Denzel Washington makes his triumphant directorial debut and Derek Luke shines in his first big-screen role in this gripping story of survival and triumph. Inspired by the true life experiences of its title character, 'Antwone Fisher' tells the dramatic story of a troubled sailor (Luke) who is ordered to see a naval psychiatrist (Washington) about his volatile temper. Little does he know that his first step into the doctor's office will lead him on a remarkable emotional journey to confront his painful past and connect with the family he never knew.
Freedom Writers is inspired by a true story and the diaries of real Long Beach teenagers after the LA riots. Erin Gruwell (Hilary Swank) is a young woman whose passion to become a teacher is soon challenged by a group of students. Forced to work with the students Erin begins to understand that for these 'kids' getting through the day is enough - they are not delinquents but are fighting a war on the streets that began before they were born. Erin inspires her class of at-risk students to learn tolerance, apply themselves, and pursue education beyond high school.
Based on a real-life drama, 'Remember the Titans' is a rousing celebration of how a town torn apart by resentment, friction and mistrust comes together in triumphant harmony. After leading his team to fifteen winning seasons, football coach Bill Yoast (Will Patton) is demoted and replaced by Herman Boone (Washington): tough, opinionated, and as different from the beloved Yoast as he could be. How these two men overcome their differences, and turn a group of hostile young men into champions, plays out in a remarkable and triumphant story full of soul and spirit.
'Tsotsi' is a gritty and moving portrait of an angry young man living in a state of extreme urban deprivation. His world pumps with the raw energy of "Kwaito music" - the modern beat of the ghetto that reflects his troubled state of mind. The film is a psychological drama in which the protagonist is compelled to confront his own brutal nature and face the consequences of his actions. It puts a human face on both the victims and the perpetrators of violent crime and is ultimately a story of hope and a triumph of love over rage."Tsotsi" literally means "thug" or "gangster" in the street language of South Africa's townships and ghettos. "Kwaito" is South Africa's answer to American Hip Hop.
'Wall of Silence' tells the true story of Jamie Robe, a London teenager who in 1997 was brutally murdered by a gang of teenage thugs. Despite there being many witnesses to the crime the police encounter a wall of silence from the local community the teenagers have terrorised. However, due to a brave and persistent campaign led by Stuart Robe (the boy's father as played by James Nesbitt) and Tony Cottis (the Detective Inspector in charge of the case) the wall of silence slowly begins to crack.
