RFK in the Land of Apartheid: A Ripple of Hope

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Marvelous . . . Fascinating.

Boston Globe

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A remarkable gem. A film that was begging to be made.

Encounters International Film Festival

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This fascinating and powerful documentary captures beautifully a small but momentous slice of the parallel struggles for equality, dignity and human rights in the United States and South Africa. We are reminded not only of how these two national struggles intersected nearly half a century ago, but also how -- to paraphrase Robert F. Kennedy's own words in South Africa--each individual, standing up for an ideal, can send out a ripple of hope, and millions of these small ripples coming together can eventually 'sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.

Larry DiamondDirector, Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law, Hoover Institution & Freeman Spogli Institute, Stanford University

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The film . . . conveys wonderfully the character of Robert Kennedy: the mixture of courage, empathy and a curious element of self-mockery -- the sly grin at himself. In addition to portraying Kennedy at one of the signal times of his life, it leaves this viewer with an aching sense of what we lost with his death. It also gives a grim, compelling picture of what apartheid in South Africa was like. I do not think there was another political figure, American or otherwise, who would have gone into Soweto and plunged into the crowd as he did.

Anthony LewisFormer New York Times reporter and op-ed columnist.

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As someone who was personally involved in and effected by Robert Kennedy’s visit to South Africa, I can attest to the authenticity of the film. It is a terrific documentary, full of interest and variety, wonderfully paced, and scattered with fascinating nuggets of information and flashes of humor and pathos. It really captures the visit, the man, the place, and the time.

Ian RobertsonFormer President, National Union of South African Students, 1966

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It's a fantastic story, and you tell it with great insight and delicacy. The intertwining of the SA and USA stories was done that way too--gently suggestive, without being overdone. Kennedy came through beautifully, and I think we saw how, if it was a life-changing event for many South Africans, it was too for him.

Professor Stephen ClingmanUniversity of Massachusetts, Amherst

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Not only is the content of this film enlightening and stirring, it is also masterfully delivered. The audience gains perspective on the practice of apartheid, gains a true understanding of Kennedy’s brilliant skill as an orator, and learns his beliefs on race relations. It is the pervasive intertwining of these major themes that makes this film remarkable.

Educational Media Reviews Online