Classic Cinemas

The Story

“Very stylish. This is a heartfelt, humane and visually inventive tribute to a fading generation of giants.” — The Hollywood Reporter

There were no cameras in court when Nelson Mandela and nine other defendants were sentenced to life imprisonment in the 1964 Rivonia Trial, but sound recordings were made throughout, recently restored and used in this vital film to create a vivid reflection on the apartheid era. Switching between archive footage, animation and interviews with figures such as Winnie Mandela and David Yutar, son of the prosecutor Percy Yutar, The State Against Mandela and the Others provides a history lesson that could never be gleaned from a book. The trial took place more than 50 years ago, but it now feels closer than ever.