The film “Invictus” dramatizes the real-world events of 1995, when newly installed South African President Nelson Mandela urged his country to come together behind its rugby team, the Springboks, when South Africa hosted the once-every-four-years Rugby World Cup.
The team had been, to many South Africans, a hated symbol of apartheid, cheered by the white Afrikaners but rooted against by the oppressed natives.
Mandela had learned in his years in prison that sports had the power to bring people together across political and color boundaries. When the newly empowered natives wanted to change the hated team’s name and colors, Mandela argued against that, noting that in this case, the emotional concerns of the vanquished should outweigh those of the victor.
The film starts a bit slowly and awkwardly. It looks like a lower budget production than it is (the film was shot entirely on location in South Africa).
As the real life leader of the Springboks, Francois Pienaar, told the BBC in 1995, “no Hollywood scriptwriter could have written a better script.” And none did. The script is the weakest part of the film.
The dialog seems artificial and stilted in the early scenes. And yet, none of that matters. The real-life story itself is the star here, and kept me mesmerized throughout, and the experience was well worth the money and time, something I find increasingly hard to say about the majority of films these days.
Read the rest at http://www.consortiumnews.com/2009/121609b.html
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(The Guardian) – “It’s a dream come true. We fought for freedom so our country can get events like this,” Sitoto said. “I wish all the prisoners who stayed on Robben Island could witness this, rejoicing. Football saved my life. A person locked up and doing nothing cannot think. When soccer was there it gave us something to talk up about. That’s why it’s more than just a game,” Sitoto said slowly, shielding his eyes from the notoriously harsh glare of the sun on the exposed rock that was his home for 15 years from 1963, when he was convicted of a range of offences against the apartheid state’s regime.
When he was allowed to tell it, Sitoto’s tale of Makana FA– the association formed by the prisoners with its own rule book, qualified referees, disciplinary committee and leagues – put the week’s debates over seeding formulas, video technology and extra referees firmly into perspective. Sitoto was a goalkeeper for Manong FC, one of nine clubs who each ran three teams from a squad of around 50. Little known until it was made into a film, More Than Just A Game, two years ago, the story of the prisoners who fought to have access to a sport that gave them hope remains inspirational no matter how many times it is told.
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."