Category Archives: Dear Mandela

On predictability. The everyday struggles of shack dwellers in South Africa

http://democracyinafrica.org/predictability-everyday-struggles-shack-dwellers-south-africa/

Last week, the award-winning film, Dear Mandela, by Dara Kell and Christopher Nizza, was screened at the London School of Economics and Political Science. After the screening, there was a question and answer session with one of the founding members of Abahlali baseMjondolo, a social movement for shack dwellers in South Africa, who were the focus of the film. Here, one of the audience members writes about the film, the ensuing discussion, and the wider struggles of people who live within informal settlements in South Africa.

 ‘There is no more room for numbers on my door’, observed a teenager in one of Durban’s informal settlements. Whilst pundits engaged in speculation over the results of local elections, in 2011, shack dwellers could easily predict the nature of the election campaign: candidates would attempt to buy their votes with a spray can.

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Dear Mandela Screenings in March

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Dear friends,

We are about to introduce Dear Mandela to audiences in Europe for the first time! After our World Premiere at the Durban International Film Festival, where Dear Mandela was awarded ‘Best South African Documentary’, we’re excited to be heading into a month of screenings in Prague, Vienna, The Hague and London. All the details are below – please share the news on Facebook and Twitter. We are also launching a year of screenings in South Africa with events in Johannesburg and Durban. We extend our deepest gratitude to all of you for helping to get this film made and for supporting the shack dwellers of Abahlali baseMjondolo, who have an amazing vision to share. We hope you will join us in building the movement around the world!

In solidarity,
Dara + Chris

“A movie about courage…beautifully shot, socially relevant, still manages to offer humour”
– Durban International Film Festival Jury

“Leaves us with questions that few have dared to ask about the new South Africa”.
– Marie Huchzermeyer, Author of Cities with ‘Slums’

“Mnikelo, Mazwi and Zama offer a kind of uncensored honesty that comes with youth.
Enthralling…one of those films that will never leave you.”
– Mahala Magazine

UPCOMING SCREENINGS

8, 9, 11 MARCH: PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC
One World International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival. Tickets and screening times here.

10 MARCH: VIENNA, AUSTRIA
Schikaneder Theatre: Premiere of the German version of Dear Mandela! (many, many thanks to Werner Gilits for translating and subtitling). Tickets & screening times here.

26, 27, 28 MARCH: THE HAGUE, THE NETHERLANDS
Amnesty International’s Movies That Matter festival. With very special guest Mnikelo Ndabankulu, one of the stars of Dear Mandela! Tickets & screening times here.

23 MARCH: LONDON, UK
Screening hosted by University College of London. Mzonke Poni of Abahlali baseMjondolo Western Cape in attendance.
More info here.

STANDING OUR GROUND CAMPAIGN LAUNCH

19 MARCH: Johannesburg launch
23 MARCH: Durban launch
Tickets and venue details here.

On the occasion of Human Rights Day (21st March), we are launching STANDING OUR GROUND, a year-long campaign dedicated to ending evictions, stopping the use of transit camps, and ensuring adequate housing for all. We are thrilled to be working with our local partners Amnesty International, Socio-Economic Rights Institute and Abahlali baseMjondolo, who will host screenings in community halls, schools, churches and informal settlements. To host a screening, please contact dara@dearmandela.com.

NEW SHORT VIDEO: A FISH IN A TIN

The 37 families evicted from their homes and moved to the Richmond Farm Transit Camp in 2009 were promised permanent housing within 1 year. Three years later, Abahlali baseMjondolo and the lawyers of the Socio-Economic Rights Institute are taking the government to court to force them to make good on their promise. WATCH HERE

This is the first in a series of short videos we are releasing to highlight new developments in the Dear Mandela story. Also, we’ll share tidbits from filming that we couldn’t fit into the 90-minute film. Stay tuned! Watch more short videos and a music video here.