by authorities on July 29, 1988. The film is based on the book of the same name written by John Briley.

Cry Freedom is a dramatization of the story of Steve Biko, the South African Black Consciousness Movement leader, who was murdered while in police custody, and Donald Woods, the white editor of the Daily Dispatch who befriended him. Woods wrote a book exposing the death of Biko while in Police custody. In order for him to get the book published he had to escape from South Africa.

Biko is played by Denzel Washington, and Woods is played by Kevin Kline. Woods' wife, Wendy, is played by Penelope Wilton.


Chronology of Cry Freedom

  • Government raid on Crossroads squatter camp
  • Editor Donald Woods criticises both the government, because of the raid, and Steve Biko for inciting racism against whites through his philosophy of Black Consciousness
  • Dr Ramphele, Biko's colleague visits Woods and invites him to meet Biko in his banning area at King William's Town
  • Biko takes Woods to Zanempilo, a rural clinic staffed by black medical people, and a black township where he explains and debates his ideas with Woods. Woods discusses his role in a society based on the separation of the races and the basic inequalities in this society.
  • As a result, Woods employs two black reporters to give an urban black point of view
  • Woods complains to the South African Minister of Justice, Jimmy Kruger. He urges the minister to establish a dialogue with Biko
This chronology is incomplete. Please expand.

External links

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