The 39th Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) opens today and, in keeping with the theme of Mandela Day, which we celebrated yesterday, the festival includes a number of films which look at the life of our former statesman.
Celebrating Mandela One Hundred is a documentary conceptualised and produced by renowned South African filmmaker, Anant Singh, which makes its premier at the Durban International Film Festival. The film features the who’s who of South African activists, including Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, Ahmed Kathrada, Walter Sisulu and the much-loved Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu.
An Act Of Defiance, directed by Jean van de Velde, will also be shown as part of DIFF. The film tells the story of Bram Fischer, the lawyer who defended Nelson Mandela and his comrades in the Rivonia Trial. An Act Of Defiance looks at how Fischer managed to reconcile his white Afrikaner roots with his desire for justice.
The State Against Mandela and the Others, directed by Nicolas Champeaux and Gilles Porte, follows a similar path, looking at the recently recovered archival recordings of the Rivonia Trial hearings.
The Durban International Film Festival runs from the 19th until the 28th July 2018. Visit www.durbanfilmfest.co.za to view the full programme of events.