The film "It Happened", a biopic of former South African President Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, based on John Carlin's book "Fighting the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and A Game That Changed the Nation" was released in 2009.
Mandela was born in Transkei, South Africa in 1918. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of South Africa and a bar at the University of the Witwatersrand. He served as the president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He was the first black president and was honored as the "Father of South Africa". Before taking office, Mandela was an active anti-apartheid activist and leader of the National Spears of the African National Congress (ANC). When he led the anti-apartheid movement, a South African court convicted him, among other charges, of conspiring to overthrow the government. According to the verdict, Mandela served 27 years in prison. After his release from prison in 1990, he turned to support mediation and negotiation, and stepped up to lead South Africa during a transitional period promoting multi-ethnic democracy. Since the end of apartheid, Mandela has received praise from all walks of life, including former opponents. Mandela died at his Johannesburg residence on December 5, 2013, at the age of 95. Mandela has won over a hundred awards over 40 years, most notably the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993. In 2004, Mandela was voted the greatest South African.
The movie "It Happens in People" mainly tells that after Mandela successfully ran for the presidency in 1994, he supported a white rugby team in South Africa, the Springboks, to participate in the World Cup, and finally broke the gap between blacks and whites through sports competitions and realized the national nation. A story of unity. The film showcases this great man's style through a wonderful narrative.
Unite all who can be united
After Mandela came to power, he focused on ethnic reconciliation. He took steps to appease white sentiment in order to stabilize the society and economy. He politically formed a government of national unity, retained a large number of white officials and technicians, and protected the economic interests of white people.
There is a clip in the movie, after Mandela's successful presidential campaign in 1994, the white staff under the previous government system packed their office luggage and prepared to leave. Mandela arrived at the office to see the scene and gathered everyone to express his attitude, "If you want to leave, that is your right, and if you feel in your heart that you cannot work for the new government, then you better leave. But If you pack because you're afraid that your language, your skin color, or who you've worked for will make you no longer fit for the job, I'm here to tell you, don't worry about that. The past is gone, We are now looking to the future, we need your help, we want your help. You are doing your country a big favor if you stay here. All I want is for you to do your best and do your job well. , I promise to do the same. If we can do it, our country will be an outstanding country in the world."
In addition, Mandela also appointed 4 white police officers to join his guard team. His black guards were very angry and rushed into Mandela's office to ask for an explanation, "Not long ago, these guys tried to kill us. , maybe those 4 people have tried it, and it will be successful." And Mandela said, "When people see me in public, they can see my guards. You directly represent me, and the rainbow country has been from It starts here, reconciliation starts here, forgiveness starts here. Forgiveness frees the soul, it drives out fear, and that’s why it’s a powerful weapon.”
The term rainbow country is a term coined by Archbishop Desmond Tutu after South Africa's first fully democratic elections in 1994 to describe post-apartheid South Africa.
South Africa turned out to be a country with a strict apartheid system, and the South African white regime practiced racial discrimination and oppression against blacks and other people of color, who account for the vast majority of the population. Apartheid in South Africa, as a political term, became widely popular only after the South African National Party came to power in 1948. But the origin of this system can be traced back to the beginning of the Cape Colony. Under apartheid, blacks and other people of color were not only politically disempowered and economically exploited, but were also discriminated against across the board in everyday life. For example, blacks and whites cannot share a car or a cabin, and even the seats of the plane and the towels in the toilets are subject to racial segregation measures.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the South African white regime, under the long-term resistance of the domestic people and the sanctions of the international community, could not continue to implement apartheid rule as before, so several reforms were carried out. In February 1990, the then President of South Africa, Frederik Willem De Klerk, announced that he would lift the ban on organizations such as the African National Congress of South Africa (“ANC”) and release the Mandela. In April 1994, the "ANC" won the first non-racial general election in South Africa, and Mandela was elected president, heralding the birth of a new South Africa.
In his inaugural address, Mandela said: "We will build a society where all South Africans, black and white, can walk with their heads held high, confident in their inalienable rights to human dignity. A rainbow country that seeks peace both internally and externally."
The rainbow country begins with reconciliation.
Since rugby was introduced to South Africa, the sport has been widely developed among white South Africans, and rugby is called "national football" by white South Africans. For black South Africans, rugby is an exclusive sport for whites and a symbol of the apartheid system in South Africa. The South African rugby national team, the Springboks, which is mainly composed of whites, was also boycotted by blacks.
In the film, the South African National Sports Council, in order to vent its dissatisfaction with the apartheid system, demanded the abolition of the South African national team's team name, team emblem and uniforms. Mandela blocked this move. He called on black South Africans to accept the "springbok team" composed of whites, and regard the members of the springbok team as their own.
