Oh my gosh, everyone lay off the original poster, not every 11 year old is a Rhodes Scholar, sheesh.
Original poster, people are a lot more harsh on the internet because it's easier for people to hide behind a computer screen than say the exact same thing to a person face to face.
Don't be ashamed you did not know something, only a true idiot does not ASK any questions, you did however, you asked because you want to learn, that does not make you an idiot. I wish more young people, heck, adults asked instead of assumed.
About the movie, last night was the first time I saw it and I loved it for being a movie geared towards kids and tweens.
It was set in 1977 and it took me a bit to recognize the time period, as I was born in 1979 so really no recollection of bell bottoms lol.
The family is real and actually Piper's two brothers are actually older and has a sister in real life. Mahree in real life is named Carrie, can't find her last name and her dad was not a police officer but a government official. Carrie was also reported to be 17 or 18 when she went to stay with them.
Piper has been quoted as saying she believes Carrie was killed. I think though that was just a guess from her and the family as they've seen the evils of apartheid as well as Carrie not keeping in contact.
There is also another theory that her family convinced her to give up her anti-apartheid activism and beliefs as well as keeping in contact with the Dellums and just go back to her life. I kind of think the last theory, I don't think parents would kill their daughter because of what she learned in America being placed in a family she did not choose.
If you are interested in further learning about apartheid, another great movie is Sarafina, it was made in 1992.
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