Amandla! A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony is a feature documentary from American-born Lee Hirsch about the music of the black South Africans during the decades of apartheid. From the early anthems of Vuyisile Mini when the apartheid government came to power in 1948 through the various international world-renowned musicians who committed their music to exposing the suffering of black South-Africans, like Hugh Masekela, Miriam Makeba, the pianist Abdullah Ibrahim to those actually experiencing the evils of the system in their home country, the power of the music to inspire was unquestioned.The use of archival film is insightful, the people interviewed about their experiences are fascinating. Director Lee Hirsch effectively captures the relationship between the music and the changing moods and political shifts and balances over the forty years of the regime. I particularly enjoyed the openness of singer/actress Sophie Mgcina talking with her friend the actress Dolly Rathebe, and the determination of parliamentarian Thandi Modise who was imprisoned during apartheid - but the core interest in the film is the way the music changed to serve different purposes at different times. It\'s a film that\'s immensely interesting and on occasions very moving. Comments by David StrattonFine documentary about the role music played in the fight against apartheid in South Africa. Wonderful songs and amazing people are featured, plus a potted history of segregation and what it did to the country.
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