Dir. Lee Hirsch, 2002, South Africa/USA, 108 mins
Cast:
Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela, Vusi Mahlasela, Abdullah Ibrahim and Sibongile Khumalo
Review by Gavin Bush
It is a sobering thought that only ten years ago apartheid still held its pernicious grip over the people of South Africa. Amandla ! follows the struggle of these people from the beginning of apartheid in 1948 to the 1994 election of Nelson Mandela as South Africa's first democratically chosen president. Making Amandla ! was a nine-year journey for the director Lee Hirsch, and his knowledge and passion come across in this moving and uplifting documentary. Hirsch tells the story through the music of these downtrodden people showing what a vital role it played in their long road to freedom. The film opens with the official exhumation of Vuyisile Mini, a gifted activist and musician who became one of the first martyrs of the revolution when he was hanged by the government. He may have died but his music lived on, particularly his song Beware Verwoerd which gave hope to the now impotent people and fermented the revolution with its overt message of revenge against the originator of apartheid. Hirsch uses original news footage to complete his story, but the bulk is cut from interviews with renowned musicians and former exiles including trumpeter Hugh Masekela, singer Miriam Makeba, pianist Abdullah Ibrahim, singer/songwriter Vusi Mahlasela and singer Sibongile Khumalo. It is shot in a relaxed, yet cinematic style, and the effect is both informal and intimate allowing the interviewees' individual characters to come across without any feeling of intrusion. Many are articulate speakers, and being musical, they have mellifluous voices that make a difference in a 102-minute documentary. Music is the focus throughout Amandla ! It is wonderful and varied, from original footage of protesters to new performances recorded in studio settings. In the seventies the struggle became more militant, and again music and song were driving its heart, through the rebel songs of the MK to the incredible power of thousands of demonstrators singing and dancing in unison. This is attested to by the chilling and insightful interviews with white ex-police officers who tell how intimidating it was from the other side. Fat and pompous, they make it very easy for Hirsch to ridicule them. In contrast, some white South Africans were also involved in the revolution, and in a haunting scene one recounts his time spent in prison and the songs the inmates would sing before an execution. For those unfamiliar with African music, the songs may be hard going at first, but they are worth persevering with. As the film goes on, they gain relevance, becoming more enjoyable and emotional. The film ends on a positive note in the celebrations following the release of Nelson Mandela and the end of apartheid, but also with some poignancy as we revisit the reburial of Vuyisile Mini. This naturally leads to reflection on the role that music plays in our own lives, our free society and even historically in our own military. Amandla ! with its story of triumph of the human will is inspiring, informative and by the end you will want to dance, but it is also a potent reminder, lest we should forget, of the darker and more malevolent side of human nature. |
