Angelou ambassador for Madiba film fest

Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou

Published Apr 23, 2014

Share

THE Mandela International Film Festival has appointed Maya Angelou as the global ambassador for its inaugural festival to take place in the Eastern Cape in December.

Angelou, an American, is a renowned playwright, producer, director, best-selling author, civil rights activist, educator and historian.

She accepted the role at the 13th annual Tribeca Film Festival now on in New York City.

She was approached by the chairman of the Mandela International Film Festival, Mandla Mandela – grandson of Nelson Mandela – to take up the role.

“Your tireless endeavours towards the civil rights movement echo that of my grandfather, which is why we have invited you to be the first global ambassador,” said Mandla.

Angelou has received more than 50 honorary degrees and is Reynolds Professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University.

The inaugural event will honour film, entertainment and media legends who made continual efforts to keep South Africa top of the agenda during the apartheid era, the organisers say.

The festival will run from December 3 to 12.

It will be funded by the Eastern Cape government and the province’s Parks and Tourism Agency. – Mercury Reporter

Related Topics: