Bang Bang Club, The (2010) Movie Script
Well, I'm delighted to have
in the studio with me today,
award-winning photojournalist
Kevin Carter.
We've read a lot
about the so called Bang Bang Club.
Is there in fact such a club?
Um, I mean, this, it's just a label.
I mean, almost a joke really.
Somebody called us that, and...
We go out together...
on assignments
and so we're always together.
You know, safety in numbers.
That's the idea.
And are you competitive
amongst yourselves?
- I mean, do you compete?
- Oh yeah.
Everybody, at the end of the day,
wants to come back with the best shot.
So Kevin, what do you think
makes a photograph great?
Hmm...
Kevin?
THE BANG BANG CLUB
Soweto residents say that
in the early hours of this morning,
members of the Inkatha Freedom Party
attacked sections of Soweto,
known to be sympathetic to the ANC.
Armed with hangers and spears and
wearing their signature red headbands,
the Inkatha warriors marched
into a number of residential areas...
Go!
Hey, bru! Get out of my fuckin' frame.
Sorry!
- Who are you?
- Greg Marinovich.
Kevin. Kevin Carter.
Pleasure.
- Who are you working for?
- I'm freelance.
No shit.
- Hey, are we finished here?
- Yeah.
Looks like it.
Ignore him.
Chief photographer at The Star.
Yeah, I know.
Now he's all pissed off
'cause he missed the action.
- Kevin, you ready?
- Coming!
Forget the long lens, bru.
Stuff only looks good up close.
Good luck.
Thanks, bru.
Hey, gents.
Why'd they kill him?
They don't need a reason.
We are ANC and they are Inkatha.
Zulus.
Thanks.
Where are you going?
I'm going to go talk to them,
in the hostel.
That's a shortcut to heaven.
Ah well. I want to see for myself.
What's that mean?
I'll tell them what happened to you.
Hello.
Hello.
What do you want here, man?
I'm press.
I'm press.
- Please, please...
- Ay, ay, ay, ay...
I'm a photographer.
I just... I just want to talk.
Why are you here?
I'm a photographer.
I'm just looking for some pictures.
Sit down.
- Thanks.
- Yeah...
Hey, what's this?
Drink, drink, drink.
What are you going to do
with our picture?
I want to tell
Inkatha's side of the story.
Why you don't do
like all the other journalists do?
They're going to the township
and they speak to the clevers,
- the ANC comrades. Why?
- No, no, no.
I want to hear your side of the story.
Can I ask what happened today?
You must listen
and I want you to understand.
You see?
We, we come here for one reason.
One reason only.
To work.
And these comrades, the Mandela boys,
they are telling us not to go to work.
They say we must join the stay-away.
Now what if we get expelled
from our jobs?
Are they going to give us money
to take care of our children?
Are they going to give us money
to take care of our families back home?
My brother was stopped by this comrade.
He was from the shop,
carrying the plastic bag full of food.
They told him that there was a boycott,
so he should not go and buy food.
After that, you know what they did?
They made him drink cooking oil
and paraffin
and also they pushed
washing powder in his mouth.
What kind of a place is this
where children,
they tell their elders what to do?
I mean, what kind of a place is this
where children do not
obey their parents?
Today we taught them a very good lesson.
Ay, ay, ay, ay...
No?
Okay, okay.
What's going on?
He's the enemy.
He's been shooting at everybody.
I don't hear any shots.
Not a problem. Not a problem.
He's not Zulu.
He's a Xhosa like Mandela.
He deserves to die.
Goodbye, my friend.
Shoot us.
- I'm looking for the photo editor.
- Just in there.
Excuse me?
I'm looking for the photo editor.
I'm Robin Comley.
I'm the picture editor.
Hey. My new china. How's it?
- How's it, bru?
- What do you want, man?
I've got some pictures
from inside the hostel.
In the hostel? You don't mean inside?
- Yeah, inside.
- Are you serious?
Fuck.
You must be out of your mind.
Let's see them.
Ken, show him the dark room.
Let's go.
Went in!
They're fantastic, Ron.
Absolutely.
Oh, fuck me. I can't use them.
Our readers might find it a bit much
over their Rice Krispies
tomorrow morning.
Ron, are you ever gonna grow some?
We can use this one and this one
as a Sunday feature.
We don't get images like this every day.
Yeah. All right. Maybe.
Just show me a layout.
The framing's weak.
Half of them are soft.
Kev.
Greg, do you have a portfolio?
Sure.
So which way did you get in, bru?
I could see where they were going
and I just followed them.
So did anyone stop you?
Were they cool with you?
I thought they were
going to kill me, yeah,
- but I could shoot for the most part.
- Fuck!
- It's not bad.
- Fucking Speen is back, man.
I was shooting some old time rituals.
It's a circumcision ceremony there.
You shoot colour too, huh?
Yeah, but this isn't the F64 club, bru.
Yeah, what he means is our shit
doesn't sit still. Not like this.
I like this stuff.
It's not bad.
Okay, I'm out of here.
I think it's going to be better
if we go in earlier.
Everybody else can sleep late
and file shit.
I'll see you there, bru.
- Cheers, Rob.
- Cheers.
Joao. Joao Silva.
Pleasure.
Well...
- I told you to get in close, didn't I?
- You did, yeah.
Well done, bru. Well done.
The, ah... the bill...
I don't have my wallet...
- I got it, Kev, I got it.
- Thank you.
Did I just get a job?
No. Only Ken and Kevin are full-time.
But I'll give you the same deal as Joao.
On days that you work for us,
I'll pay you a day rate.
You get paid the same if we use
all of your pics or none of them.
But you can sell
what we don't to AP or Reuters.
That's where you make your real money.
Here. It's for today's pics.
Shit.
Why did you go out there today?
Because it scared me.
Because it scared you?
Do you always do things
just because they scare you?
Not always, but sometimes.
Can I buy you dinner?
Can you afford to buy me dinner?
Oh, I can now.
This time I'll buy you dinner. Use that
to buy yourself a better camera.
We'll have to make it quick.
I have to be back at work in 40 minutes.
Why don't you just get a new strap, bru?
Because it's leather.
I'm ready. I'm ready.
The new guy.
- How's it?
- New gear?
- Yeah.
- Oh.
Ready for some fun?
One second.
It protects...
the advance mechanism on the bottom.
I just saved you money on resale, bru.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
How's it, Greg?
How's it?
- Nice camera, man.
- Thanks, bru.
So what's the weather report?
They say there's
about 2,000 Inkatha warriors
two clicks from here.
They're heavily armed.
They're on their way to the comrades.
Let's go.
- Yeah.
- Let's go!
Hey, Joao, is that a fucking scanner?
Yeah.
You're a criminal degenerate,
you know that?
If the cops catch us with that,
- they'll put us in fucking jail, man.
- Well if they stop us,
- it belongs to the new guy.
- Thanks.
It's down there.
Right there.
Ah, what have we got here?
This is fun.
Just smile and be cool.
Press on foot. Press.
It's press, eh?
Press on foot.
Press.
- Press, eh? Press.
- They're using muti.
They think it makes them invulnerable.
That's where they are, on the right.
- Ah, shit. Here they come.
- All right.
- Just park on the right there.
- Yeah.
Okay. Here we go.
You ready?
- Yeah.
- Are you sure?
Yeah.
Watch him.
It's all about reading the moment.
Watch him, man. He's the best.
He always works from the outside in.
And when it peaks...
You're there.
It's a thing of beauty, my friend.
Then, you shoot a black frame.
That just simply tells the desk
that's your best shot.
Let's go find one ourselves. Huh?
That's an army-issue R1.
Where the fuck are they
getting the guns?
What the fuck do you care, man?
It doesn't matter.
Just take the picture.
I guess the muti isn't working so well
this morning.
They still think it's working fine,
just not for them.
Go.
Can't you at least pretend to be scared?
Cool.
# I heard about this new disco
# So I really wanted to dance
# I just want to go in
and see my friend Romeo in there
Hiya
# But when I phoned up my honey
# She kept talking to me about other men
Come, let's grab a drink.
Let's get a drink.
# It made me sore
I couldn't believe my ears
# So I felt real mad...
Joao!
Hi, I'm Viv. You must be Greg.
Yeah, hi.
So you decided to join up
with these crazies, eh?
Ken!
I want you meet someone.
So is this the young man?
Greg, this is Alf Khumalo.
It's really nice to meet you, sir.
It's an honor.
I know your photographs well.
How are you feeling with our big chief?
You're not gonna tell him
what a racist bastard I am, are you?
Well, you still young, Ken,
you'll get over it, you know.
So Ken, another whitey photographer
making money
off the spilled blood of Africans, eh?
Ah, Sonny. Cool it.
Let him be.
Fuck it. I'm too thirsty
to have this argument.
Promised this oke a drink.
Alf, Sonny, Thoko.
Cheers.
- See you guys later.
- Welcome, Greg.
Thanks, sir.
Two beers, please.
Whew, what was that about?
Ah, it's much harder
if you're a black photographer.
- Here you go.
- There you go, bru.
Thanks.
If you're an Inkatha supporter,
the ANC comrades want to kill you.
If you're ANC,
the Inkatha Zulus want to kill you.
So really, there's always somebody
who wants to kill you.
Doesn't matter whose side you're on.
And you...
You're lucky 'cause you're white.
As you've shown,
you can go anywhere.
School's out, china. Let's drink.
