Film Review of The Bang Bang Club

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

In general I liked the movie very much, as a spectator it kept me in suspense and nervous about the outcome. I think the film portrays very well the rawness of the conflict, the horrific violence and the role that photojournalists played in covering the humanitarian conflict. I feel that the film makes a criticism of the ethics and morality with which the photographers act, inviting the viewer to reflect on their actions and the consequences they could have had if they had done things better. It is a very powerful and emotional film, one of those that leave you with a bitter feeling.

 I feel that the film has a great richness in content, but this could have been recreated much better if they had had better actors. In my opinion, the emotions and feelings that the actors try to interpret are not deep enough to make this a masterpiece of cinema.

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

This film made me reflect on egoism, individualism and the profound lack of awareness with which inhuman situations can be faced. in this case the film reflects it with the photographers. In my case that is journalism, it leaves me as a teaching that we have great power in our hands and we must know how to use it. As communicators we have the possibility of disseminating information to a large audience and we must clearly distinguish the influence that can be exercised from the office. Therefore I feel that we should be empathetic, try to improve things within our means and take risks if necessary.

 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?

I believe that the political and social situation that the South African population still suffers is very regrettable. Where the historical struggle to achieve equal opportunities of a looted and impoverished people still persists. It seems that the principles of the Charter of Freedom, which in turn were decisive for the struggle against Apartheid, have been forgotten.

Social inequality persists, the positions of power that determine social and economic policies remain under the influence of whites, and there is a clear tendency of the country toward neoliberalism. The foundations that led the ANC to overthrow apartheid are currently very questionable, and the positions of political power that they achieved today are sustained and maintained thanks to the historical memory of a highly traumatic process.

There are great similarities between this situation and that experienced by Chile. Both experienced at a similar historical moment, the social repression of the state, discrimination, racism and intolerance. in which both processes left an indelible mark on their history. The principles of freedom, social equity and the fight against capitalism have been forgotten by those who represent the struggle of both the ANC in South Africa and the Concertación in Chile.

Extreme inequality persists and their governments respond, even if they do not want to admit it to the logic of neoliberal capitalism. I deeply hope that this situation will change, especially in South Africa, and that its future representatives will respect and reflect the historical demands of a beaten people.