Africa

“The Man who Drove with Mandela” at Berlinale 2019

South African embassy in Berlin promotes Berlinale 2019 screening of a documentary about Mandela and Williams

February 04th, 2019
Anastasia Petrova, News from Berlin
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It is the time of the year again to enjoy various films and documentaries at the annual Berlinale Film Festival in Berlin. The African Hub during the festival presents panels, presentations and film screenings from the 8th until the 13th February in Berlin. In this framework, the South African Embassy in Berlin will promote the film “The Man who drove with Mandela”, which will be shown on 10th and 12th of February.

The plot develops around the time when Nelson Mandela drove around South Africa organizing the armed struggle against the apartheid regime. While Mandela was disguised as a chauffeur, the man in the back seat was a gay white theatre director. This man was called Cecil Williams – member of the military wing of African National Congress. The film focuses on the development and story of Williams, showing his orator ability and anti-apartheid activism. The documentary was directed by Greta Schiller, who brings the story to life combining emotional testimonials of Williams’ friends and companions with archive footage of Mandela’s and Williams’ arrest from 1962.

Greta Schiller received Teddy award in 1999 for this film.

With the support of South African Embassy, it is a great opportunity for viewers to further understand the difficult period in South African history and this important cultural topic.

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News from Berlin