Hopes on the Horizon

Reminding us that the U.S. media does a rotten job of covering events in Africa, Hopes on the Horizon's main objective is not to discredit American journalism but, rather, to suggest to the rest of the world that things are looking up in Africa, both politically and socially. Focusing on six African nations and their distinctive struggles to attain some measure of political freedom and individual rights, the documentary visits Morocco, Benin, Nigeria, South Africa, Mozambique and Rwanda, all countries that are dealing with a colonial legacy that has left their people marginalized, under-educated and politically naïve. Most have also experienced terrible civil wars, with Rwanda, of course, enduring the worst genocide in modern African history. Yet, in each instance, popular movements for democracy, women's rights, and land rights have resulted in significant change for the better. In the industrialized West we hear too much about violence and political turmoil in Africa and too little about the people who have worked hard and sacrificed for positive, non-violent change. An upbeat overview of great achievements accomplished by Africans in the 1990s, this is highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: H, C, P. (P. Van Vleck)