Film Review of Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

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

A while ago I saw Invitus, it was the first time I saw a film about Nelson Mandela and Apartheid. I have never known much about South African history, so it was a good approach. Now, after seeing Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom I am impressed by the way they approached the subject.

What I liked most, apart from the performance of the actress who played Winnie Mandela, was how the director could capture the historical context of violence, the protests for the rights of blacks and state repression, without ever losing tension in the whole movie. I think the music is great, especially the songs about the South African culture, because they are full of overwhelming force.

What I didn´t like about the film was that it was given a very abrupt end, the transition from an impending civil war to the presidency of Nelson Mandela was very rapid. In my opinion it lacked development at a critical moment and a lot of tension within the film, but in general was a great movie.

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 the two Mandelas described in the article agree with the growth of Nelson Mandela in the film. The transition of a revolutionary man willing to an armed struggle, a leader who was willing to give his life if necessary, for example the speech he gave before being sentenced to life imprisonment, a man who thought that through violence they would find the solution to end apartheid. Towards old Mandela, a wise person, capable of forgiving those who hurt him. Someone able to see beyond, a symbol of peace and revolution. bought have a lot in common.

In spite of the fact that the Article questions certain mysticalisms about the figure of Nelson Mandela, both productions show great respect for him. Nonetheless I agree with Fogel about being careful with the stories and myths that revolve around his figure, because there is a lot of history that we should know.

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

Winnie Mandela played a leading role since it appears on the scene. When she met Nelson Mandela, she was a beautiful, subtle woman, a social worker who saw with some ingenuity the social change that black citizens were urgently seeking. She always supported the cause, she helped Mandela and the ANC, but never as a leader.

Since Madiba was imprisoned, she changed categorically. The repression of the state, the critical situation of violence that they lived and all the humiliations suffered. Made her change her personality, she became a fierce woman, ready for an armed struggle because she thought that was the only solution to defeat the oppressors and thus capture the rights and freedoms they never had.

Over the years she became leader of the ANC, but she didn´t agree with the high command of the movement, since they thought that the solution could be through dialogue and nonviolence. She was against that solution, her anger and resentment against the human rights violations of Apartheid was greater. That substantial difference of thought led them to finally having to separate.

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?

Both struggles have much in common, on the one hand Mandela and the ANC fought for minimum rights of equality in a land that belonged to them. A fight for racial rights, which implies a change of ideological paradigm on the part of the whites who led apartheid. On the other hand, in Chile a military dictatorship was installed, all those who manifested their opposition to the regime were killed, tortured or never appeared again. Both situations are characterized by intolerance, abuse of power and violation of human rights.

The two experiences lasted for many years, had moments in which it was thought that everything was lost. For example when the main ANC leaders were imprisoned or the murder of the main opposition figures in the Chilean case. In both situations, it was finally not the violence that led them to victory, it was through the presidential elections in the South African case and through the plebiscite in the Chilean case.

After overthrowing both regimes, vestiges of the past still persist. These countries are very unequally economically, The ANC fought not only to achieve racial equality, they also fought to make their society more just, the years have passed and the gap still persists. In Chile, for example, the agreement promised that they would change the constitution made during the dictatorship, but it is still the same. We are a Neoliberal economy, also South Africa, that means that we forge deeply unequal societies, controlled by the nuclei of power that seek to maintain their hegemony. Both cases have achieved significant changes, but the struggle still persists.

My best reporting history

As I am still in the basic cycle of journalism, I have not had many experiences reporting or rather exercising informational reporting. The subject of radio has allowed me to know a little more about the job of collecting, processing and transmitting information on the ground. The informational guidelines that I have attended, corresponded to government issues, so I met some ministers, deputies and other government actors.

Where I have had the possibility to report more deeply, it has been in advanced reporting. Among all the activities we have done for this subject, the work I liked the most was to have to make a journalistic profile about an influential person in society.

I chose Tata Barahona, I had to interview him but he didn't answer my calls. One day a friend of the university, told me that his brother could give me the Tata number. Without hesitation I said yes, on receiving your number I send you a whatsapp and within a few hours he answered me. He was very kind and he said to visit him the next day.

I went to visit him to his workshop of lutheria, located in Serrano street arriving at avenue matta. It was an old house called "mother house", there work many craftsmen of music, among them Tata barahona. Was very kind to me, we talked about his career, the feelings that causes the music in the listener, motivations of life, dreams that we have, among other things.

Was the first job in which I could choose my pattern, it was a great experience. Tata barahona left me a great impression, he is very sensitive and cultured man. I hope to continue to carry out this type of reporting throughout the year.

My favorite subject of the semester

The classes taught by Professor Ossandon are very quiet. The contents are complex, so some sleep and others listen carefully to the monologue that the teacher does. His voice is very calm, it makes the environment relax and his didactic form of teaching captivates the students who were not overcome by the dream.