- Cheers, man.
- Cheers!
You're Ken Oosterbroek, aren't you?
Yeah.
- Hi.
- Hi.
This is Greg. Greg, Sam.
Pleasure.
# Where will you be
when the saviour comes
# Will you be on your knees
or behind a gun
# Will you be happy to see him
# Or will you want to run
# Will you be afraid
of what the people say
# When you look
at what the people have done
# And if you chance
# To meet him
# Will you know he's the one
# That you have been seeking
# Is it love
Whoa whoa whoa
# Whoa whoa
That you want
# Will you feel his spirit in the air
# Will it take you...
# Na na na na na na...
It's Kevin's.
- It's great.
- Yeah.
Come and see this.
I'm calling it Our Hidden War.
These are the shots I'm gonna use.
Three of them are yours.
Shit.
You should use this one too.
Hands off.
And, ah... that one.
Stop. Stop it.
- They'll never let you run this.
- They have to.
These pictures are gonna show up
on front pages all over the world.
We'll look like idiots
if we don't use them ourselves.
We don't know
what the government will do.
We have no idea
what we can get away with.
Oh, so you want to see
what you can get away with?
You're a fucking troublemaker,
you know that?
- Is it?
- Yeah.
I don't date photographers.
Yeah?
You keep terrible hours,
you drink too much and you're crazy.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
And then there's some bad stuff too.
Not too much to report
but anger and pain
and thinking, "Where's the way out?"
How do we get out of this mess?
Bloody little daylight in the daylight,
if you catch my drift.
But tonight, my brus,
tonight the moon is high.
You can see the new century
coming towards us
and it sounds like this.
# Can't get the stink off
# He's been hanging round for days
# Comes like a comet
# Suckered you but not your friends
You don't tell anyone about this.
# One day he'll get to you
and teach you...
She knows what she's doing.
Anyway, it's about time.
You know, I always thought
it was gonna be me.
Kev, it was never gonna be you, man.
But Robin and the new guy?
Yeah, the new guy.
- How's it?
- How's it?
Yeah. How's it?!
- Out with it!
- Come on!
- What? What?
- Sex with Robin.
Okay, we make you join our little club
and then...
You're in the club now.
I have no idea
what you're talking about.
# Bang bang
# Bang bang...
You're mad.
There's cops in there.
Go on,
they're too shit scared to come out.
Believe me.
It's marijuana!
Did you catch my show last night?
Every... fucking cut, every one.
Stones, every cut.
Kevin, do you ever sleep?
Can you believe it?
Can you fucking believe it?
Kev, shut up.
Shadows.
- Fuck!
- What's wrong?
I thought he was still alive.
He's dead. It's just a body spasm.
Kev, if you've got the shot,
move on, man.
Ugh!
- Who is he?
- He's Inkatha.
- Are you sure?
- He's Zulu.
Yeah he's Zulu,
but how do you know he's Inkatha?
We know him. We are sure.
Ugh! Ugh!
Stop it! Stop!
Stop taking pictures.
Yeah, I'll stop taking pictures
when you stop killing him.
You saw what they did to us.
- What if he's not guilty?
- Doesn't matter.
It will be a warning for the next ones.
Greg, behind you!
Greg!
Get out of there!
Oh fuck. Oh fuck.
He's burning. He's burning.
So I ran after him.
The sun was right behind him.
Didn't have time to check my meter,
so I press the button.
I just kept thinking F 5.6, F 5.6.
I started to frame for my next shot.
Just then, this guy runs up
with a fucking panga...
and brings it down on his head.
You're shaking.
But at least I've got the pictures.
Greg you know we're not going to be able
to use the pictures.
They're too graphic.
Then what the fuck am I doing out there?
- It wasn't my call.
- Yeah, I know, but fuck!
Ah, there he is!
There's the little fucker.
It was fucking mal out there today, huh?
Okay.
Tell him.
I sent your pictures to AP,
they sent it to London.
They wanted every fucking shot
you took today.
- Do you know what that means?
- What?
Your shots all over the world.
- You're joking.
- It's payday, buddy.
- A joke...
- Money! Money, baby!
- Yes! Woo!
- Yes! Greg!
You did it!
# Bang bang...
Robin Comly.
Robin Comly, is she here?
Yes.
- I'm Robin.
- I'm looking for Greg Marinovich.
What do you want him for?
He has taken a photograph of a crime.
I want him and the rolls of film.
Greg is freelance. He comes and goes.
And we didn't use
this particular picture,
so I don't think we can help you.
A crime was committed.
A man brutally murdered.
We intend to obtain his photographs
and identify the perpetrators.
I have here a 205 subpoena
which compels Mr. Marinovich
to testify or face arrest.
By law, you must sign
to acknowledge receipt.
Make sure he gets it.
- Shit.
- We've got no choice.
We have to notify the police
that we've seen you.
Are you okay?
- I don't know, bru.
- What you gonna do?
I'm not fucking testifying.
I mean, I don't like what they did,
but I'm not fucking helping the cops.
Just give them the photographs.
- Fuck that.
- What do you want to be a hero for?
There's only one reason
why he shouldn't.
If he gives them the photographs
and if he testifies,
the next day, in every township,
on every street, we're all targets.
We'll have taken sides.
I think you should make yourself scarce
for a while.
Hi.
Came off the telex 10 minutes ago.
It's a Pulitzer.
You're joking?
- No, I'm not.
- They can't arrest him now.
- Too much publicity.
- Well, do you know where he is?
Yeah.
So what are you waiting for?
Give him a call.
Yeah!
- Another one for Greg! Pulitzer boy!
- Yeah!
Woo!
- Yes!
- Go, Kev! Kev, Kev, Kev, Kev!
Thank you...
Listen, can I, can I,
can I say a couple of words?
Hello?
I just-I just want to say
a couple of words.
I'm Ronald Graham,
and for those of you who don't know,
I'm the editor of The Star.
And I just want to add my...
I'd just like to add my voice
to the congratulations for Greg.
You know, winning a Pulitzer
is no small thing.
You know we are very,
very proud of Greg.
Even though we weren't
the people who published the photos
in the first place.
Big mistake!
Oops! It's our mistake.
Your mistake.
But I think we're forgiven
because Greg is here tonight.
Actually, you know, Greg,
when you, ah...
When you went off to New York
to collect your prize,
a lot of us thought you weren't
gonna come back again,
but here you are.
I had to come back, Ronnie.
There's no bang bang over there.
Congratulations! It's well deserved!
Woo!
So, congratulations, Greg.
That was awesome.
Oh, thank you. I appreciate that.
Ah, fuck, Greg. Screw your award.
Your fucking photograph,
it's everywhere.
The government is using it to show
how we animals cannot govern ourselves.
How the fuck do you like that?
- Sonny, leave it.
- Even the ANC says
it's a white man's photo
taken for white man's purposes.
- Sonny, it's not his fault.
- Is that what you think?
- Let him enjoy his moment, man.
- Sonny, is that what you think?
Forgive him, Greg.
You okay?
No. No.
Greg, I, I keep having this dream
and in it, I'm dying.
I think you've had
one pint too many, bru.
No, it's... I'm getting...
I'm getting crucified
and there's this big fucking lens
that just keeps zooming in on me.
- Yeah?
- Yeah!
It's just a dream, Kev.
I wake up screaming my head off.
Kev...
What am I supposed to say?
I don't know.
Maybe you need to see a doctor.
Yeah, yeah.
You're just reading
into everything, huh?
Yeah, that's what I do.
Let's get out of here.
- Sure. Now?
- Yeah.
- All right. We're going.
- Cheers.
Cheers.
You know, he didn't know what it was.
I heard they had to tell him
what a Pulitzer was.
It's dumb luck.
Ask me, Ken. I'll tell you.
Pure dumb luck.
Yeah, Jimmy.
You just have the sheer bloody luck
to find yourself ten feet away
from a burning man.
Luckily, you're just two feet away
from an oke with a knife,
taking swipes at the back of your neck.
I mean, you'd be sure to keep your eye
nailed to your viewfinder, right?
You check your F-stop,
used for a wall of flame.
Right?
So when you're that lucky,
come see me.
And we can talk about whether
Greg Marinovich deserves a Pulitzer.
I'm just saying, Ken.
It was a great night.
I was really surprised
by Ronald's speech.
I really didn't expect him
to do that.
Ah, okay.
Okay.
Greg.
Slow down. Slow down.
Greg.
Greg, stop. Greg.
Greg. Stop.
Greg, stop it. Stop it!
What's wrong with you?
Nothing.
Doesn't seem like nothing.
I'm sorry.
It's all fucked up.
I win this prize
and then the ANC publicly accuses me
of being a state spy.
I fucking hate them all.
All of them.
The... Inkatha, the comrades,
this place.
- I fucking hate it all!
- Greg.
Greg.
It's okay.
Okay.
Hey.
I'm Kevin.
I know who you are.
You do? Shit.
My own mother
doesn't even know who I am.
Um...
You're one of those photographers
who takes the pictures?
Yeah, I am.
I really like your pictures.
Thank you.
Are you a... are you a journalist?
No, I'm-I'm a teacher.
A teacher?
Listen, um, my chinas and me,
we're having a braai on Sunday.
Okay.
Would you come?
I mean, your friends
are-are more than welcome
to-to join... It'll...
- I'd love that.
- Yes?
- Yes.
- Okay.
