Film Enrichment: Freedom Writers

Laura Cuk

In enrichment…

• In film enrichment we watched the film 'Freedom Writers' starring Hilary Swank and the film was directed by Richard LaGravenese.

Question #1

• What is this film about?

• This is a drama film displaying the lives of teenagers after LA riots (based on true events).

Question #2

• Which teacher is more inspiring? Why?

• The actress Hilary Swank portrays a teachers who is surrounded by a lot of racism and violence. This character plans to bring all of the teenage students and break down the boundaries and create a peaceful and positive tension between her students - one classroom at a time. The film follows the lives of one class showing the battle they fight during their daily lives.

Question #3

• What are the main themes?

• The main themes in the film are poverty, racism, segregation, death, respect and gangs. In this film, most of e students live in poverty. However one of these students is homeless. These students encounter the day to day racism. Death is just something they are normal with.

Question #4

• What character did you like? Why?

• The character that I liked was the teacher. This is because the teacher could see the students potential and not like the 'delinquents' as the other teachers would say they were. The teacher went beyond and was able to bond the different ethnic minorities within the classroom and make a positive tension between one another.