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Catch a Fire, 2006, 102 minutes, Rated PG-13
By Ramona Prioleau

A tale of “company men,” one revolutionized and the other demonized, Catch a Fire explores Patrick Chamusso’s resistance to the South Africa’s apartheid regime and Nic Vos’ complicity in the regime’s indiscriminate oppression and torture of its citizens. MORE >>>

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Although a historical look at one country’s turbulent times, Catch a Fire has contemporary relevance as it sheds light on atrocities committed in the interest of national security. In Phillip Noyce’s smartly directed historical thriller, Derek Luke and Tim Robbins are exceptional as Chamusso and Vos, respectively. M

October 2006

MoQuotable(s)

Historical Significance?

I want the story to be told so that the common man like me knows that everyone is important in the face of this universe. It’s not only people who have money who are important…People will see that even a common man like me participated in the history because nobody talks about us. They talk about the top.

The grassroots person is where the real story is because the President is a president because of that man. But we don’t talk about him, we talk about the top. But I think it’s time now to talk about everybody. Everybody is important.
Patrick Chamusso (October 5, 2006, Catch a Fire Press Junket)

Patrick [Chamusso] to Joe [Slovo] was the symbol of the change that happened in South Africa – an ordinary many who just said, “This is not right. I must do something now.” And through courage, tenacity and focus actually was the story. He wasn’t someone who had a history of political activation as a student like many who went into exile.
Shawn Slovo (October 5, 2006, Catch a Fire Press Junket)

Greatness is in every single one of us. I think sometimes it’s more powerful for an audience to see a story like this…From an early age, I was fascinated with ordinary stories and the ways in which they can guide us.
Phillip Noyce (October 5, 2006, Catch a Fire Press Junket)

Surviving Political Imprisonment?

I think it was the struggle because I knew that one day we would be free. Even though it’s hard, but we would be free. It’s what kept me going. And the discussion that we were engaging in, this was what was driving us in the right direction. One day, no matter how long it was going to take, we would be free.
Patrick Chamusso (October 5, 2006, Catch a Fire Press Junket)

Forgiveness?

To forgive is very important, but don’t forgive and trust at the same time. Wait until time pasts.
Patrick Chamusso (October 5, 2006, Catch a Fire Press Junket)

I can admire [Patrick’s ability to forgive] and I can relate to it. I would hope that I would have the same generosity of spirit when presented with the same challenges.
Tim Robbins (October 5, 2006, Catch a Fire Press Junket)

In my own personal life, forgiveness has played such a powerful role. Forgiveness has the power to free you. At first, you think to forgive is to be foolish, but it is actually in [forgiving] that you find your greatest strength and that you can actually overcome any lies that the oppressor has fed you. South African leaders like Nelson Mandela and Bishop Tutu are people who embody that kind of thinking…They didn’t just preach it; they lived it. It is everything they are and stand for. With that kind of example, it’s hard not to understand it as a South African.
Bonnie Henna (October 5, 2006, Catch a Fire Press Junket)

For a lot of people the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was very cathartic and helpful, particularly for people who never knew where the bodies of their families were. On the other side, there was a lot of genuine and cathartic admission of guilt and apology and pleas for forgiveness. It was a great healing process for the country as a whole.
Shawn Slovo (October 5, 2006, Catch a Fire Press Junket)

Contemporary Relevance of Historical Film?

If we keep our eye firmly on the past, we’ll see the future and the present…It’s up to each individual to draw those conclusions based on their own observations.
Phillip Noyce (October 5, 2006, Catch a Fire Press Junket)

An enormous amount can be drawn from the South African experience, on all kinds of levels, that has relevance today.
Shawn Slovo (October 5, 2006, Catch a Fire Press Junket)

Becoming a Boer?

I felt my job was to find the humanity in this guy that we would consider from our safe distance to be the evil guy…In the 1980’s, I never gave much thought to who the oppressor was. When you land on that soil and start meeting these people, you have to invest them with some kind of humanity. You can’t just say they’re evil and that’s the end of the story…It’s a tragic story and these police officers were caught up in the story and are on the wrong end and the losing end of this particular history. It doesn’t justify or rationalize anything they did. They had to do that job at that time and they all understood that there was something wrong about apartheid. Their choice was to: enforce the law and do the job or leave, abandon their country and family and become a traitor.

[The process] wasn’t pleasant. I had to spend hours with Hentie [Botha] and I didn’t like it. He kind of pissed me off at times; but I had to hold on to that. It wasn’t my job to admonish him. We got into discussions and at times I felt like he was rationalizing something and I’d try to bust him on it, but I realized that I had to get him for who he is. I can’t have a debate with him. That’s not my job…I had to let him know it was okay to show me who he really was.
Tim Robbins (October 5, 2006, Catch a Fire Press Junket)

Time with Tim?

He’s funny. [Tim Robbins] took me to my first Reggae, hip hop South African club and he was the only White dude dancing. I said, “Isn’t this the day when a brother is sitting down watching the White man dance?” He’s 6’5” so he can’t hide and you have people [at the club] saying, “Ho-o-o!! Shawshank!! Shawshank!!”

He’s a cool Kat and he has a big heart because he wanted to make sure all the extras were taken care of. You would have thought he was a union leader or something…He’s a great guy to be around and great for a younger actor.

He also told me, “Pace yourself Derek. You’re going too fast. After you do an intense scene, you need to tell them you need to inhale and get a break.” I said, “Yeah, YOU can do that!” He helped me navigate through the film.
Derek Luke (October 5, 2006, Catch a Fire Press Junket)

Just Say No?

One of the things I learned early on was how to say no. Thank God I did. It’s hard to say no to millions of dollars…I had to do it the other day…I looked at being away from home for 3 months in a crucial year for both of my boys and I thought of hearing about Jack’s basketball games in Africa and I said, “I can’t do it.” My youngest is 14. So in about four years, I’ll become a total prostitute.
Tim Robbins (October 5, 2006, Catch a Fire Press Junket)

Genre(s)

Drama, History, Thriller

Director

Phillip Noyce

Writer(s)

Shawn Slovo

Producer(s)

Tim Bevan	...	Producer
Liza Chasin	...	Executive Producer
Miranda Culley	...	Associate Producer
Eric Fellner	...	Producer
Debra Hayward	...	Executive Producer
Anthony Minghella	...	Producer
Sydney Pollack	...	Executive Producer
Robyn Slovo	...	Producer

Main Cast

Tim Robbins	...	Nic Vos
Derek Luke	...	Patrick Chamusso
Bonnie Henna	...	Precious Chamusso
Mncedisi Shabangu	...	Zuko September
Tumisho Masha	...	Obadi
Terry Pheto	...	Miriam
Sithembiso Khumalo	...	Sixpence