Regardless of this choice, he is still known and praised by everyone affected by the Apartheid. However, like God, Mandela does interact with only a small percentage of the population. This means that throughout this video essay, Mandela can only be heard, rather than seen. This video essay focuses on the idea of taking Mandela to play the part of a role model, but in a god like form. This video essay tackles the question of what happens if Mandela was a myth rather than a human being. By digging into Mandela’s personal life, this film shows the scandals behind politics and that people in power usually hide the truth if it cost losing power. However, unlike most films that tell his story, Chadwick incorporates the side of Mandela that is unknown to the majority within his film the cheating, heart wrecking, flirtatious, mediocre father. Since the film tells the personal journey of Mandela, he automatically becomes a key figure on camera. The film does include the common themes of violence, death and trauma but only focuses on the Apartheid itself, like the many films that were created in South Africa after the horrific event.Įven after his death in 2013, Mandela is still set out to be an almost god like figure within South Africa and the black community world-wide, as it was him who revolutionized South Africa to become a place of equality. Many people saw Mandela as a key figure in the resistance to end segregation, therefore making it their own personal goal to free him from imprisonment. Regardless of Mandela ending up in jail, the fight for freedom did not end. Well known activist (such as Nelson Mandela) against the Apartheid began protesting different laws that were viewed as being unjust by breaking certain curfews, boycotting certain companies, protesting, striking and holding events while discussing the idea of freedom. With the laws of segregation becoming more active, resistance began to take many forms throughout the country.

This event then created an automatic hierarchy within the South African community, making those who had white skin superior. The Apartheid was a system that caused racial separation between both whites and blacks living in South Africa (from 1948 to the early 1990s). The film depicts his lifeline, from infancy to retirement after being the first Black South African President.

Justin Chadwick’s Mandela: A Long Walk to Freedom is a biographical film which focuses on the protagonist, Nelson Mandela, the most well-known anti-apartheid political leader, who would eventually end the Apartheid after spending 27 years in prison on Robben Island.

Please read the curatorial statement below before watching the video-essay.

Nelson mandela walk to freedom