For the past two years Lorie Conway has been conducting research on the book The Prison Letters of Nelson Mandela. Conway has been in direct communication with the publisher (who also represents the Mandela Foundation) about licensing the copyrighted material for use within a documentary film. In November 2019, Siobhan Hodgson, a South African filmmaker and producer, joined the Mandela film team as Co-Story Producer. Conway and Hodgson are developing leads relating to story, “cast,” and production logistics, including procuring the best South African creative team to help actualize the film. A teaser video is currently in production to assist in raising the funds needed to produce the Mandela prison letters film.
In the documentary, a select group, the “cast” of the film, will read, and in some cases, artistically interpret Mandela’s prison letters through song, dance, art, music, and rap. Some filming will be done by the youth collaborators themselves–in their homes, neighborhood, schools, and around many of the Mandela monuments within South Africa. Visuals and imagery will reflect an immediacy and nuance that connects Mandela’s prison letters to our cast member’s own lives — reflecting their struggles in South Africa today, as they read excerpts from his letters, and learn more about his life as a prisoner.
For more information about supporting this film or any information related to it, please email: bostonfilmvideo@gmail.com
NPR’s Margot Adler died today. I never knew her personally. But I loved her reports because it seemed like she always asked the questions I was thinking. She seemed intensely curious about many things and told stories in a way that made the people she was talking about present in the room. Tough to do in radio reporting! The saddest part about her death is the 23 year old son she left behind.