Here.
Let's try this again.
Cheers.
Cheers.
Greg, it's a great picture.
Yeah.
It is.
You know, sometimes I think
about doing something else.
I'm not sure I believe you.
I'm not sure I'm telling the truth.
# Sometimes I feel so happy
# Sometimes I feel so sad
# Sometimes I feel so happy
# But mostly you just make me mad
Oh!
# Baby you just
- # Make me mad
- Your man here...
# Linger on
# Your pale blue eyes
- No!
- No?
# Linger on
# Your pale blue eyes
Ah!
Fucking butchery this morning.
I really like this one.
She's not going to last
more than a week anyway.
Hey, Joao, fuck you.
What the fuck?
Ken, come check this.
We've just done a layout over here.
It's a story about you guys.
You're going to love it, it's great.
There's no way you're printing this.
What, bru?
We're not fucking paparazzi.
Come on, you kind of are.
Fuck you, man.
It's like saying we're fucking hyenas.
No, no, look, it's a really
positive story about you guys, okay?
Take it out, you fucking wanker,
or I'll take you out.
He's right, bru.
- Take it out.
- All right, all right, Joao.
What about club?
The Bang Bang Club?
That's so fucking lame.
No, club's fine.
Leave it in.
Sam, can you please get the plates?
I'm going to.
Long have we awaited...
- Bye, all. Thanks, Sam.
- Cheers.
Ciao, Viv.
Cheers.
Excuse me, sir? Hello.
I'm Abdul Shareef.
I'm a photographer as well and...
I'm just trying to find out
how do I join this Bang Bang Club.
Just tell him it's fucking full.
There's no club, man.
You know the Macho Chicken
just off Old Potch Road?
Yes sir, I can find it.
Well if you turn up there one morning,
who knows.
Thank you.
Thank you.
You were very nice to that guy.
Not long ago I was that guy.
Morning, my chinas.
- How's it, bru?
- Morning.
- Hey what's with all the journos?
- Greg. Morning.
- Thanks.
- Ah, them?
Yeah, they've been here every morning
the past week.
Waiting.
Yeah, I've been getting phone calls
about this fucking Bang Bang Club shit.
Some Frenchman called me from Paris.
Wants to know
how he can become a member.
- What?
- No shit.
- Yeah.
- Hey, bru.
- Hey!
- Who's this?
It's Abdul.
I told him he could ride along.
Greg's been picking up stompies.
- Come on.
- Kevin.
- Abdul. Nice to meet you.
- Let's go, Kev.
What the fuck?
They're following us in.
Come on man, fuck this shit.
Ah... What's he doin'?
Hey, assholes!
You make me fucking sick!
Find your own fucking bang bang!
Sure...
Hey.
- Who else did you tell about
this place? - Nobody.
- Don't fuck with me, man.
- Seriously, nobody.
- How many people did you tell?
- It's not his fault.
It's not his fault, Joao.
They followed us in.
Ah, okay, man.
Greg. Look down there.
Get down! Get down!
The Zulus are over there, get down!
- What's happening?
- There's no shooting.
They got a sniper with a silencer.
Get down.
Get down!
Ah!
He's been hit!
Shit!
Here! Here, here, here, here!
Oh fuck!
- Is he dead?
- How the fuck do I know?
He's breathing. I think he's breathing.
Fuck! I told him he could come.
He wanted to come, man. He wanted in.
Now you see
what we go through every day.
- Get him in the car.
- Come on.
- One, two, three, go.
- Go, go, go.
- In the car.
- Go, go, go.
I got the door.
Watch, watch, watch your head.
Let's go!
Go!
Faster, Joao!
Come on bru, come on!
Stay with us. Come on.
Yeah...
Kevin? Yeah, I know...
He's what? Ah, shit.
Okay, I'm on my way.
Ah, he works for us.
Is that it?
We paid your bail.
You okay?
Kev, what the fuck happened, man?
- I ripped my shirt, man. Fuck.
- All right, let's go.
I'll tell you,
but you know how I was supposed
to cover that thing with, um,
with Mandela at the hotel?
You know? I was supposed to be there.
But then... but then something
went wrong with my bakkie
and then there's a fucking tree, man,
and I fucking went right into it.
And then, the fucking cops came
and they found my stash, man.
Ken, I need a favour.
What?
I just need one frame of Mandela.
That's it. You know,
you said you were going to cover it.
You said you were going to cover it
for The Star.
Right? That's all I need.
I need something to bring in.
No. No way. Not again, man.
My frames belong to the paper.
- I wasn't there.
- You weren't there?
- No.
I just need one frame.
Something to bring in.
Fuck you, Kev. No.
Just give him a frame.
Okay. But you must get your shit
together, you understand me?
I promise.
Calm down. Kevin... Kevin!
Please.
It wasn't my decision.
Kevin.
You bitch.
She fired me and Ken watched it.
You fucker. You watched it.
Kevin...
It was the drugs.
Listen, my chinas.
All-all I need is enough money
to cover airfare and hotel.
I have to go to the Sudan with Joao.
You're not gonna smoke that.
It's full of cat hair.
I'm going to get myself sorted.
I need to get my shit together. Get...
I'm gonna stop. I'm gonna get sorted.
Did I tell you Allie threw me out?
Mm-hmm. Aye, you told us.
And then Joao's only leaving tomorrow,
so there's still time.
Joao?
Sure. Why not?
That's all I've got.
Here, Kev. I'll give you more
at the airport.
Thanks.
So they've gone?
This morning, yeah.
And you gave him money?
He was really chuffed about it
when we put him on the plane, yeah.
Maybe it'll do him some good.
Hello...
Yeah, it's Greg...
Yeah...
That's what you saw?
Okay...
Yeah, great...
Thanks...
Thanks.
- What are you doing?
- An Inkatha attack in Boipatong.
There's armed men all over the township.
My stringer says some are white
and wearing balaclavas.
Maybe this time I can actually catch
the police doing something.
No, you can't go in there on your own.
You know Ken's in Bop,
covering a boxing match.
It's important I'm there and I'm going.
Jesus, Greg.
This is bullshit.
No one goes into Boipatong at night.
You're behaving just like Kevin.
A fucking junkie.
Fuck.
- I'm coming with you.
- Robin...
If it's safe enough for you...
- Would you light that, Robs?
- Yeah, sure.
Can we have a seat?
Hello, sir.
Thank you for letting us into your home.
I'm so sorry for your loss.
But it's important that I find out
what happened here.
They came in buses driven by white men.
And I heard the white men.
They gave them orders:
"Don't talk, just shoot. "
I was here at my mother's house
and my son was with me.
And I left him with my mother
to go home for my wife.
I began to run and they ran after me.
And I heard the white men again,
"Catch him! Catch him!"
But I ran faster
and hid behind some bushes.
And all around me...
I heard them kill people.
Pow! Pow! Pow!
As you would kill insects,
stomping on them with your feet.
When they were gone, I...
I ran to my house...
...found my wife.
She was lying out there...
in the dirt
and her intestines were hanging out.
She said to me, "Where is Isaac?
Where's our son?"
I said, "He's safe.
He's with my mother. "
She said, "Bring him to me. "
So I left her.
I came back here to fetch my son.
When I found my son...
he was dead.
They had no mercy.
May I see your son?
He's in the bedroom.
Robs!
Sorry.
It's too dark.
Come on.
It's in my frame.
You're moving too much. Please.
Can you lean a bit in?
- Just do it. Just do it.
- I'm nearly done.
I can't! I can't! I can't!
Maybe you have to be like that
to do what you do.
Be like what?
I think you have to forget
that those are real people.
There was nothing I could do
for those people, any of them,
except take a photograph.
Nothing.
What do you want from me, Robin?
Nothing.
Okay. Fine. Then why don't you just
leave me the fuck alone?
Right.
Sorry to hear about you and Robin.
Can't say I blame her.
- How was it?
- The whole trip sucked.
Never got near the fucking rebels.
Nothing but flies and skinny people.
Well, we might be back in business here.
After the massacre that night,
I don't know if
this election's gonna happen.
- No shit!
- Well, that's exciting for you guys.
New York Times called.
They're running a Sudan story.
Have you got anything from your trip?
I got kak. Nothing.
There might be something on Kev's roll.
He's been raving about a pic
he took just before we left.
Yeah?
Anything?
It's all shit.
Check this.
Jesus.
Shit.
The spectre of starvation
is haunting Africa once again.
In southern Sudan, people caught
in a relentless cycle of civil war...
The ongoing civil war
in the Sudan was given a spotlight today
when a photograph taken by
South-African photographer Kevin Carter
was published on the front page
of the New York Times.
The picture, which shows a vulture
stalking a little girl,
has caught the attention of the world...
All right.
- Kev.
- Yeah, hold on...
Wake up. Kevin!
Wake up, buddy. Wake up.
Okay, Nancy, here he is.
- Yo.
- Hey.
Kev.
It's Nancy Buirski,
from the New York Times.
Good. Nancy, it's Kevin.
I need an assignment.
I need some money.
Kevin, your photograph
of the child in Sudan
just won the Pulitzer Prize.
They're going...
they're going to throw me out.
Kevin, did you hear what I said?
You just won the Pulitzer Prize.
What?
You just won the Pulitzer Prize.
- Can you hear me?
- Fuck.
- Guys.
- Ke... Kevin?
Nancy. Tell them...
