Place of Weeping

It took many years of filmmaking in South Africa before this first anti-apartheid drama saw the light of the silver screen. Commendable for its ground-breaking message, its scenes of suffering at the hands of white oppressors are well-integrated with a completely realistic storyline. After a black farmhand is driven to stealing a chicken to help feed his family, he is beaten to death by his white farm boss. Gracie (Gcina Mhlophe) wants to bring the farm boss to justice for the death of her brother and ultimately finds some assistance in a reporter (James Whylie) who has been sent to the area to cover the fighting that is going on. The local priest warns the reporter not to get involved, but his advice is not taken, and further confrontations result.