Film Review of The Bang Bang Club

1. In general, what did you like and dislike about the film?


What I liked about the film is that it the director made it seem like as if you were there. Everything feels very real, especially during some of the really violent parts, it's really powerful. I do like how they show the true events and don't whitewash anything. I really like how it shows and questions the role of journalists during conflicts. I think it is something that is really hard to do and they did a great job in showing that.

I think what I disliked about the film really is the characters, I couldn't sympathize really with any of them.



2.  How does the film make you think about your future role as journalists and film makers/producers/creators/directors?

I can't answer this question since it is for you guys and girls as students, but I think this film is really good for you to watch since it questions the role of journalism and documentary in conflicts. I look forward to reading your answers :)



3.  In this film, and various of the other films, we have seen how black South Africans went to vote massively in April 1994 to seal the downfall of the apartheid system with the electoral triumph of Nelson Mandela and the ANC, now more than 20 years later, we see many of the problems originated during the apartheid are still present such as land inequality, class inequality, unemployment, etc.

How have the dreams from the anti-apartheid struggle played out since the ANC has been in power? (Remember to use the article South Africa’s Coming Two-Party System)

It is a very hard question, but it is true that during Nelson Mandela's presidency, many free -market reforms were introduced to attract foreign investment, but these did not help the majority of the country. It is also important to remember that many of the demands from the Freedom Charter were met except the economic ones such as nationalization of big industries, land reform, universal free education and healthcare. Sadly, the ANC appealed to the Washington Consensus. In fact, in their 2015 congress they stated that "The collapse of the Berlin Wall and socialism in the Soviet Union and Eastern European States influenced our transition towards the negotiated political settlement in our country. The cause of events in the world changed tremendously in favour of the US led imperialism." I think that this statement helps us see why they decided to realize certain policies and reforms and not realize others.

The article by Fogel and Jacobs talks about the corruption of Zuma (who renounced this year) and how the ANC has committed itself to neoliberalism (just like the Concertación here in Chile), but also talks about how they use the legacy of the anti-apartheid struggle to almost blackmail people in supporting them.

I think now with Cyril Ramaphosa (ANC) as president and the promise of a deep land reform, maybe things will get better in South Africa. I sure hope so!