Tell them what you just told me.
I won a Pulitzer.
Kevin?
I knew that when...
when I was taking it,
there was something special, yeah.
Do you have a name for the picture?
I don't name my pictures,
but my friends, they, uh, they named it
The Budgie Picture.
Kevin, many of our readers
have asked about the fate
of the young girl.
The fate?
What happened to the little girl, Kevin?
I... I don't know exactly...
- She...
- Did you chase the vulture away, Kevin?
Yeah, the vulture, yeah... After...
- After I got the, uh, picture...
- But did you physically help her?
- The girl?
- Yeah.
- Not physically.
- Kevin, you didn't pick her up?
That's not his job.
Since when are journalists exempt
from helping people?
I'm not saying I'm exempt
from helping people.
- I think my picture did more than that.
- Why not just make sure she was safe?
Kevin, no one is saying
you shouldn't have taken the photo.
Did you just leave her in the desert
to die, Kevin?
And you see no problem
with the choice you made?
I don't see a problem with the choice.
I went there as a photographer.
I took a great photograph.
Do you really think you did
the right thing?
- You could've done something further.
- What about saving this little girl?
- You don't know what happened?
- But why not just pick up the child?
We need to go.
Why didn't you just tell them the truth?
I told them the truth.
No, you change the story every time.
Leave it alone.
It's an amazing fucking picture.
Okay.
Greg.
They're right, you know.
Who?
All of them.
All of the people that
say that it's our job
to sit there and watch people die.
They're right.
That's not me.
Yes, it is.
It's in your head, Kev, not mine.
I'm not alone.
The South African government
and the African National Congress
have agreed to set a date for South
Africa's first non-racial election.
Today's announcement did little,
however, to stop the violence
which continues to threaten
South Africa's townships.
In an attempt to control the violence,
the two parties also unveiled
a new peacekeeping force.
The newly formed
National Peacekeeping Force,
deployed for the first time
in the townships,
clearly unable to cope
with the high level of violence.
They spent most of the day
hiding under their vehicles.
One man was shot in the leg
by his own comrades.
So how was New York, Jim?
- Yeah, it was good, man. Yeah.
- When did you get in?
Yesterday.
So, what do you guys do
when this is all over?
Well, if this war actually ends,
we're really screwed.
I can't go back
to shooting circumcisions.
What, not enough blood?
No, I'm done with newspapers.
It's magazine features for me now.
I'm getting an appetizer.
You guys want a round?
- Mm.
- Sure.
Thanks Jim.
Times sends him all over the world.
Northern Ireland, Bosnia.
All the shitholes.
That's what I want to do.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
It's a tough gig, eh?
Here you go, Joao.
- Okay.
- Thanks.
So I was thinking of going
to this big ANC rally tomorrow.
How about you guys?
Yeah. Their cause has been cooking
for the last couple of days.
Okay, well let's do it. Can I tag along?
- Of course.
- Jimmy, you don't have to ask.
- Okay.
- Cheers.
- Thanks, guys.
- Yeah. Cheers.
So Kevin.
What do you think
makes a photograph great?
Um...
Kevin?
I uh...
I don't know, really.
You take the picture
and you see what you have later.
But, uh... But maybe
what makes a great picture
is one that asks a question, you know?
It's not just a spectacle,
it's more than that.
And I think...
I think mine was like that
and Greg's too.
You go out and you see bad things,
evil things
and you want to do something about it,
so what you do
is you take the picture that shows it.
- Jeez. Jeez, man.
- Fuck.
But not everybody is gonna like
what they see.
You have to understand that
they might want to shoot the messenger.
Now I'm sure you're aware
of all the controversy that surrounds
the photograph of the vulture
and the child
and a lot of people are asking
a lot of questions.
This may be difficult for you to answer,
but do you know
what happened to that child?
Kevin?
- What are they running from?
- I don't know.
- Fuck! Fuck!
- Fuck!
Fuck!
- Shit!
- Fuck!
Greg, pass me the phone.
Robin, it's Ken...
Yeah, we're in Thokoza.
There's lots of guns here.
It's gonna get fucking hectic down here.
A bunch of peacekeepers that don't know
what the fuck they're doing.
Listen, we're going in.
Make sure they use the fucking pictures.
Let's go. Let's go.
- What the fuck's going on?
- Who cares, it's bang bang.
Fuck, this oke's been shot
across the road there.
Shit! Look out, Ken! Ken! Ken! Ken!
Get the fucking shot.
Come on. Take it like a man.
You're a puss.
Fucking pussy.
- Fuck you!
- Fuck you, man.
- You get the shot.
- Puss.
Move, move. I'll get it.
Sheesh! Woo!
Yeah. Told you.
- What's going on?
- Welcome boys.
Who's thirsty?
- What?
- What?
- Who wants a Coke?
- What?
No, man.
No, I'm going to go
to that spot over there.
Okay, well if you're gonna go, go.
- Ready?
- Don't get shot, dude.
Oh!
Idiot.
- Woo!
- Yeah!
Hello!
Hello, anybody here?! Hello?
Ah... Two Cokes, my bru.
Two...
Two rand.
Shit.
Greg!
Run!
- Ah! Fuck!
- Run!
Thanks.
We're gonna take out
this nest of snipers, okay?
We're going to
move down along this wall.
As soon as you get around the corner,
you start firing.
All right?
I say when they go,
we go with the same wave.
- You got it, Joao?
- Yeah, yeah.
- Are we gonna fucking do this thing?
- Yes.
Okay. You guys can come in after us.
Okay, we're gonna get covering fire
from the Mamba. Bring in the Mamba!
- It's starting to heat up.
- Alright, get ready! Move down!
Go! Go! Go! Go!
Get in there, you fucking bastard!
Go, you piece of shit! Get in there!
Go! Go! Go!
Go! Bloody legged! Get off your ass!
Ugh!
I'm hit! I'm hit!
Hold your fire.
- Hold your fire!
- Cease fire!
Get your hands off those weapons!
Fuck!
Shit!
We've got another man down.
- Jesus! Ken's hit! Ken's been hit!
- Hold your fucking fire!
- Keep still. Keep still.
- Ken's been hit.
I'm okay. Help Ken.
- Where? Where?
- In there.
Ken!
Ken!
- Joao...
- Sam...
Is he?
Sam...
Sam...
Ken's dead.
Hi, Robs.
Hello.
Where's Ken?
Is he all right?
No.
I'll be back.
Hey.
Hi.
I just want them to all leave.
Yeah, I know.
The explosion of violence
in this township
is an ominous sign for South Africa
at the beginning of a week
of planned protests
and demonstrations by Inkatha.
I would like to express
my deepest sympathy
to the family of Ken Oosterbroek.
- To Ken Oosterbroek!
- Yeah!
- Sorry.
- You fucker.
- Sorry, man.
- You spilled my fucking drink.
I said I was sorry, man.
Fucking asshole.
- Watch your mouth, motherfucker.
- Think you can take me on?
I didn't tell you, but I got an offer
from AP a few days ago.
They want to send me to Afghanistan.
I'll be leaving next month.
It's what I've always wanted.
Viv?
Mm-hmm?
Will you marry me?
Yup.
Still non-stop jol, is it?
How you doing?
Better. Really better, yeah.
I've been thinking about us.
I think I lost the plot for a while.
I'm sorry.
I think it's an occupational hazard.
And minutes into
Wednesday April the 271994,
the flag of freedom and equality
for all races
flew over South Africa.
The enthusiasm for voting
among blacks of all ages and conditions
caught the mainly white organizers
unprepared.
Millions more ballot papers
had to be produced
and in six regions,
a fourth day allowed for voting.
Inkatha's late entry into the election
meant its candidates had to be added
to ballot papers.
Despite the problems,
the historic poll is expected
to be declared free and fair.
My name is Kevin Carter.
Without phone, money for rent,
Money for debts, money...
I'm haunted by the vivid memories
of killings and corpses
and anger and pain...
Of killer executioners...
Of trigger-happy madmen, often police.
I have gone to join Ken,
if I'm that lucky.
# Long have we awaited
# But many times have we seen
# In the eyes of the neighbours
# A feeling that leads
Not a guess
# Who's been doing what, who
and went for less
# And who's been left out there
with dust on his dead feet
# Shot down in the city
# Look right at the sunset
# Look left and pour the tea
# Look on in amazement
# Look fast and mass crazy here
# Nowhere else in the world can you see
# so many monsters creep out
so efficiently
# and leave you wondering what happened
to all the sacred things
# that got shot down in the city
# New money new money
# And old ways get away
# But here in my cradle
# I lie incapable
# I'm a white boy who looked at his life
gathered his hands
# and saw it was all due
to the sweat of some other man
# That one who got shot
down in the city
# Shot down
# One day we'll fight
# That misty mild day
# And we can live our lives
# In peace
# But don't forget
your brothers and your sisters
# Who got shot down in the street
# Shot down in the street
# Deep in the past
# We can trigger to the barrel blast
# On the avenue
# Where I would crash into you
# What's done is done and life is a gun
# Life is a gun on the run
# Oh my dear isn't life a gun
# A story shotgun that came undone
# It came undone
# The well worn path
# Was never something I would walk
# So lay it down
# Lay these guns in the ground
# What's done is done and life is a gun
# Life is a gun on the run
# Oh my dear isn't life a gun
# A story shotgun that came undone
# We came undone
Blu-ray subtitling: CNST, Montreal
# We came undone
in the studio with me today,
award-winning photojournalist
Kevin Carter.
