There are films with the power to inspire us and the ability to expose us to worlds and things we have only read or heard of. The Bang Bang Club certainly seems to fit perfectly in this category as it showcases the life, work and struggles of famous War Photographers Greg Marinovich, Joao Silva, Kevin Carter and Ken Oosterbroek. I have only seen the trailer but can’t wait to watch it, hoping it serves as an accurate and honorable tribute to these amazing Photographers and their legacy.
The Bang Bang Club is the real life story of a group of four young combat photographers – Greg Marinovich, Joao Silva, Kevin Carter and Ken Oosterbroek – bonded by friendship and their sense of purpose to tell the truth.
They risked their lives to tell the world of the brutality and violence associated with the first free elections in post Apartheid South Africa in the early 90s. This intense political period brought out their best work (two won Pulitzers) but cost them a heavy price.
Based on the book of the same name by Marinovich and Silva, the film stars Ryan Phillippe, Malin Akerman and Taylor Kitsch and explores the thrill, danger and moral questions associated with exposing the truth.
The Bang Bang Club was produced & directed by South African filmmaker Steven Silver, of award-winning documentaries previously like Gerrie & Louise as well as Diameter of the Bomb and The Last Just Man. This is based on the real stories of these four photographers in South Africa as documented in Greg Marinovich’s book “The Bang-Bang Club: Snapshots from a Hidden War.” It first premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last year. The Film will be at cinemas soon, so lookout for it, at a cinema near you.
So, you might not be familiar with these photographers by name, but I can guarantee you have seen their amazing work on magazines, books or the web. And just to give you a brief sample of their ‘work’ and the deep and emotional struggles these Photographers went through, here’s a photo that changed many lives and made history, shot by the late Kevin Carter. Kevin Carter suffered from extreme depression and committed suicide in 1994.
Check out the film’s official website for more information and I strongly suggest you read and share their blog.
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