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Reviewing 'Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom'

1. In general, what did you like and dislike about the film?

I really enjoyed the way that they portrayed Nelson Mandela and the contributation that were the people that surrounded him, humanizing his figure and giving credit to the people standing by his side like Winnie Mandela, which was an important figure in Mandela's life and in the revolution. I didn't really enjoy the timing of the movie, a lot of details were left out that may have been interesting to dive into. 

2. In your own words, how would you compare the "various Mandelas;" the ones from the article and the one from the film?

I think it's important to humanize our political and ideological figures for the sake of not idiolizing them, Mandela was an important figure for the revolution but he also was and absent parent. He should be recognized for the things he did and the big contribution for the black south africans but he should not be seen as nothing more than a human. The movie portrays both images of Mandela which are talked about in the article, both the saviour and heroe and the political figure. 

3. What was the role that Winnie Mandela played in the film? Think about the contrast between her and the other ANC members.

Before watching the film I had no idea of the existence of Winnie Mandela, as it often happens with most women in the human history, but the movie does a fair job at recognizing her contributation to the ANC while Nelson Mandela is in jail. The movie portrays her as a revolutionary figure and a strong woman. I do think the movie should have focused a lot more on the work she did while Mandela was in jail. 

4. How do you compare the role of Nelson Mandela and the African National Congress in the struggle against the apartheid and in the post-apartheid South Africa to the Concertación and their role in the struggle against Augusto Pinochet's dictatorship and in post-dictatorial Chile?

I dont think the cases are alike at all, in South Africa we have a case of armed revolution which led to big contributation for the native people of the land, while in Chile the revolution wasn't as violent coming from the oposition against Pinochet. I do think that they relate to the effects of those revolutions, while in the post-dictatiorial Chile the Constitution was kept and we are still ruled on those terms, while in South Africa happens something alike, they are still kept on the base terms of the South Africa pre-Mandela. I also know that both countries have a history of privatizing their natural resources which is a very big win for the right wing. 



Comentarios

  1. I also liked that they showed the roles of the people around Mandela and not only about him, the importance of Winnie and the others

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  2. I also didn't know Winnie before the movie, she is a very interesting figure and an interesting counterpoint to Mandela during the years of transition.

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  3. I agree with you in the timing thing, the film was too long but it was really entertaining

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