We've read a lot
about the so called Bang Bang Club.
Is there in fact such a club?
Um, I mean, this, it's just a label.
I mean, almost a joke really.
Somebody called us that, and...
We go out together...
on assignments
and so we're always together.
You know, safety in numbers.
That's the idea.
And are you competitive
amongst yourselves?
- I mean, do you compete?
- Oh yeah.
Everybody, at the end of the day,
wants to come back with the best shot.
So Kevin, what do you think
makes a photograph great?
Hmm...
Kevin?
THE BANG BANG CLUB
Soweto residents say that
in the early hours of this morning,
members of the Inkatha Freedom Party
attacked sections of Soweto,
known to be sympathetic to the ANC.
Armed with hangers and spears and
wearing their signature red headbands,
the Inkatha warriors marched
into a number of residential areas...
Go!
Hey, bru! Get out of my fuckin' frame.
Sorry!
- Who are you?
- Greg Marinovich.
Kevin. Kevin Carter.
Pleasure.
- Who are you working for?
- I'm freelance.
No shit.
- Hey, are we finished here?
- Yeah.
Looks like it.
Ignore him.
Chief photographer at The Star.
Yeah, I know.
Now he's all pissed off
'cause he missed the action.
- Kevin, you ready?
- Coming!
Forget the long lens, bru.
Stuff only looks good up close.
Good luck.
Thanks, bru.
Hey, gents.
Why'd they kill him?
They don't need a reason.
We are ANC and they are Inkatha.
Zulus.
Thanks.
Where are you going?
I'm going to go talk to them,
in the hostel.
That's a shortcut to heaven.
Ah well. I want to see for myself.
What's that mean?
I'll tell them what happened to you.
Hello.
Hello.
What do you want here, man?
I'm press.
I'm press.
- Please, please...
- Ay, ay, ay, ay...
I'm a photographer.
I just... I just want to talk.
Why are you here?
I'm a photographer.
I'm just looking for some pictures.
Sit down.
- Thanks.
- Yeah...
Hey, what's this?
Drink, drink, drink.
What are you going to do
with our picture?
I want to tell
Inkatha's side of the story.
Why you don't do
like all the other journalists do?
They're going to the township
and they speak to the clevers,
- the ANC comrades. Why?
- No, no, no.
I want to hear your side of the story.
Can I ask what happened today?
You must listen
and I want you to understand.
You see?
We, we come here for one reason.
One reason only.
To work.
And these comrades, the Mandela boys,
they are telling us not to go to work.
They say we must join the stay-away.
Now what if we get expelled
from our jobs?
Are they going to give us money
to take care of our children?
Are they going to give us money
to take care of our families back home?
My brother was stopped by this comrade.
He was from the shop,
carrying the plastic bag full of food.
They told him that there was a boycott,
so he should not go and buy food.
After that, you know what they did?
They made him drink cooking oil
and paraffin
and also they pushed
washing powder in his mouth.
What kind of a place is this
where children,
they tell their elders what to do?
I mean, what kind of a place is this
where children do not
obey their parents?
Today we taught them a very good lesson.
Ay, ay, ay, ay...
No?
Okay, okay.
What's going on?
He's the enemy.
He's been shooting at everybody.
I don't hear any shots.
Not a problem. Not a problem.
He's not Zulu.
He's a Xhosa like Mandela.
He deserves to die.
Goodbye, my friend.
Shoot us.
- I'm looking for the photo editor.
- Just in there.
Excuse me?
I'm looking for the photo editor.
I'm Robin Comley.
I'm the picture editor.
Hey. My new china. How's it?
- How's it, bru?
- What do you want, man?
I've got some pictures
from inside the hostel.
In the hostel? You don't mean inside?
- Yeah, inside.
- Are you serious?
Fuck.
You must be out of your mind.
Let's see them.
Ken, show him the dark room.
Let's go.
Went in!
They're fantastic, Ron.
Absolutely.
Oh, fuck me. I can't use them.
Our readers might find it a bit much
over their Rice Krispies
tomorrow morning.
Ron, are you ever gonna grow some?
We can use this one and this one
as a Sunday feature.
We don't get images like this every day.
Yeah. All right. Maybe.
Just show me a layout.
The framing's weak.
Half of them are soft.
Kev.
Greg, do you have a portfolio?
Sure.
So which way did you get in, bru?
I could see where they were going
and I just followed them.
So did anyone stop you?
Were they cool with you?
I thought they were
going to kill me, yeah,
- but I could shoot for the most part.
- Fuck!
- It's not bad.
- Fucking Speen is back, man.
I was shooting some old time rituals.
It's a circumcision ceremony there.
You shoot colour too, huh?
Yeah, but this isn't the F64 club, bru.
Yeah, what he means is our shit
doesn't sit still. Not like this.
I like this stuff.
It's not bad.
Okay, I'm out of here.
I think it's going to be better
if we go in earlier.
Everybody else can sleep late
and file shit.
I'll see you there, bru.
- Cheers, Rob.
- Cheers.
Joao. Joao Silva.
Pleasure.
Well...
- I told you to get in close, didn't I?
- You did, yeah.
Well done, bru. Well done.
The, ah... the bill...
I don't have my wallet...
- I got it, Kev, I got it.
- Thank you.
Did I just get a job?
No. Only Ken and Kevin are full-time.
But I'll give you the same deal as Joao.
On days that you work for us,
I'll pay you a day rate.
You get paid the same if we use
all of your pics or none of them.
But you can sell
what we don't to AP or Reuters.
That's where you make your real money.
Here. It's for today's pics.
Shit.
Why did you go out there today?
Because it scared me.
Because it scared you?
Do you always do things
just because they scare you?
Not always, but sometimes.
Can I buy you dinner?
Can you afford to buy me dinner?
Oh, I can now.
This time I'll buy you dinner. Use that
to buy yourself a better camera.
We'll have to make it quick.
I have to be back at work in 40 minutes.
Why don't you just get a new strap, bru?
Because it's leather.
I'm ready. I'm ready.
The new guy.
- How's it?
- New gear?
- Yeah.
- Oh.
Ready for some fun?
One second.
It protects...
the advance mechanism on the bottom.
I just saved you money on resale, bru.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
How's it, Greg?
How's it?
- Nice camera, man.
- Thanks, bru.
So what's the weather report?
They say there's
about 2,000 Inkatha warriors
two clicks from here.
They're heavily armed.
They're on their way to the comrades.
Let's go.
- Yeah.
- Let's go!
Hey, Joao, is that a fucking scanner?
Yeah.
You're a criminal degenerate,
you know that?
If the cops catch us with that,
- they'll put us in fucking jail, man.
- Well if they stop us,
- it belongs to the new guy.
- Thanks.
It's down there.
Right there.
Ah, what have we got here?
This is fun.
Just smile and be cool.
Press on foot. Press.
It's press, eh?
Press on foot.
Press.
- Press, eh? Press.
- They're using muti.
They think it makes them invulnerable.
That's where they are, on the right.
- Ah, shit. Here they come.
- All right.
- Just park on the right there.
- Yeah.
Okay. Here we go.
You ready?
- Yeah.
- Are you sure?
Yeah.
Watch him.
It's all about reading the moment.
Watch him, man. He's the best.
He always works from the outside in.
And when it peaks...
You're there.
It's a thing of beauty, my friend.
Then, you shoot a black frame.
That just simply tells the desk
that's your best shot.
Let's go find one ourselves. Huh?
That's an army-issue R1.
Where the fuck are they
getting the guns?
What the fuck do you care, man?
It doesn't matter.
Just take the picture.
I guess the muti isn't working so well
this morning.
They still think it's working fine,
just not for them.
Go.
Can't you at least pretend to be scared?
Cool.
# I heard about this new disco
# So I really wanted to dance
# I just want to go in
and see my friend Romeo in there
Hiya
# But when I phoned up my honey
# She kept talking to me about other men
Come, let's grab a drink.
Let's get a drink.
# It made me sore
I couldn't believe my ears
# So I felt real mad...
Joao!
Hi, I'm Viv. You must be Greg.
Yeah, hi.
So you decided to join up
with these crazies, eh?
Ken!
I want you meet someone.
So is this the young man?
Greg, this is Alf Khumalo.
It's really nice to meet you, sir.
It's an honor.
I know your photographs well.
How are you feeling with our big chief?
You're not gonna tell him
what a racist bastard I am, are you?
Well, you still young, Ken,
you'll get over it, you know.
So Ken, another whitey photographer
making money
off the spilled blood of Africans, eh?
Ah, Sonny. Cool it.
Let him be.
Fuck it. I'm too thirsty
to have this argument.
Promised this oke a drink.
Alf, Sonny, Thoko.
Cheers.
- See you guys later.
- Welcome, Greg.
Thanks, sir.
Two beers, please.
Whew, what was that about?
Ah, it's much harder
if you're a black photographer.
- Here you go.
- There you go, bru.
Thanks.
If you're an Inkatha supporter,
the ANC comrades want to kill you.
If you're ANC,
the Inkatha Zulus want to kill you.
So really, there's always somebody
who wants to kill you.
Doesn't matter whose side you're on.
And you...
You're lucky 'cause you're white.
As you've shown,
you can go anywhere.
School's out, china. Let's drink.
- Cheers, man.