Mandela's chief of staff, Brenda, persuaded him not to focus on such trivial matters as a rugby game. South Africa is full of problems. Property, food, employment, crime, and currency all need to be solved urgently. National plan. Mandela was thoughtful about this. He replied, "Those white minority still control the country's police force, military and economy, and without their support, we can't solve other problems." Brenda continued to ask, "Then, Is this football game just a political consideration?" Mandela said. "It's a human consideration. If we take away what they hold dear, the Springboks, their national anthem... we're only going to worsen the race. The vicious cycle of fear of each other and I will do what I have to do to break that cycle, or it will destroy us."
The courage to forgive and the courage to reconcile.
In the eyes of others, the game of rugby is a trivial matter, but Mandela clearly knew his goal, and the game of rugby was a key vehicle for his promotion of ethnic reconciliation. South Africa won the right to host the 1995 Rugby World Cup, and the performance of the Springboks is worrying. Mandela hoped that the Springboks could win the championship on behalf of South Africa. He directly met with the captain of the Springboks, Francois, to learn about his state and restore his morale.
Mandela asked Francois, "What is your leadership philosophy? How do you motivate your team to be the best?"
Francois replied, "Lead by example. I always lead by example."
"That's right, quite right. So how do you motivate them to exceed their expectations? I don't think it's easy. Motivation can be useful. How do we motivate ourselves to achieve great things when we have nowhere to go?" he told Francois "We need incentives, and in order to build our country, we must exceed our original expectations."
In addition to training the Springboks, Mandela has the team tour towns and villages across South Africa to teach children how to play rugby. Through this exchange, Mandela allowed these white players to see the poor and backward side of South Africa, and also allowed black children to build a good impression of rugby and the Springboks. Black South Africans gradually accepted and recognized the Springbok team, and the members of the Springbok team also realized more clearly that the country they represent is not only a white group, but also a reconciled new South Africa.
At the end of the film, the Springbok team broke through layers after a tough and fierce battle, and finally defeated the New Zealand team in overtime in the final to win the World Cup championship. When interviewing captain Francois, the media said, "You were able to win because of the enthusiastic support of 63,000 South African spectators." "No," Francois replied, "We didn't have 63,000 South African spectators. support, but the support of 4.3 million South Africans.”
On the podium, Mandela said to Francois, "I want to thank you for everything you have done for your country." Francois replied, "Mr. President, you should thank you for everything you have done for your country."
"How can a person spend 30 years in a narrow prison cell and forgive those who sent you in when he gets out of prison?" Francois once felt a great touch in the exchanges and exchanges with Mandela and puzzled.
I think Francois should have understood Mandela when the "Springboks" won the championship and the audience sang the new national anthem of South Africa - because of the great love in his heart, he chose forgiveness and reconciliation, leading blacks and whites to break the gap , to achieve national unity.
The heart is like a warm sun, be kind to others.
Not only does he have great love in his heart, but Mandela is also a very friendly and charismatic leader. He asked the guards to smile as they pushed the crowd away.
He genuinely cares, cares, and praises those around him.
He will notice that the assistant wears a beautiful new dress and sincerely praises;
He will patiently greet the staff around him and their families, and thank the staff for their care and care for him.
The white guard beside him commented, "When I worked for the last president, my job was to make myself invisible, but this president is different. When he learned that I liked British toffee, he returned from a visit to the UK. Brought me some. No one is invisible to him."
life is long so add oil.
When the newly commissioned white guard took office, he looked at Mandela's life-threatening schedule and asked in astonishment and mockery, "How can he do all these things? When does he rest?" The guard replied sternly, "He said he had enough rest in prison."
Yes, 27 years in captivity on Robin Island, failed to bring Mandela down. After his release from prison, he fought for the development of the new South Africa with firmness and tenacity.
The guard said he was on time like clockwork, getting up and walking every day before dawn. After fainting due to overwork, the doctor fixed him to rest and recuperate, but he did not give up his work schedule and still went to Taiwan for a visit.
Mandela said that sometimes he felt that he could be inspired by the writings of others.
During his captivity, when he wanted to fall, it was these few poems that inspired him.
"Whoever is God, I thank him for giving me an unconquerable soul. I am the master of my destiny. I am the commander of my soul."
Finally, let us appreciate the poem "Invictus" by the Victorian (19th century) English poet William Ernest Henley (1849-1903).
Invictus
By WILLIAM ERNEST HENLEY
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.
Reference translation:
"Unconquerable"
William Ernest Henry
Through the night that covers me,
I see layers of darkness.
Thank God for giving me,
Unconquerable soul.
Even if you are held tightly by hell,
I will not be afraid, nor will I be humiliated.
Hit hard by fate,
My head was full of blood, but my head was raised.
Beyond the world of anger and sorrow,
It is not only the shadow of terror that rises,
And, in the face of future threats,
You will find that I am fearless.
No matter how narrow the gate of fate,
No matter what the punishment is.
I am the master of my destiny.
I am the commander of my soul.
View more about Invictus reviews
