To mark Mandela Day 2022, on what would have been his 104th birthday, IOL Entertainment compiled a series of movies and books that celebrate the life and legacy of the iconic South African anti-apartheid activist and global icon.
This annual international day was officially declared by the United Nations in November 2009, with the first UN Mandela Day held on 18 July, 2010, to honour Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela’s efforts to promote world peace, reconciliation and cultural diversity.
With a long list of movies dedicated to the life of Madiba, we have picked the top 5 films to celebrate his legacy.
Mandela (1996 film)
Mandela, also known as “Mandela: Son of Africa, Father of a Nation” is a 1996 documentary film directed by Angus Gibson and Jo Menell. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.
This official biopic of Nelson Mandela gives audiences a front-row seat into Madiba’s childhood, family, education, and his long struggle to gain freedom for all the various ethnic groups in South Africa, including his experience at Robben Island prison.
Nelson Mandela: The Myth & Me (2013)
In the film “Nelson Mandela: The Myth & Me”, writer and director Khalo Matabane delves deeper into searches for the meaning of freedom, reconciliation, and forgiveness while challenging Mandela’s achievements in today’s world of conflict and inequality.
Through conversations with politicians, activists and artists including Henry Kissinger, Colin Powell, Albie Sachs, Ariel Dorfman, Pumla Gqola, Ronnie Kasrils, the Dalai Lama, and Zubeida Jaffer, Matabane reflects upon Mandela’s legacy beyond sainthood.
Thought-provoking and meditative, “Nelson Mandela: The Myth & Me” frames Mandela from a new perspective.
Invictus (2009)
Directed by Clint Eastwood, “Invictus” is based on the 2008 John Carlin book “Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Made a Nation” about the events in South Africa before and during the historic 1995 Rugby World Cup.
Morgan Freeman portrays South African president Nelson Mandela while Matt Damon plays François Pienaar, the captain of the Springboks.
“Invictus” is also the title of a poem, referred to in the film, by British poet William Ernest Henley (1849–1903). The film was met with positive reviews and earned Academy Award nominations for Freeman (Best Actor) and Damon (Best Supporting Actor).
Mandela’s Gun (2017)
Directed by John Irvin, and starring local heavyweights including Tumisho Masha, Fezile Mpela and Jet Novuka, “Mandela’s Gun“ celebrates a man committed to helping overthrow a racist regime.
Masha, who plays Madiba depicts a man whose impetuosity and vanity are tempered by compassion, self-doubt and a relentless belief in justice for all South Africans, regardless of race.
Producer Moroba Nkawe brings to life the story that mirrors the remarkable, pan-African trip Mandela himself took in 1962.
The film features never-before-seen interviews and rare archival footage from the early days of the liberation struggle, including the CIA’s role in Mandela’s arrest and imprisonment.
Silverton Siege (2022)
Starring Thabo Rametsi, Stefan Erasmus and Noxolo Dlamini, “Silverton Siege” follows a remarkable story of three young freedom fighters who seek refuge in a South African bank in Silverton, and take the bank staff and clients hostage and would only release them in exchange for the release of Nelson Mandela.
Based on true events of 1980, three MK cadres Stephen Mafoko, Humphrey Makhubo and Wilfred Madela were allegedly on their way to carry out a planned MK sabotage mission on petrol depots at Waltloo near Mamelodi.
En route, the trio realised they were being tailed by the police. In an attempt to escape, they took refuge in a branch of Volkskas Bank in Silverton, Pretoria.
Now we take a look at 5 iconic reads to relive Madiba’s magic
“Conversations With Myself” by Nelson Mandela
“Conversations With Myself” is a collection of Madiba’s recorded thoughts and events, hardships and victories he has bestowed his entire extant personal papers, which offer an unprecedented insight into his remarkable life.
It is a meditating book, a powerful tool that kept Madiba going during some of this challenging period. The book gives the world a glance into Madiba’s intimate moments with himself. Throughout the book, he says “The letters kept me alive”.
The letters he wrote because through these letters he managed to keep in contact with his loved ones. In the book, he speaks about his life before, during and after Robben Island.
“Mandela - His Essential Life” by Peter Hain
The book chronicles the life and legacy of one of the world’s most admired men. It encompasses Mandela’s inauguration as South Africa’s first democratically elected president, his “retirement” campaigns for human rights, and a solution to Aids and poverty. It goes on to chronicle his later years and death.
“Nelson Mandela - The authorised Comic Book” by Umlando Wezithombe
He was called a terrorist, captured, threatened with the death penalty and eventually thrown into prison for nearly three decades, but nothing could stop him from fighting to liberate his country from the apartheid regime.
Even when he was a prisoner, he worked secretly with his comrades to undermine the oppressive apartheid government.
This is the exciting true story of a young herd boy who was to grow up to become a lawyer, a freedom fighter, South Africa’s first democratically elected president and the beloved grandfather of a nation.
The story is told here in words and images for the young and the young at heart.
“Who Was Nelson Mandela?” By Pam Pollack, Meg Belviso
“Who Was Nelson Mandela?” is a series of books that follows the story of Madiba who as a child, he dreamt of changing South Africa, as a man he changed the world. The books tell the story of the man who spent his lifetime fighting apartheid and championing a peaceful revolution.
After spending 27 years in prison, he emerged as an inspiring leader and a global icon.
“The Nelson Mandela Story” by Anne Marie du Preez Bezdrob
This book looks at the life of Nelson Mandela before he became a global leader.
“The Nelson Mandela Story” gives the reader a glimpse into Madiba, the husband, father, lawyer and a barefoot boy brought up as a tribal prince.
This intimate in-depth look at Mandela the man rather than the politician traces his journey from the rolling Transkei hills to the capitals of the world.
The book focuses on facets of his life that have previously served as little more than a backdrop to his remarkable and relentless quest for the liberation of South Africa’s black majority.
The movies are available on major streaming platforms, while the books can be purchased at Loot and other leading book retailers.