- Cheers!
You're Ken Oosterbroek, aren't you?
Yeah.
- Hi.
- Hi.
This is Greg. Greg, Sam.
Pleasure.
# Where will you be
when the saviour comes
# Will you be on your knees
or behind a gun
# Will you be happy to see him
# Or will you want to run
# Will you be afraid
of what the people say
# When you look
at what the people have done
# And if you chance
# To meet him
# Will you know he's the one
# That you have been seeking
# Is it love
Whoa whoa whoa
# Whoa whoa
That you want
# Will you feel his spirit in the air
# Will it take you...
# Na na na na na na...
It's Kevin's.
- It's great.
- Yeah.
Come and see this.
I'm calling it Our Hidden War.
These are the shots I'm gonna use.
Three of them are yours.
Shit.
You should use this one too.
Hands off.
And, ah... that one.
Stop. Stop it.
- They'll never let you run this.
- They have to.
These pictures are gonna show up
on front pages all over the world.
We'll look like idiots
if we don't use them ourselves.
We don't know
what the government will do.
We have no idea
what we can get away with.
Oh, so you want to see
what you can get away with?
You're a fucking troublemaker,
you know that?
- Is it?
- Yeah.
I don't date photographers.
Yeah?
You keep terrible hours,
you drink too much and you're crazy.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
And then there's some bad stuff too.
Not too much to report
but anger and pain
and thinking, "Where's the way out?"
How do we get out of this mess?
Bloody little daylight in the daylight,
if you catch my drift.
But tonight, my brus,
tonight the moon is high.
You can see the new century
coming towards us
and it sounds like this.
# Can't get the stink off
# He's been hanging round for days
# Comes like a comet
# Suckered you but not your friends
You don't tell anyone about this.
# One day he'll get to you
and teach you...
She knows what she's doing.
Anyway, it's about time.
You know, I always thought
it was gonna be me.
Kev, it was never gonna be you, man.
But Robin and the new guy?
Yeah, the new guy.
- How's it?
- How's it?
Yeah. How's it?!
- Out with it!
- Come on!
- What? What?
- Sex with Robin.
Okay, we make you join our little club
and then...
You're in the club now.
I have no idea
what you're talking about.
# Bang bang
# Bang bang...
You're mad.
There's cops in there.
Go on,
they're too shit scared to come out.
Believe me.
It's marijuana!
Did you catch my show last night?
Every... fucking cut, every one.
Stones, every cut.
Kevin, do you ever sleep?
Can you believe it?
Can you fucking believe it?
Kev, shut up.
Shadows.
- Fuck!
- What's wrong?
I thought he was still alive.
He's dead. It's just a body spasm.
Kev, if you've got the shot,
move on, man.
Ugh!
- Who is he?
- He's Inkatha.
- Are you sure?
- He's Zulu.
Yeah he's Zulu,
but how do you know he's Inkatha?
We know him. We are sure.
Ugh! Ugh!
Stop it! Stop!
Stop taking pictures.
Yeah, I'll stop taking pictures
when you stop killing him.
You saw what they did to us.
- What if he's not guilty?
- Doesn't matter.
It will be a warning for the next ones.
Greg, behind you!
Greg!
Get out of there!
Oh fuck. Oh fuck.
He's burning. He's burning.
So I ran after him.
The sun was right behind him.
Didn't have time to check my meter,
so I press the button.
I just kept thinking F 5.6, F 5.6.
I started to frame for my next shot.
Just then, this guy runs up
with a fucking panga...
and brings it down on his head.
You're shaking.
But at least I've got the pictures.
Greg you know we're not going to be able
to use the pictures.
They're too graphic.
Then what the fuck am I doing out there?
- It wasn't my call.
- Yeah, I know, but fuck!
Ah, there he is!
There's the little fucker.
It was fucking mal out there today, huh?
Okay.
Tell him.
I sent your pictures to AP,
they sent it to London.
They wanted every fucking shot
you took today.
- Do you know what that means?
- What?
Your shots all over the world.
- You're joking.
- It's payday, buddy.
- A joke...
- Money! Money, baby!
- Yes! Woo!
- Yes! Greg!
You did it!
# Bang bang...
Robin Comly.
Robin Comly, is she here?
Yes.
- I'm Robin.
- I'm looking for Greg Marinovich.
What do you want him for?
He has taken a photograph of a crime.
I want him and the rolls of film.
Greg is freelance. He comes and goes.
And we didn't use
this particular picture,
so I don't think we can help you.
A crime was committed.
A man brutally murdered.
We intend to obtain his photographs
and identify the perpetrators.
I have here a 205 subpoena
which compels Mr. Marinovich
to testify or face arrest.
By law, you must sign
to acknowledge receipt.
Make sure he gets it.
- Shit.
- We've got no choice.
We have to notify the police
that we've seen you.
Are you okay?
- I don't know, bru.
- What you gonna do?
I'm not fucking testifying.
I mean, I don't like what they did,
but I'm not fucking helping the cops.
Just give them the photographs.
- Fuck that.
- What do you want to be a hero for?
There's only one reason
why he shouldn't.
If he gives them the photographs
and if he testifies,
the next day, in every township,
on every street, we're all targets.
We'll have taken sides.
I think you should make yourself scarce
for a while.
Hi.
Came off the telex 10 minutes ago.
It's a Pulitzer.
You're joking?
- No, I'm not.
- They can't arrest him now.
- Too much publicity.
- Well, do you know where he is?
Yeah.
So what are you waiting for?
Give him a call.
Yeah!
- Another one for Greg! Pulitzer boy!
- Yeah!
Woo!
- Yes!
- Go, Kev! Kev, Kev, Kev, Kev!
Thank you...
Listen, can I, can I,
can I say a couple of words?
Hello?
I just-I just want to say
a couple of words.
I'm Ronald Graham,
and for those of you who don't know,
I'm the editor of The Star.
And I just want to add my...
I'd just like to add my voice
to the congratulations for Greg.
You know, winning a Pulitzer
is no small thing.
You know we are very,
very proud of Greg.
Even though we weren't
the people who published the photos
in the first place.
Big mistake!
Oops! It's our mistake.
Your mistake.
But I think we're forgiven
because Greg is here tonight.
Actually, you know, Greg,
when you, ah...
When you went off to New York
to collect your prize,
a lot of us thought you weren't
gonna come back again,
but here you are.
I had to come back, Ronnie.
There's no bang bang over there.
Congratulations! It's well deserved!
Woo!
So, congratulations, Greg.
That was awesome.
Oh, thank you. I appreciate that.
Ah, fuck, Greg. Screw your award.
Your fucking photograph,
it's everywhere.
The government is using it to show
how we animals cannot govern ourselves.
How the fuck do you like that?
- Sonny, leave it.
- Even the ANC says
it's a white man's photo
taken for white man's purposes.
- Sonny, it's not his fault.
- Is that what you think?
- Let him enjoy his moment, man.
- Sonny, is that what you think?
Forgive him, Greg.
You okay?
No. No.
Greg, I, I keep having this dream
and in it, I'm dying.
I think you've had
one pint too many, bru.
No, it's... I'm getting...
I'm getting crucified
and there's this big fucking lens
that just keeps zooming in on me.
- Yeah?
- Yeah!
It's just a dream, Kev.
I wake up screaming my head off.
Kev...
What am I supposed to say?
I don't know.
Maybe you need to see a doctor.
Yeah, yeah.
You're just reading
into everything, huh?
Yeah, that's what I do.
Let's get out of here.
- Sure. Now?
- Yeah.
- All right. We're going.
- Cheers.
Cheers.
You know, he didn't know what it was.
I heard they had to tell him
what a Pulitzer was.
It's dumb luck.
Ask me, Ken. I'll tell you.
Pure dumb luck.
Yeah, Jimmy.
You just have the sheer bloody luck
to find yourself ten feet away
from a burning man.
Luckily, you're just two feet away
from an oke with a knife,
taking swipes at the back of your neck.
I mean, you'd be sure to keep your eye
nailed to your viewfinder, right?
You check your F-stop,
used for a wall of flame.
Right?
So when you're that lucky,
come see me.
And we can talk about whether
Greg Marinovich deserves a Pulitzer.
I'm just saying, Ken.
It was a great night.
I was really surprised
by Ronald's speech.
I really didn't expect him
to do that.
Ah, okay.
Okay.
Greg.
Slow down. Slow down.
Greg.
Greg, stop. Greg.
Greg. Stop.
Greg, stop it. Stop it!
What's wrong with you?
Nothing.
Doesn't seem like nothing.
I'm sorry.
It's all fucked up.
I win this prize
and then the ANC publicly accuses me
of being a state spy.
I fucking hate them all.
All of them.
The... Inkatha, the comrades,
this place.
- I fucking hate it all!
- Greg.
Greg.
It's okay.
Okay.
Hey.
I'm Kevin.
I know who you are.
You do? Shit.
My own mother
doesn't even know who I am.
Um...
You're one of those photographers
who takes the pictures?
Yeah, I am.
I really like your pictures.
Thank you.
Are you a... are you a journalist?
No, I'm-I'm a teacher.
A teacher?
Listen, um, my chinas and me,
we're having a braai on Sunday.
Okay.
Would you come?
I mean, your friends
are-are more than welcome
to-to join... It'll...
- I'd love that.
- Yes?
- Yes.
- Okay.
Here.
Let's try this again.
