''Mandela'' (also called ''Mandela: Son of Africa, Father of a Nation'') is a 1996

documentary film A documentary film or documentary is a non-fictional motion-picture intended to "document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education or maintaining a historical record". Bill Nichols has characterized the documentary in te ...

directed by Angus Gibson and Jo Menell. It was nominated for an

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

for Best Documentary Feature.

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 Robben Island ( af, Robbeneiland) is an island in Table Bay, 6.9 kilometres (4.3 mi) west of the coast of Bloubergstrand, north of Cape Town, South Africa. It takes its name from the Dutch word for seals (''robben''), hence the Dutch/Afrik ...

prison.

Interviews

* F.W. de Klerk * Nelson Mandela *

Winnie Mandela Winnie Madikizela-Mandela (born Nomzamo Winifred Zanyiwe Madikizela; 26 September 1936 – 2 April 2018), also known as Winnie Mandela, was a South African anti-apartheid activist and politician, and the second wife of Nelson Mandela. She se ...

Eugene Terre'Blanche Eugene may refer to: People and fictional characters * Eugene (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Eugene (actress) (born 1981), Kim Yoo-jin, South Korean actress and former member of the sin ...

, (

Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging The Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging (), meaning "Afrikaner Resistance Movement", commonly known by its abbreviation AWB, is an Afrikaner nationalist paramilitary organisation in South Africa. Since its founding in 1973 by Eugène Terre'Blanche and ...

Party)

Reception

Film critic Roger Ebert, writing for the ''

Chicago Sun-Times The ''Chicago Sun-Times'' is a daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Since 2022, it is the flagship paper of Chicago Public Media, and has the second largest circulation among Chicago newspapers, after the ''Chicago ...

'', 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." 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."Brussat, Frederic and Mary Ann
''Spirituality & Practice,'' film review, March 1997. Last accessed: February 5, 2011.

Awards

Wins * International Documentary Association: Pare Lorentz Award, Jonathan Demme, Jo Menell and Edward Saxon; 1997. *

San Francisco International Film Festival The San Francisco International Film Festival (abbreviated as SFIFF), organized by the San Francisco Film Society, is held each spring for two weeks, presenting around 200 films from over 50 countries. The festival highlights current trends in i ...

: Silver Spire, Film & Video - Biography, Jo Menell and Angus Gibson; 1997. Nominations *

Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

: Oscar; Best Documentary: Best Documentary, Features, Jo Menell and Angus Gibson; 1997.

References

External links

* * , posted by

Palm Pictures Palm Pictures is a US-based entertainment company owned and run by Chris Blackwell. Palm Pictures produces, acquires and distributes music and film projects with a particular focus on the DVD-Video format. Palm places an emphasis on such pro ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mandela (Film) 1996 films 1996 documentary films 1990s English-language films American documentary films South African documentary films Documentary films about Nelson Mandela Films about Nelson Mandela Cultural depictions of Nelson Mandela 1990s American films