Donald Woods is chief editor at the liberal newspaper Daily Dispatch in South Africa. He has written several editorials critical of the views of Steve Biko. But after having met him for the first time, he changes his views. They meet several times, and this means that Woods and his family get attention from the security police. When Steve Biko dies in police custody, he writes a book about Biko. The only way to get it published is for Woods himself to illegally escape the country.

Often shown in two 80-minute parts, allowing for a convenient intermission in cinemas and for the two parts to be shown, for example, a week apart on television.

Judge:
Why do you people call yourselves black? You look more brown than black.


Steve Biko:
Why do you call yourselves white? You look more pink than white.

Errors in geography: Although the film is set in South Africa, circa 1977, one of the buses arriving at Steve Biko's funeral plainly bears advertising for Charon's - a Zimbabwean brand of sweets not known in South Africa.