The Color of Friendship

About The Color of Friendship

The Color of Friendship is a 2000 television film based on real events around the friendship between two girls; one from the United States and the other from apartheid South Africa. The story centers on Mahree Bok, a white South African living in a manor house under the apartheid system, and Piper Dellums, the daughter of a black congressman in Washington D.C. The film explores issues of racism and prejudice, and the bonds of friendship that form amidst such struggles.

Making / Production

The movie was originally released on Disney Channel and is directed by Kevin Hooks. It is based on the experiences of the Dellums family who hosted a South African teenage girl during the 1970s. The film was shot in Toronto, with primary locations being suburban houses to depict both Washington D.C. and South Africa.

Actors

• Shadia Simmons as Piper Dellums - She beautifully portrayed the role of a young girl learning about the harsh realities of racism and prejudice in society.
• Lindsey Haun as Mahree Bok - Her character goes through a transformational journey, from being a daughter of a white policeman to learning empathy and understanding towards the black community.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The movie is based on real-life events experienced by the Dellums family, who were close friends of the director.
• The movie was Disney Channel's first film to be screened in high-definition television format.

Awards

The Color of Friendship won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Program in 2000 and the Humanitas Prize in the Children's Live-Action Category.

Quotes

• "I'm not black... I'm a person."
• "Until you make peace with who you are, you'll never be content with what you have."

Music, Soundtrack

• The soundtrack features several period-appropriate songs, including Miriam Makeba's "Pata Pata" and several tracks by Chris Bensinger and James Covell.