MRS MANDELA

South Africa/ UK, 2010, 90 minutes, Colour.
Sophie Okenado, David Harewood, David Morrisey.
Directed by Michael Samuels.

While there have been several films on Nelson Mandela, most especially the film based on his autobiography, The Long Walk to Freedom, where Winnie Mandela was one of the characters, there have not been so many films about Mrs Mandela herself.

This portrait was made for television, a 90 minute glimpse at the life and career of Winnie Mandela. It begins with her husband’s being released in 1990 and her feelings of awkwardness and thinking how to deal with this situation. Then it goes back into flashbacks, indicating the background of her growing up in the South African countryside, her encounter with Nelson Mandela and marrying him, her initial shyness but her developments in social work. With his imprisonment, she had to become a person in her own right, visiting him, bringing up the children, but being arrested, imprisoned for some time and tortured.

This had a considerable effect on her and moved her into a much more militant mode, gathering young men around her, believing in a more violent approach to freedom.

This film was not the last word or image of Winnie Mandela but it is interesting in itself to indicate the transitions in her life and offers a good acting experience for Sophie Okenado..

1. A film for the television audience? The other films on Winnie Mandela? Her presence in the films about Nelson Mandela? The bond between the two? The falling out? The influence of each on the other? The perspective of 2010?

2. The title, the emphasis on the Mrs, Winnie as an individual, but in relationship to Nelson Mandela and influenced by him?

3. The authentic locations, Johannesburg, Robben island, Soweto and the towns of exile? The feel of South Africa during the apartheid era? The 1940s to
2000? The musical score?

4. The portrait of Winnie Mandela? The interpretation by Sophie Okenedo? The young girl, within her family, in the countryside, the scene of her hitting her sister, her intentions, dominating? Going to the city? The social work, the first encounter with Helen Joseph, later good friends, Helen Joseph’s advice? Her meeting Nelson, seeing him as a man, as a lawyer, at work in the courts, as political, as rebellious? Love, the wedding, the family? Her being seen in his light, the effect on her? Her arrest, the long imprisonment, solitary, her state when she was released??

5. Nelson Mandela in the foreground and background, his career, daring, his being followed by the authorities, his work in the courts, his arrest? Robben Island? His reputation from prison? The 27 years? Winnie’s visits, questions about the family, not allowed to talk about key issues and friends? The passing of the years?

6. The various time shifting with Winnies consciousness, in the immediate moments of Mandela’s release? Going back to the family, to the home, to the intrusions and searchings, her demands for the soldiers to leave her house, to her arrest and imprisonment, the interrogator and the torture? The effect, humiliation, violence, her becoming defiant, getting out, walking down the streets, in the shops, people’s reactions? Helen Joseph’s advice?

7. 1990, Mandela’s release, the preparations for the meeting, her being late, preparing, clothes, here? Her bearing? The strain of the meeting? The exit from the house, in the car, talking, the driving? At home, in the bedroom, her leaving? The divorce? His giving credit to her?

8. Winnie and relationships, the young men, the revolutionaries, the guns, defying the authorities, the marches, her defying the soldiers? Her strength, the bitterness, in action, defiant?

9. The portrait of the transformation of Winnie, the effect of the apartheid years on her, her marriage and Nelson’s imprisonment? Her transformation not in terms of peace and reconciliation?