Countrywide human rights campaign of Dear Mandela film

Mnikelo Ndabankulu, Mazwi Nzimande, Zama Ndlovu. Photo by: Matthew Peterson

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Endorsed by international human rights group, Amnesty International, the campaign launched on Monday 19 March 2012 at the University of the Witwatersrand.

The campaign, which also honours Amnesty International's 50th anniversary, involves screenings of the film throughout 2012 until Human Rights Day 2013. The film, produced by Fireworx Media, together with New York based Sleeping Giant Films, is set to screen at public venues such as schools, community halls, universities, churches and informal settlements around the country.

"We hope the screenings will encourage interaction and spark new relationships between members of society who might otherwise be divided by race, class or geography," said South African co-producer of the film, Neil Brandt.

Explores the hopes, lives and challenges

Dear Mandela explores the hopes, lives and challenges of three young people living in the informal settlements of Durban. It was awarded the Best South African Documentary Award at the Durban International Film Festival last year, where it also had its world premiere. Producers of the film are "thrilled" to be working alongside Amnesty International, who they believe "share the same commitment to human rights."

The film was screened at the Kennedy Road Informal Settlement, as part of an initial outreach campaign funded by the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF). An "amazing" audience reception inspired the film's producers subsequently to create a national campaign that would deliver the widespread message of the film.

Africa wide broadcast deal

The film is said to have garnered international interest and has been screened at the Camden international Film Festival, which is recognized as one of the top 25 documentary film festivals in the world. It was selected for the One World International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival in Prague (8-11 March 2012), and the Movies that Matter Film Festival in The Hague (26-28 March 2012). It has also been nominated for 2012 Best Documentary Award at the African Movie Academy Awards set to take place in Lagos, Nigeria on 22 April 2012.

Brandt, a local filmmaker based in Johannesburg is also a Durban FilmMart past participant. His feature film 'The Dream of Shahrazad' was chosen as an official project at Durban FilmMart 2010, a coproduction and finance forum created through a partnership between the Durban Film Office and the Durban International Film Festival.

The producers are currently finalizing the details of an Africa wide broadcast deal.

For more, go to www.dearmandela.com or the Facebook page.