Cheers.
Cheers.
Greg, it's a great picture.
Yeah.
It is.
You know, sometimes I think
about doing something else.
I'm not sure I believe you.
I'm not sure I'm telling the truth.
# Sometimes I feel so happy
# Sometimes I feel so sad
# Sometimes I feel so happy
# But mostly you just make me mad
Oh!
# Baby you just
- # Make me mad
- Your man here...
# Linger on
# Your pale blue eyes
- No!
- No?
# Linger on
# Your pale blue eyes
Ah!
Fucking butchery this morning.
I really like this one.
She's not going to last
more than a week anyway.
Hey, Joao, fuck you.
What the fuck?
Ken, come check this.
We've just done a layout over here.
It's a story about you guys.
You're going to love it, it's great.
There's no way you're printing this.
What, bru?
We're not fucking paparazzi.
Come on, you kind of are.
Fuck you, man.
It's like saying we're fucking hyenas.
No, no, look, it's a really
positive story about you guys, okay?
Take it out, you fucking wanker,
or I'll take you out.
He's right, bru.
- Take it out.
- All right, all right, Joao.
What about club?
The Bang Bang Club?
That's so fucking lame.
No, club's fine.
Leave it in.
Sam, can you please get the plates?
I'm going to.
Long have we awaited...
- Bye, all. Thanks, Sam.
- Cheers.
Ciao, Viv.
Cheers.
Excuse me, sir? Hello.
I'm Abdul Shareef.
I'm a photographer as well and...
I'm just trying to find out
how do I join this Bang Bang Club.
Just tell him it's fucking full.
There's no club, man.
You know the Macho Chicken
just off Old Potch Road?
Yes sir, I can find it.
Well if you turn up there one morning,
who knows.
Thank you.
Thank you.
You were very nice to that guy.
Not long ago I was that guy.
Morning, my chinas.
- How's it, bru?
- Morning.
- Hey what's with all the journos?
- Greg. Morning.
- Thanks.
- Ah, them?
Yeah, they've been here every morning
the past week.
Waiting.
Yeah, I've been getting phone calls
about this fucking Bang Bang Club shit.
Some Frenchman called me from Paris.
Wants to know
how he can become a member.
- What?
- No shit.
- Yeah.
- Hey, bru.
- Hey!
- Who's this?
It's Abdul.
I told him he could ride along.
Greg's been picking up stompies.
- Come on.
- Kevin.
- Abdul. Nice to meet you.
- Let's go, Kev.
What the fuck?
They're following us in.
Come on man, fuck this shit.
Ah... What's he doin'?
Hey, assholes!
You make me fucking sick!
Find your own fucking bang bang!
Sure...
Hey.
- Who else did you tell about
this place? - Nobody.
- Don't fuck with me, man.
- Seriously, nobody.
- How many people did you tell?
- It's not his fault.
It's not his fault, Joao.
They followed us in.
Ah, okay, man.
Greg. Look down there.
Get down! Get down!
The Zulus are over there, get down!
- What's happening?
- There's no shooting.
They got a sniper with a silencer.
Get down.
Get down!
Ah!
He's been hit!
Shit!
Here! Here, here, here, here!
Oh fuck!
- Is he dead?
- How the fuck do I know?
He's breathing. I think he's breathing.
Fuck! I told him he could come.
He wanted to come, man. He wanted in.
Now you see
what we go through every day.
- Get him in the car.
- Come on.
- One, two, three, go.
- Go, go, go.
- In the car.
- Go, go, go.
I got the door.
Watch, watch, watch your head.
Let's go!
Go!
Faster, Joao!
Come on bru, come on!
Stay with us. Come on.
Yeah...
Kevin? Yeah, I know...
He's what? Ah, shit.
Okay, I'm on my way.
Ah, he works for us.
Is that it?
We paid your bail.
You okay?
Kev, what the fuck happened, man?
- I ripped my shirt, man. Fuck.
- All right, let's go.
I'll tell you,
but you know how I was supposed
to cover that thing with, um,
with Mandela at the hotel?
You know? I was supposed to be there.
But then... but then something
went wrong with my bakkie
and then there's a fucking tree, man,
and I fucking went right into it.
And then, the fucking cops came
and they found my stash, man.
Ken, I need a favour.
What?
I just need one frame of Mandela.
That's it. You know,
you said you were going to cover it.
You said you were going to cover it
for The Star.
Right? That's all I need.
I need something to bring in.
No. No way. Not again, man.
My frames belong to the paper.
- I wasn't there.
- You weren't there?
- No.
I just need one frame.
Something to bring in.
Fuck you, Kev. No.
Just give him a frame.
Okay. But you must get your shit
together, you understand me?
I promise.
Calm down. Kevin... Kevin!
Please.
It wasn't my decision.
Kevin.
You bitch.
She fired me and Ken watched it.
You fucker. You watched it.
Kevin...
It was the drugs.
Listen, my chinas.
All-all I need is enough money
to cover airfare and hotel.
I have to go to the Sudan with Joao.
You're not gonna smoke that.
It's full of cat hair.
I'm going to get myself sorted.
I need to get my shit together. Get...
I'm gonna stop. I'm gonna get sorted.
Did I tell you Allie threw me out?
Mm-hmm. Aye, you told us.
And then Joao's only leaving tomorrow,
so there's still time.
Joao?
Sure. Why not?
That's all I've got.
Here, Kev. I'll give you more
at the airport.
Thanks.
So they've gone?
This morning, yeah.
And you gave him money?
He was really chuffed about it
when we put him on the plane, yeah.
Maybe it'll do him some good.
Hello...
Yeah, it's Greg...
Yeah...
That's what you saw?
Okay...
Yeah, great...
Thanks...
Thanks.
- What are you doing?
- An Inkatha attack in Boipatong.
There's armed men all over the township.
My stringer says some are white
and wearing balaclavas.
Maybe this time I can actually catch
the police doing something.
No, you can't go in there on your own.
You know Ken's in Bop,
covering a boxing match.
It's important I'm there and I'm going.
Jesus, Greg.
This is bullshit.
No one goes into Boipatong at night.
You're behaving just like Kevin.
A fucking junkie.
Fuck.
- I'm coming with you.
- Robin...
If it's safe enough for you...
- Would you light that, Robs?
- Yeah, sure.
Can we have a seat?
Hello, sir.
Thank you for letting us into your home.
I'm so sorry for your loss.
But it's important that I find out
what happened here.
They came in buses driven by white men.
And I heard the white men.
They gave them orders:
"Don't talk, just shoot. "
I was here at my mother's house
and my son was with me.
And I left him with my mother
to go home for my wife.
I began to run and they ran after me.
And I heard the white men again,
"Catch him! Catch him!"
But I ran faster
and hid behind some bushes.
And all around me...
I heard them kill people.
Pow! Pow! Pow!
As you would kill insects,
stomping on them with your feet.
When they were gone, I...
I ran to my house...
...found my wife.
She was lying out there...
in the dirt
and her intestines were hanging out.
She said to me, "Where is Isaac?
Where's our son?"
I said, "He's safe.
He's with my mother. "
She said, "Bring him to me. "
So I left her.
I came back here to fetch my son.
When I found my son...
he was dead.
They had no mercy.
May I see your son?
He's in the bedroom.
Robs!
Sorry.
It's too dark.
Come on.
It's in my frame.
You're moving too much. Please.
Can you lean a bit in?
- Just do it. Just do it.
- I'm nearly done.
I can't! I can't! I can't!
Maybe you have to be like that
to do what you do.
Be like what?
I think you have to forget
that those are real people.
There was nothing I could do
for those people, any of them,
except take a photograph.
Nothing.
What do you want from me, Robin?
Nothing.
Okay. Fine. Then why don't you just
leave me the fuck alone?
Right.
Sorry to hear about you and Robin.
Can't say I blame her.
- How was it?
- The whole trip sucked.
Never got near the fucking rebels.
Nothing but flies and skinny people.
Well, we might be back in business here.
After the massacre that night,
I don't know if
this election's gonna happen.
- No shit!
- Well, that's exciting for you guys.
New York Times called.
They're running a Sudan story.
Have you got anything from your trip?
I got kak. Nothing.
There might be something on Kev's roll.
He's been raving about a pic
he took just before we left.
Yeah?
Anything?
It's all shit.
Check this.
Jesus.
Shit.
The spectre of starvation
is haunting Africa once again.
In southern Sudan, people caught
in a relentless cycle of civil war...
The ongoing civil war
in the Sudan was given a spotlight today
when a photograph taken by
South-African photographer Kevin Carter
was published on the front page
of the New York Times.
The picture, which shows a vulture
stalking a little girl,
has caught the attention of the world...
All right.
- Kev.
- Yeah, hold on...
Wake up. Kevin!
Wake up, buddy. Wake up.
Okay, Nancy, here he is.
- Yo.
- Hey.
Kev.
It's Nancy Buirski,
from the New York Times.
Good. Nancy, it's Kevin.
I need an assignment.
I need some money.
Kevin, your photograph
of the child in Sudan
just won the Pulitzer Prize.
They're going...
they're going to throw me out.
Kevin, did you hear what I said?
You just won the Pulitzer Prize.
What?
You just won the Pulitzer Prize.
- Can you hear me?
- Fuck.
- Guys.
- Ke... Kevin?
Nancy. Tell them...
Tell them what you just told me.
I won a Pulitzer.
