MovieChat Forums > Cry Freedom (1987) Discussion > If you liked Cry Freedom...

If you liked Cry Freedom...

posted 19 years ago by dzavitz
6 replies | jump to latest

I also recommend director John Boorman's "In My Country" (2004) (aka "Country of My Skull"). It shows us the workings of the Truth and Reconcialtion Commission of post-apartheid South Africa, and it some ways I found it more intense and personal than "Cry Freedom". I thought the love story was superfluous, but the testimony of the witnesses was gut-wrenching.

Having seen "Cry Freedom" only a couple of weeks after "In My Country", I felt I had more of a context in which to understand just how dangerous it was to live in South Africa at the time--not just for activists such as Biko, but for anyone who didn't want to close their eyes to the abuse and indignities suffered by every black person every day of their lives. Both movies did an excellent job of showing how apartheid dehumanized both its victims and its perpetrators.

[–] killacam-2 19 years ago

And I recommend also "A dry white season", seriously underrated movie about atrocities which apartheid did to average black people in South Africa (since "Cry Freedom" was mainly aimed at Biko's & Wood's personas ). It stars Susan Sarandon, Marlon Brando & Donald Sutherland.

[–] orlyandsa 18 years ago

yup.. a dry white season is a preety good movie.. and i would aslo recommend readning the book by andre brink as it is rather good. the book was like banned in south africa so it must be really good. >_<

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] haradoka 18 years ago

Add "Bopha!" to the list.

"I wish I knew then what I was now"

[–] rowhitakertoday 17 years ago

Thanks for these recommendations! I have "In My Country" on VHS tape and it is such a powerful story. Also, I recently saw "After the Rain" on tv and I loved this angle of the story--the main point that came across was how very alike we are deep in our hearts.

Also "The Power of One" which has some interesting and recent discussions on its IMDB message board. Apparently the film is being used in some classrooms. I am still not entirely clear on why this particular movie is being used. Perhaps because the main characters are so young, and so the students may identify with them? Also the legend of "The Rainmaker" I am not familiar with outside of the film. Any feedback on this would be welcome.