A drama based on the true-life experiences of four combat photographers capturing the final days of apartheid in South Africa.A drama based on the true-life experiences of four combat photographers capturing the final days of apartheid in South Africa.A drama based on the true-life experiences of four combat photographers capturing the final days of apartheid in South Africa.
- Awards
- 13 nominations
Lika Berning
- Vivian
- (as Lika van den Bergh)
Alfred Kumalo
- Alf Khumalo
- (as Alf Khumalo)
Khutso Shilakwe
- K.K.
- (as Kuutso Shilakwe)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaKevin Carter's daughter Megan Carter is featured in the bar scene where she turns around and says 'You must be Ken Oosterbroek.' Standing next to her is Kevin Carter's stepdaughter Sian Lloyd.
- GoofsWhen Greg Marinovich and Joao Silva are reviewing Kevin Carter's film of the vulture and child, the negatives they view through the magnifier are actually halftone images, not normal negatives that one would be examining before publication. (Halftones are the "dotted" images used to print photographs in newspapers and magazines, etc.)
- Quotes
Kevin Carter: They're right. All those people who say it's our job to just sit and watch people die. They're right.
- Crazy creditsPhotos taken by the real photographers, including portraits of one another, are used as a backdrop during the first section of the credits. The taking of some of these photographs is portrayed in the film itself.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The Hour: Episode #7.81 (2011)
- SoundtracksGroovin' Jive No. 1
Written by Noise Khanyile (as Noise Kanyile)
Performed by Noise Khanyile
Featured review
The war rages on in the final days of apartheid in South Africa. "The Bang Bang Club" is a group of four, young, fearless photographers who drove in head first into the racial fighting. Why they did such a thing is certainly in question. At first, I would chalk it up to the male-driven need for action. Other reasons will be there, but even they question it after awhile.
Writer and director Steven Silver is an established documentarian and this marks his transition into something a little more accessible. This certainly is. It's the type of recent historical story that I want to know more about. We only see the conflicts that are going on in South Africa through the lenses of these young men. The conflicts that take center stage are the internal ones between the good of documenting the violence versus doing something about it. Interestingly, it's when two of them win the Pulitzer Prize that their moral fibre is called into question.
As fearless as the protagonists are, the filmmakers seemed to be a bit more timid. Although the violence is there in full view, it lacked most of the emotional impact it should have had. Unfortunately, this is the reason for the low critics' rating. By the end you will be moved by the story, but you could have been moved all along.
I found that it was a great point of view to an interesting time. It was shot on location and achieved a great look for an independent film with the fraction of a Hollywood budget. "The Bang Bang Club" is a good movie, a great story, and it's worth experiencing.
Writer and director Steven Silver is an established documentarian and this marks his transition into something a little more accessible. This certainly is. It's the type of recent historical story that I want to know more about. We only see the conflicts that are going on in South Africa through the lenses of these young men. The conflicts that take center stage are the internal ones between the good of documenting the violence versus doing something about it. Interestingly, it's when two of them win the Pulitzer Prize that their moral fibre is called into question.
As fearless as the protagonists are, the filmmakers seemed to be a bit more timid. Although the violence is there in full view, it lacked most of the emotional impact it should have had. Unfortunately, this is the reason for the low critics' rating. By the end you will be moved by the story, but you could have been moved all along.
I found that it was a great point of view to an interesting time. It was shot on location and achieved a great look for an independent film with the fraction of a Hollywood budget. "The Bang Bang Club" is a good movie, a great story, and it's worth experiencing.
- napierslogs
- May 22, 2011
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Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Official site
- Languages
- Also known as
- The Hidden War
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross worldwide
- $221,292
- Runtime1 hour 46 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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