Coming to theatres today, Wednesday, February 19:
THE STATE AGAINST MANDELA AND THE OTHERS
Directors:
Nicolas Champeaux and Gilles Porte
World Premiere:
Cannes 2018
Select Festivals:
IDFA, Göteborg, Jewish fests in Palm Beach, Boston, New York, San Francisco, and London
About:
A recounting of the trial that sentenced Nelson Mandela and his co-defendants to life in prison.
Between 1963 and 1964, Nelson Mandela and nine black and Jewish co-defendants took part in the Rivonia Trial in apartheid-era South Africa. While there is no visual record of the proceedings, more than 250 hours of audio recordings survive. Filmmakers Nicolas Champeaux and Gilles Porte make use of this newly discovered archival material, illustrating it through stylish animation, to bring the focus back on the “others” of the title. Supplementing this visual style with archival news footage and new interviews, the filmmakers craft an often compelling, if overindulgently lengthy, portrait of a pivotal chapter in the fight for freedom in South Africa.