Kevin?
I knew that when...
when I was taking it,
there was something special, yeah.
Do you have a name for the picture?
I don't name my pictures,
but my friends, they, uh, they named it
The Budgie Picture.
Kevin, many of our readers
have asked about the fate
of the young girl.
The fate?
What happened to the little girl, Kevin?
I... I don't know exactly...
- She...
- Did you chase the vulture away, Kevin?
Yeah, the vulture, yeah... After...
- After I got the, uh, picture...
- But did you physically help her?
- The girl?
- Yeah.
- Not physically.
- Kevin, you didn't pick her up?
That's not his job.
Since when are journalists exempt
from helping people?
I'm not saying I'm exempt
from helping people.
- I think my picture did more than that.
- Why not just make sure she was safe?
Kevin, no one is saying
you shouldn't have taken the photo.
Did you just leave her in the desert
to die, Kevin?
And you see no problem
with the choice you made?
I don't see a problem with the choice.
I went there as a photographer.
I took a great photograph.
Do you really think you did
the right thing?
- You could've done something further.
- What about saving this little girl?
- You don't know what happened?
- But why not just pick up the child?
We need to go.
Why didn't you just tell them the truth?
I told them the truth.
No, you change the story every time.
Leave it alone.
It's an amazing fucking picture.
Okay.
Greg.
They're right, you know.
Who?
All of them.
All of the people that
say that it's our job
to sit there and watch people die.
They're right.
That's not me.
Yes, it is.
It's in your head, Kev, not mine.
I'm not alone.
The South African government
and the African National Congress
have agreed to set a date for South
Africa's first non-racial election.
Today's announcement did little,
however, to stop the violence
which continues to threaten
South Africa's townships.
In an attempt to control the violence,
the two parties also unveiled
a new peacekeeping force.
The newly formed
National Peacekeeping Force,
deployed for the first time
in the townships,
clearly unable to cope
with the high level of violence.
They spent most of the day
hiding under their vehicles.
One man was shot in the leg
by his own comrades.
So how was New York, Jim?
- Yeah, it was good, man. Yeah.
- When did you get in?
Yesterday.
So, what do you guys do
when this is all over?
Well, if this war actually ends,
we're really screwed.
I can't go back
to shooting circumcisions.
What, not enough blood?
No, I'm done with newspapers.
It's magazine features for me now.
I'm getting an appetizer.
You guys want a round?
- Mm.
- Sure.
Thanks Jim.
Times sends him all over the world.
Northern Ireland, Bosnia.
All the shitholes.
That's what I want to do.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
It's a tough gig, eh?
Here you go, Joao.
- Okay.
- Thanks.
So I was thinking of going
to this big ANC rally tomorrow.
How about you guys?
Yeah. Their cause has been cooking
for the last couple of days.
Okay, well let's do it. Can I tag along?
- Of course.
- Jimmy, you don't have to ask.
- Okay.
- Cheers.
- Thanks, guys.
- Yeah. Cheers.
So Kevin.
What do you think
makes a photograph great?
Um...
Kevin?
I uh...
I don't know, really.
You take the picture
and you see what you have later.
But, uh... But maybe
what makes a great picture
is one that asks a question, you know?
It's not just a spectacle,
it's more than that.
And I think...
I think mine was like that
and Greg's too.
You go out and you see bad things,
evil things
and you want to do something about it,
so what you do
is you take the picture that shows it.
- Jeez. Jeez, man.
- Fuck.
But not everybody is gonna like
what they see.
You have to understand that
they might want to shoot the messenger.
Now I'm sure you're aware
of all the controversy that surrounds
the photograph of the vulture
and the child
and a lot of people are asking
a lot of questions.
This may be difficult for you to answer,
but do you know
what happened to that child?
Kevin?
- What are they running from?
- I don't know.
- Fuck! Fuck!
- Fuck!
Fuck!
- Shit!
- Fuck!
Greg, pass me the phone.
Robin, it's Ken...
Yeah, we're in Thokoza.
There's lots of guns here.
It's gonna get fucking hectic down here.
A bunch of peacekeepers that don't know
what the fuck they're doing.
Listen, we're going in.
Make sure they use the fucking pictures.
Let's go. Let's go.
- What the fuck's going on?
- Who cares, it's bang bang.
Fuck, this oke's been shot
across the road there.
Shit! Look out, Ken! Ken! Ken! Ken!
Get the fucking shot.
Come on. Take it like a man.
You're a puss.
Fucking pussy.
- Fuck you!
- Fuck you, man.
- You get the shot.
- Puss.
Move, move. I'll get it.
Sheesh! Woo!
Yeah. Told you.
- What's going on?
- Welcome boys.
Who's thirsty?
- What?
- What?
- Who wants a Coke?
- What?
No, man.
No, I'm going to go
to that spot over there.
Okay, well if you're gonna go, go.
- Ready?
- Don't get shot, dude.
Oh!
Idiot.
- Woo!
- Yeah!
Hello!
Hello, anybody here?! Hello?
Ah... Two Cokes, my bru.
Two...
Two rand.
Shit.
Greg!
Run!
- Ah! Fuck!
- Run!
Thanks.
We're gonna take out
this nest of snipers, okay?
We're going to
move down along this wall.
As soon as you get around the corner,
you start firing.
All right?
I say when they go,
we go with the same wave.
- You got it, Joao?
- Yeah, yeah.
- Are we gonna fucking do this thing?
- Yes.
Okay. You guys can come in after us.
Okay, we're gonna get covering fire
from the Mamba. Bring in the Mamba!
- It's starting to heat up.
- Alright, get ready! Move down!
Go! Go! Go! Go!
Get in there, you fucking bastard!
Go, you piece of shit! Get in there!
Go! Go! Go!
Go! Bloody legged! Get off your ass!
Ugh!
I'm hit! I'm hit!
Hold your fire.
- Hold your fire!
- Cease fire!
Get your hands off those weapons!
Fuck!
Shit!
We've got another man down.
- Jesus! Ken's hit! Ken's been hit!
- Hold your fucking fire!
- Keep still. Keep still.
- Ken's been hit.
I'm okay. Help Ken.
- Where? Where?
- In there.
Ken!
Ken!
- Joao...
- Sam...
Is he?
Sam...
Sam...
Ken's dead.
Hi, Robs.
Hello.
Where's Ken?
Is he all right?
No.
I'll be back.
Hey.
Hi.
I just want them to all leave.
Yeah, I know.
The explosion of violence
in this township
is an ominous sign for South Africa
at the beginning of a week
of planned protests
and demonstrations by Inkatha.
I would like to express
my deepest sympathy
to the family of Ken Oosterbroek.
- To Ken Oosterbroek!
- Yeah!
- Sorry.
- You fucker.
- Sorry, man.
- You spilled my fucking drink.
I said I was sorry, man.
Fucking asshole.
- Watch your mouth, motherfucker.
- Think you can take me on?
I didn't tell you, but I got an offer
from AP a few days ago.
They want to send me to Afghanistan.
I'll be leaving next month.
It's what I've always wanted.
Viv?
Mm-hmm?
Will you marry me?
Yup.
Still non-stop jol, is it?
How you doing?
Better. Really better, yeah.
I've been thinking about us.
I think I lost the plot for a while.
I'm sorry.
I think it's an occupational hazard.
And minutes into
Wednesday April the 271994,
the flag of freedom and equality
for all races
flew over South Africa.
The enthusiasm for voting
among blacks of all ages and conditions
caught the mainly white organizers
unprepared.
Millions more ballot papers
had to be produced
and in six regions,
a fourth day allowed for voting.
Inkatha's late entry into the election
meant its candidates had to be added
to ballot papers.
Despite the problems,
the historic poll is expected
to be declared free and fair.
My name is Kevin Carter.
Without phone, money for rent,
Money for debts, money...
I'm haunted by the vivid memories
of killings and corpses
and anger and pain...
Of killer executioners...
Of trigger-happy madmen, often police.
I have gone to join Ken,
if I'm that lucky.
# Long have we awaited
# But many times have we seen
# In the eyes of the neighbours
# A feeling that leads
Not a guess
# Who's been doing what, who
and went for less
# And who's been left out there
with dust on his dead feet
# Shot down in the city
# Look right at the sunset
# Look left and pour the tea
# Look on in amazement
# Look fast and mass crazy here
# Nowhere else in the world can you see
# so many monsters creep out
so efficiently
# and leave you wondering what happened
to all the sacred things
# that got shot down in the city
# New money new money
# And old ways get away
# But here in my cradle
# I lie incapable
# I'm a white boy who looked at his life
gathered his hands
# and saw it was all due
to the sweat of some other man
# That one who got shot
down in the city
# Shot down
# One day we'll fight
# That misty mild day
# And we can live our lives
# In peace
# But don't forget
your brothers and your sisters
# Who got shot down in the street
# Shot down in the street
# Deep in the past
# We can trigger to the barrel blast
# On the avenue
# Where I would crash into you
# What's done is done and life is a gun
# Life is a gun on the run
# Oh my dear isn't life a gun
# A story shotgun that came undone
# It came undone
# The well worn path
# Was never something I would walk
# So lay it down
# Lay these guns in the ground
# What's done is done and life is a gun
# Life is a gun on the run
# Oh my dear isn't life a gun
# A story shotgun that came undone
# We came undone
Blu-ray subtitling: CNST, Montreal
# We came undone