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As
history presents itself through forms of
‘storytelling’; all sorts of versions of
the worlds past are handed down through
generations ‘word-of-mouth-. Typically,
we believe and conform to what we hear;
but historically speaking, there is
proof. And slavery is fact. Grasping the
idea of men and women packed into slave
ships like sardines and even more-so
with the notion that they, the slave
masters believed their survival rate in
those conditions was next to zero and
yet still proceeding with the inevitable
is morbid beyond belief. It’s murder in
its slowest and inhuman form.
While we
live with a troubled past and hope for
’40 Acres and a mule’ the present day
doesn’t offer much resolution. With
constant reminders of racism; bigotry is
at the forefront of the digital age.
With vast new mediums that tell opinions
of opposite sides in some variations
that make ones skin crawl while leaving
mouths wide open. And yet through all
this shock, people of color are immune
to race hatred although their protective
actions portray ‘enough is enough’.
There is
only black and white; shades of gray may
include light-skinned, medium brown,
reddish, albino, mullato-skinned, etc;
but there are different cultures,
religions and beliefs that segregate
communities, nations and people.
Differences are apart of life.
While
each person copes with their past; the
future is then questioned. What is in
store for me? What does my future hold?
It’s like 3 people reading the same
story, we all picture different types of
people playing the same characters. The
images in our minds differ and we create
character distinctions based off of what
is written.
But what
happens when the book becomes visual in
real time? And the characters aren’t
fictional?
Apartheid was the modern day slavery.
Africa’ consensual genocide acts were…
to summarize… ‘Eyes Wide Shut’. The
killings weren’t hidden. They were
publicized. And yet the world turned
there heads. Africa has been at the
forefront in that it is one of the only
continents that publicly are shown as
desperately needing to be civilized.
In the
political thriller Catch a Fire,
starring Derek Luke who portrays simple
hero Patrick Chamusso, deduces
the theory that Africa lacks
productivity and future. It increasingly
shows the capture of a people and the
rape of a land.
Director
Phillip Noyce along with
Screenwriter Shawn Slovo and
producer Robyn Slovo grasp the
truth with sweat-soaked hands
interpreting struggle and finality.
Freedom
and respect is what the story is about.
To see
Catch a Fire isn’t to understand
Apartheid. It isn’t to analyze yet
another story conceptualized on to the
big screen. Nor is it to cheer or create
anger and stir emotion.
Don’t
recall in distant or present memory the
run-ins you’ve hand with racism.
Watch
Catch a Fire to know; to witness; to
understand, to forgive… and to forget.
“We came
to the decision that it’s good to
forgive someone. If you forgive someone
you will live in peace” – Patrick
Chamusso, 2006 Catch a Fire.
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