Film: Long Walk To Freedom

There's a chance to see the award-winning film: 'Mandela - Long Walk to Freedom' at the Tim Hetherington Film Club, Farm Street this Thursday.

On 10 May 2024 it will be 30 years since Nelson Mandela became the first black (Xhosa) president of South Africa. In 1993 with FW de Klerc, he was jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for the peaceful termination of apartheid and for laying the foundations of democratic South Africa.

This impressive 2013 biographical film stars Idris Elba and Naomi Harris and was based on the book written by Mandela himself. It chronicles his early life, education, coming of age and revolutionary struggle before he spent 27 years in prison and then, after his release, became President of South Africa, working to rebuild a country ravaged by Apartheid.

The film is not based on Mandela's life but on his own words; criticism levelled at Mandela's autobiography can also be directed at the film.

To put across today's views on the great man by young people in South Africa, I will share for discussion a newspaper article quizzically entitled, 'Mandela magic? I am not so sure!'

Notably, Nelson Mandela is the ONLY person to unveil their own statue in Parliament Square.

'Mandela - Long Walk to Freedom', is at the Tim Hetherington Film Club, Arrupe Hall, Farm Street, 114 Mount St W1K 3AH 6.30pm for 7pm on Thursday 25 January 2024. Cost: free - with drinks and refreshments (donations welcome) Booking invited (but not necessary) at dthurst52@gmail.com