I find the subject very interesting because the authors treat very sensitive issues of the twentieth century and advance many of the current social phenomena. What is enlightenment ?, mass culture, cultural industries, technical reproducibility, etc. Are some of the contents that analyze modernity, criticizing the whole structure of inequality and tyranny.

He explains that modernity is the result of four processes: "Reformation", "illustration", "French revolution" and "industrial revolution". To analyze that despite having reached the "promise" of enlightenment, where reason and domination over nature are central to the approach, we come to a twentieth century of total destruction, violence, genocide and irrationality.

I like how they unleashed historical facts to make a harsh criticism of the system. Despite being in the same historical context, they were brave. Perhaps because they were protected by the complexity of their writings, independent of that, they had the courage to divulge their works full of cultural wealth, which today should leave the intellectual circles to be read by a wider population.

I recommend "Critical Theory" with the teacher ossadon, surely you will learn a lot.

A person that I admire

Jose Carrasco Tapia was born in Santiago in August of 1943. He was a Chilean journalist who fought against the censorship imposed by the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet in Chile. But his fight didn´t remain alone in the defense of freedom of the press, He maintained a political and trade union commitment as a member of the Association of Journalists, member of the Central Committee of the Movement of the Revolutionary Left (MIR) and part of the Popular Democratic Movement MDP). His most important job was as international editor of a magazine called “Analisis”. There he worked with journalist of the size of Maria Olivia Monckeberg or Juan Pablo Cardenas, both of them National journalism awards.  

After the ambush against the dictator Augusto Pinochet on September of 1986, on the way to Cajon Del Maipo, the command called "September 11", burst into the journalist's house to take him away. Thus, José Carrasco became one of four victims that the dictatorship chose in its reprisal, leaving it near the Park of Remembrance, with 14 bullet impacts.

I think that “pepone” left an indelible legacy marked by his fight to protect human rights and the freedom of press. 

He inspires me because he had the strength to face the system imposed, for looking for a way to change the world. and make it more democratic, fair and free.    

My favorite concert

When I was studying journalism at University of Santiago (Usach) in 2015, one of the most important groups of “The new Chilean song” where turning fifty years of career. I´m talking about Quilapayun, they prepared a tour around the country and they first stop were in Santiago.

The concert was in the constitution square, there were thousands of people waiting for the presentation. I was with two friends; we prepared for the occasion so we dressed with woolen vests and “ponchos”. The square was full of red flags and symbolisms of the Popular Unit (UP), the sensations in that place bring back a lot of memories about the Dictatorship of 1973.

The environment was cheerful, familiar and above everything magical. Because they intertwined emotions like happiness and a sense of homage, to the people who lost their lives due to the human rights violations committed by the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet.  

The talent of the musicians of Quilapayun was awesome. The harmonies, the melodies, the choirs and the varied amount of wind, string and percussion instruments were beautiful. They attitude on the stage filled people with energy and they frequently asked for the participation of the public. When they played “Vamos Mujer” I was excited, I must admit that I fell a few tears. Who cares, it was an unrepeatable moment. 

A photograph I like

Annie Leibovitz, one of the most prestigious and famous photographer in the last forty years, took this photograph in 1980 hours before the murder of the ex legend of The Beatles, John Lennon.

It all started when Annie went to New York and made some photographs of John and Yoko together, for the interview that they were doing of the publication of their last disc, Fantasy Double, to Rolling Stones magazine. Annie, not satisfied with the first photographs, decides to take the photos again.

So on December 8, 1980, they meet again in their state in Dakota, with the idea to recreate something similar to the cover of the new album. John emphasized that he knew that the magazine wanted a single and special photo of him on the front page, but for him was important to be with Yoko in the session. So Leibovitz thought that a good photography could be, Yoko dressed and John naked while he curls up in she, the idea was powerful and it works.  

I like that image because it has a lot of symbolism, he looks vulnerable, refuge in the body of his love. I think this photo represents the confidence, love to the human nature, no fear to express their souls and emotions. It´s magnific portrait of a moment who inspires me a lot of serenity. 

My best drunk story

My best drunk story was the last year in my birthday.  I think so, because it was a different celebration like other years. My best friends were present (including my brother), of course my mom and dad, and a very loved married couple who are friends of my parents.

We started the birthday preparing a barbecue, there were a lot of beers and the firsts “Piscolas” of the night (a mix of Pisco and Coca Cola). After six can of beers I was a little bit drunk, but above all happy, because the people that I really appreciate were there. With some friends take out my music instruments to the yard and we started to campfire songs.

Everybody sang with the improvise band, it was really funny. While we were playing I drank 4 glasses of Jack Daniels whisky, so when we finish I was very drunk. Then we listened to the music and talked about anything, from the meaning of life to the football matches of Sundays.

Already in the morning, to finish the celebration, we ate "caldillo de congrio" and we lit the last cigarette before we said goodbye. was a drunk night but it doesn´t matter because i always drink with responsability and this was a special occasion.

The next day i woke up without hangover, it was magical since that never happens. There I could verify that it was my best drunk ever.