The true story of Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalists who risked their lives to report on the violence and brutality associated with the first free elections in post-Apartheid South Africa. Stars Ryan Phillippe (Flags of our Fathers).
In 1994, four combat photographers - Greg Marinovich (Phillippe), Joao Silva (Neels Van Jaarsveld), Kevin Carter (Taylor Kitsch), and Ken Oosterbroek (Frank Rautenbach) - bonded by their sense of purpose to report the truth, exposed the bloody, final days of white rule in South Africa to the international community. The period of extreme violence came at a heavy price as the group's dedication, and willingness to push the limits of journalistic ethics, brought about personal tragedy. Based on the book written by two of the photographers involved.
I apologise, we feel bad, but there's no trailer available. ~Ed.
Silver means to get across the adrenaline rush of lives lived in dangerous extremes, but winds up trivializing their accomplishments and making them seem like men of hearty appetites, but little intellectual depth.
This question, which will instinctively occur to many viewers, is never quite dealt with in the film. The photographers sometimes drive into the middle of violent situations, hold up a camera, and say "press!" - as if that will solve everything.
When all is said and done, their Pulitzer-winning photographs prove more potent than this well-intended but frustratingly generic picture.
Writer-director Steven Silver (with an able assist from cinematographer Miroslaw Baszak) captures this brutal time - which led to the country's first free, multiracial elections in 1994 and the end of apartheid - in vivid, often bold, but never overpowering strokes.
Why, then, do we care not one bit when Pulitzers are won and bullets unsuccessfully dodged? The answer lies partly in Mr. Silver's refusal to elucidate the racial politics or engage with the world outside the film's incoherently chaotic bubble.
We've been told the NZ release date for this flick is Thursday, 8th Sep 2011.
Release date: September 8th 2011.
We haven't received times for this movie in this location yet. However these are updated as cinemas announce them, so check back soon. Hopefully the lovely cinemas in your location will choose to play it shortly. ~Ed.
