Mandela (1996 film)

Last updated

Mandela
Madela DVD Poster.jpg
DVD cover
Directed byAngus Gibson
Jo Menell
Written by Bo Widerberg Researcher Michele Rowe
Produced by Jonathan Demme
Jo Menell
Edward Saxon
CinematographyDewald Aukema
Peter Tischhauser
Edited byAndy Keir
Music by Hugh Masekela
Cédric Gradus Samson
Production
companies
Clinica Estetico
Island Pictures
Distributed by Island Pictures
Release date
  • October 11, 1996 (1996-10-11)
Running time
118 minutes
CountriesSouth Africa
United States
LanguageEnglish

Mandela (also called Mandela: Son of Africa, Father of a Nation) is a 1996 documentary film directed by Angus Gibson and Jo Menell. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. [1]

Contents

Synopsis

The documentary is the official film biography of Nelson Mandela, the first democratically elected president of the ethnically united South Africa. The film touches on Nelson Mandela's childhood, family, education, and his long struggle to gain freedom for all the various ethnic groups in South Africa, including his experiences on the Robben Island prison.

Interviews

Reception

Film critic Roger Ebert, writing for the Chicago Sun-Times , liked the film but felt more information should have been included, especially the motivations of F.W. de Klerk. He wrote, "The actual story of the events leading to the election is more complicated and interesting. Yes, South Africa suffered from economic sanctions. But it could have survived for many years before caving in; it forged clandestine trading arrangements with countries ranging from China to Israel, and its diamonds still found their way onto the fingers of brides all over the world. Civil unrest was widespread, but South Africa had a fearsome array of police and military forces to counter it. If white South Africa had been adamant, apartheid would still be law...None of those events are told in Mandela, which simplifies the transfer of power into a fable of black against white; it all but implies that de Klerk was unwilling to see power change hands." [2]

Critics Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat liked the film and wrote, "Directors Jo Menell and Angus Gibson give us an up-close and personal portrait of this black hero...This inspiring and edifying screen biography celebrates Mandela as a freedom fighter and a liberator — the father of a nation." [3]

Awards

Wins

Nominations

Related Research Articles

F. W. de Klerk 7th state president of South Africa from 1989 to 1994

Frederik Willem de Klerk was a South African politician who served as state president of South Africa from 1989 to 1994 and as deputy president from 1994 to 1996 in the democratic government. As South Africa's last head of state from the era of white-minority rule, he and his government dismantled the apartheid system and introduced universal suffrage. Ideologically a conservative and an economic liberal, he led the National Party (NP) from 1989 to 1997.

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela South African activist and politician (1936–2018)

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, also known as Winnie Mandela, was a South African anti-apartheid activist and politician, and the second wife of Nelson Mandela. She served as a Member of Parliament from 1994 to 2003, and from 2009 until her death, and was a deputy minister of arts and culture from 1994 to 1996. A member of the African National Congress (ANC) political party, she served on the ANC's National Executive Committee and headed its Women's League. Madikizela-Mandela was known to her supporters as the "Mother of the Nation".

<i>Fly Away Home</i> 1996 Canadian film

Fly Away Home is a 1996 family drama film directed by Carroll Ballard. The film stars Anna Paquin, Jeff Daniels, and Dana Delany. Fly Away Home was released on September 13, 1996, by Columbia Pictures.

<i>The Official Story</i> 1985 film

The Official Story is a 1985 Argentine drama historical film directed by Luis Puenzo and written by Puenzo and Aída Bortnik. It stars Norma Aleandro, Héctor Alterio, Chunchuna Villafañe and Hugo Arana. In the United Kingdom, it was released as The Official Version.

<i>Tequila Sunrise</i> (film) 1988 film by Robert Towne

Tequila Sunrise is a 1988 American romantic crime film written and directed by Robert Towne. It stars Mel Gibson, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Kurt Russell, with Raul Julia, J. T. Walsh, Arliss Howard, and Gabriel Damon in supporting roles. The original music score was composed by Dave Grusin.

<i>My Family</i> (film) 1995 American drama film directed by Gregory Nava

My Family is a 1995 independent American drama film directed by Gregory Nava, written by Nava and Anna Thomas, and starring Jimmy Smits, Edward James Olmos, and Esai Morales. The film depicts three generations of a Mexican American family who emigrated from Mexico and settled in East Los Angeles.

<i>Long Walk to Freedom</i> Autobiography of Nelson Mandela

Long Walk to Freedom is an autobiography credited to South African President Nelson Mandela. It was ghostwritten by Richard Stengel and first published in 1994 by Little Brown & Co. The book profiles his early life, coming of age, education and 27 years spent in prison. Under the apartheid government, Mandela was regarded as a terrorist and jailed on the infamous Robben Island for his role as a leader of the then-outlawed African National Congress (ANC) and its armed wing the Umkhonto We Sizwe. He later achieved international recognition for his leadership as president in rebuilding the country's once segregationist society. The last chapters of the book describe his political ascension and his belief that the struggle still continued against apartheid in South Africa.

