i first watch this movie on it release in 1987 and be greatly affect emotionally and through a combination of guilt at what my fellow white human being could do to innocent people and the reluctance of the outside world to really investigate these atrocity against man . particularly move be the funeral of steve biko and make even more vivid and hard hitting by the south african anthem play at the time . i have long believe that this movie achieve what nobody else have manage to open the eye of the world to what be really happen in south africa . i consider myself to be a normal right think person and i can attest to how this film change my whole way of think about not just south africa and but how we a white people perceive black people . i have never see any difference between people of any colour or creed and but after view this film i physically change my life and have spend the last 17 year live in a predominantly black country and help many people rise above their present standard of living and achieve that which they would not have think possible . the great reward i can honestly say i have receive to be able to say that in my own small way i have contribute and redress the balance a little . but if more people think like me and actually do something to help black people without seek reward then the entire black population of this planet would be a little good off . i challenge any right thinking person to watch cry freedom from begin to end and not feel that emotion tug at your heartstrings a you witness the 700 schoolchildren brutally shoot dead in sharpville for refuse to learn afrikaans and the senseless murder of steve biko and such a champion for his own people right and and then and ultimately and to understand that all this be not merely a film and albeit a magnificent one and but that it all actually happen and less than 30 year ago . yes and my friend and watch this movie and then see if you can go out afterwards and party hard . i couldn not . i be too upset at know the truth . that be the hallmark of a great film . it be obviously the intention of sir richard attenborough to get this message over about south africa . of course he have achieve it . unless you happen to support apartheid . god help you .