October 27 — Celebrate Nelson Mandela with one of his best friends
Provocate’s vote for Top Human: Nelson Mandela. This year Human #1 turns 90 … celebrate his birthday with one of his best friends and allies, filmmaker Peter Davis. Watch Davis’s documentaries that helped promote the anti-apartheid cause and that will shape history’s understanding of this great cause of the 20th century. Then ask Davis what Mandela is like without his halo.
When: Monday October 27 — Screening of films noon to 5:00 PM; reception (featuring African food) 6:30; lecture and discussion with Peter Davis 7:00.
Where: Film festival runs from noon to 5 p.m. in Taylor Hall 115; At 6:30 p.m., there’s a reception (featuring African food) with filmmaker Peter Davis in Herron Auditorium H101, followed at 7 p.m. by Davis’ lecture and screening.
From IUPUI’s blurb (thanks Nationalities Council!):
Davis, a citizen of the United Kingdom, is a well-known documentarian of the South African Apartheid era and is a personal friend of the Mandela family. His lecture, entitled “Madiba and Me,” will be followed by a showing of his latest film release called “Nelson Mandela: From Prisoner to President.”
Davis’ presentation will be proceeded by a short introduction by Professor Bessie House-Soremekun on fighting Apartheid abroad and at home.
The afternoon’s film festival includes Davis’ films on South Africa, including “Generations of Resistance,” “The White Laager,” “Winnie Mandela,” “In Darkest Hollywood,” and others. The film festival also will feature posters developed by Davis in his long fight against Apartheid.
All events are open to the public at no charge. For more information, contact Ian McIntosh, 317:274-3776.
Why does Provocate think you should attend this event?
Apart from his importance for documenting Apartheid and the struggle against it, Peter Davis has a Hoosier connection. His films are collected at IU-Bloomington, including both his own 30+ films and historical films from South Africa going back to the beginning of the 20th century.
If you think this sounds interesting, be sure to check out …
The Provocate-led discussion of Africans in Indiana at the Indianapolis Museum of Art November 16.
Know before you go:
Don’t put off attending the Mandela film festival for this, but if you would like an interesting perspective on the greatness of Mandela, read the new book by John Carlin, Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Made a Nation, one of Provocate’s favorite fun books of 2008.
For more information …
Check out the Provocate page on South Africa.
And for your listening pleasure …
Nelson Mandela doesn’t belong only to the South Africans … as attested by this wonderful song by Dakar Diva Ndeye Mbaye celebrating a hero for humanity.
