Tsotsi...

Optional Blog: View the 2005 Academy Award-winning South African film Tsotsi*. Write a postscript to the film: what happens to him and the other people in the Soweto township (especially his long-time friend and the young mother)? What happens to the victims?

I think that David (Tsotsi) was arrested and faced some serious criminal charges. He most likely served time in prison. He shot a woman, stole 2 autos, and kidnapped a baby. This is what the police KNOW he did. I liked how the writer/director chose to end this movie. It left you thinking. There were two alternate endings. The first showed David being shot and killed by the police. This was very sad and final. The other ending showed David being shot (not critically) and getting away...running back to his shantytown.

I think that his friends continued on the path that they were on. Aap and Boston continued to pursue petty crime as a way to survive. I think the young mother (Miriam) raised her child and probably found out what happened to David through the newspaper. She most likely would be saddened, but would deal with it and raise her child in the best way she could. There weren't many options for people living in shantytowns. The problems of economic hardship, AIDS/HIV, unemployment, race relations, etc. were very tough obstacles for the township residents.

The victims were happy to be reunited with their baby. There were definitely problems associated with the aftermath of what Totsi did. The mother was shot and we don't know if she is permanently disabled, the father witnessed the murder of Butcher. This family experienced a lot of trauma in a short period of time. They were violated in unthinkable ways. The one good thing is that their child was so young and I don't think he was harmed in any permanent way. I do hope that the young mother (Miriam) that breastfed the baby was healthy and didn't have any diseases that could have been transferred to the young baby.

This was a very good movie that I would recommend when you get time.