<i>Casa de los Babys</i> 2003 Mexican film

Casa de los Babys is a 2003 drama film written, directed, and edited by filmmaker John Sayles. It features an ensemble cast, including Marcia Gay Harden, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Daryl Hannah.

<i>Mandela: The Authorised Biography</i>

Mandela: The Authorised Biography is a study of Nelson Mandela, the former President of South Africa, by the late journalist Anthony Sampson.

<i>Valentín</i> 2002 film

Valentín is a 2002 Argentine-French-Italian drama film written and directed by Alejandro Agresti. The film features Rodrigo Noya as Valentín and Carmen Maura as the grandmother. Director Alejandro Agresti also stars as Valentín's father.

Palm World Voices: Mandela is a DVD Box set featuring Nelson Mandela. It includes Mandela: Son of Africa, Father of a Nation DVD, as well as the Mandela Original Soundtrack CD: The Essential Music of South Africa and a 48-page book with art images, photos and an essay by British journalist Robin Denselow.

<i>Ironweed</i> (film) 1987 film by Héctor Babenco

Ironweed is a 1987 American drama film directed by Héctor Babenco. It is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name by William Kennedy, who also wrote the screenplay. It stars Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep, with Carroll Baker, Michael O'Keefe, Diane Venora, Fred Gwynne, Nathan Lane and Tom Waits in supporting roles. The story concerns the relationship of a homeless couple: Francis, an alcoholic, and Helen, a terminally ill woman during the years following the Great Depression. Major portions of the film were shot on location in Albany, New York, including Jay Street at Lark Street, Albany Rural Cemetery, and the Miss Albany Diner on North Broadway. Despite mixed reviews and being a box-office bomb, Ironweed received two nominations at the 60th Academy Awards, Best Actor, and Best Actress.

<i>City of Hope</i> (film) 1991 film by John Sayles

City of Hope is a 1991 American drama film written, directed, and edited by John Sayles. The film features Vincent Spano, Stephen Mendillo, and Chris Cooper.

Nelson Mandela First president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was a South African anti-apartheid activist who served as the first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He was the country's first black head of state and the first elected in a fully representative democratic election. His government focused on dismantling the legacy of apartheid by fostering racial reconciliation. Ideologically an African nationalist and socialist, he served as the president of the African National Congress (ANC) party from 1991 to 1997.

<i>Invictus</i> (film) 2009 biographical sports drama film

Invictus is a 2009 biographical sports drama film directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon, making it the third collaboration between Eastwood and Freeman after Unforgiven (1992) and Million Dollar Baby (2004). The story is based on the 2008 John Carlin book Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Made a Nation about the events in South Africa before and during the 1995 Rugby World Cup. The Springboks were not expected to perform well, the team having only recently returned to high-level international competition following the dismantling of apartheid—the country was hosting the World Cup, thus earning an automatic entry. Freeman portrays South African President Nelson Mandela while Damon played François Pienaar, the captain of the Springboks, the South Africa rugby union team.

<i>Mandela and de Klerk</i>

Mandela and de Klerk is a 1997 made-for-television drama film written by Richard Wesley and directed by Joseph Sargent. The film stars Sidney Poitier and Michael Caine. The film documents the negotiations between F.W. de Klerk and Nelson Mandela to end South African apartheid, and was nominated for numerous awards in 1997 and 1998. It originally premiered on Showtime on February 16, 1997.

<i>Winnie Mandela</i> (film) 2011 film by Darrell Roodt

Winnie Mandela is a 2011 South African-Canadian historical drama film starring Jennifer Hudson and Terrence Howard as Winnie and Nelson Mandela. Based on Anne Marie du Preez Bezrob's biography Winnie Mandela: A Life, the film is directed by Darrell Roodt and co-stars Wendy Crewson, Elias Koteas and Justin Strydom. Image Entertainment released the film in theaters on September 6, 2013. It received generally negative reviews.

<i>Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom</i> 2013 film by Justin Chadwick

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom is a 2013 British-South African biographical film directed by Justin Chadwick from a script written by William Nicholson and starring Idris Elba and Naomie Harris. The film is based on the 1995 autobiographical book Long Walk to Freedom by anti-apartheid revolutionary and former South African President Nelson Mandela.

Dear Mandela is a 2012 South-African/American documentary focusing on three friends who are members of shackdwellers movement Abahlali baseMjondolo. They fight eviction by making a legal challenge against the KwaZulu-Natal Elimination and Prevention of Re-emergence of Slums Act of 2007 which ends up going to the final court of appeal, the Constitutional Court. The challenge is successful but also results in a violent attack on the Kennedy Road informal settlement in 2009. The film-makers were themselves caught up in the attack.

References

  1. "The 69th Academy Awards (1997) Nominees and Winners". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved October 23, 2011.
  2. Ebert, Roger. Chicago Sun-Times film review, March 21, 1997. Last accessed: February 5, 2011.
  3. Brussat, Frederic and Mary Ann. Spirituality & Practice, film review, March 1997. Last accessed: February 5, 2011.