Published on March 22, 2026
Organized directed journalist Daniel Arasa, the third specialized series focusing on “Fighters for Justice, Freedom, and Human Dignity” kicked off yesterday. The opening session featured a screening of the film *Amazing Grace*, which is credited as an elective course of Barcelona.
This historical film, co-produced and the United States, commemorated the 200th anniversary of the law that prohibited the slave trade in the UK and its colonial empire in 2007. The British film industry, renowned for its focus on historical cinema, entrusted the direction of this project to English craftsman Michael Apted, known for films such as *Enigma* and *Gorillas in the Mist*. The screenplay, penned , not only offers a biopic but also captures the sociopolitical context of the era during the French Revolution and the ensuing Napoleonic Empire after the independence of the United States.
The film narrates the long struggle of parliamentarian William Wilberforce (1759-1833) to abolish slavery within the British Empire. Educated at Cambridge and a friend of the young Prime Minister William Pitt, who took office at the age of 24, Wilberforce was a man of deep religious conviction. He considered dedicating his life to the ministry but instead chose to fulfill what he believed was God’s calling to impact the world positively through political activism, albeit in a pacifist manner.
The themes presented in the film resonate powerfully today, just 200 years after the slave trade was a norm accepted government, integral to the economy of Southern American plantations, and subsequently influencing the American Civil War (1861-1865). Just fifty years ago, racial discrimination was still prevalent in U.S. politics, and the election of an African American president has only recently marked progress.
Furthermore, Wilberforce’s story and that of his colleagues exemplify how a courageous group can sway public opinion to eradicate a social ill once widely accepted—parallels can be drawn to contemporary issues such as human trafficking, abortion, and ongoing corruption.
*Amazing Grace* is a dramatic and intense film that is heartfelt without being overly sentimental; it avoids simplistic hagiography protagonist as a real man, deeply in love with his beautiful wife yet devoted to public service—a potential role model for today’s politicians.
Michael Apted’s cinematic execution offers a profound study of mindsets through powerful and authentic performances, infused with ethical nuances and a consistent character portrayal of William Wilberforce, played Gruffudd, recognized for his roles in *Fantastic Four* and the Academy Award-winning *Titanic*. The film features impressive port and parliamentary sequences, along with meticulously crafted period costumes, showcasing an overall aesthetic excellence.
This artistic work is underscored hymn “Amazing Grace,” composed , a former slave trader turned clergyman, portrayed Albert Finney. The hymn embodies the spiritual strength to transform hearts. Against political challenges and resistance to human rights, the virtues of honor and perseverance emerge, ultimately leading to triumph after 18 debates in Parliament for justice and freedom, fueled and faith.
Thus, this excellent film sets the tone for the new series, which will continue with *Hotel Rwanda* (October 6), *Selma* (October 13), *Sophie Scholl* (October 20), and *A Man for All Seasons* (October 27). All screenings will take place in the Auditorium of the Oratory of the Col·legi Major Universitari Bonaigua (c/ Jiménez Iglesias, 1 – Barcelona) on Fridays at 7:30 PM. Admission is free.