SPLICED MOVIES / I NTERVIEW / JUSTIN CHADWICK
hidden. They actively encouraged
me to study this world and to show
all sides and that was very liberating.
At no point did anybody say that
they wanted anything covered up.
And we did show all these characters
and the flaws and it makes them
human. These men and women are
able to come out of all that and find
forgiveness. He came out in his early
seventies and you see images of
Mandela and that spirit… he had that
energy. In my memory I hadn’t quite
realised how turbulent that time was.
How he managed to turn that around
and the transition was relatively
peaceful and it didn’t descend into
a bloodbath – it’s an example to the
world. I’m constantly in awe of the
South African people.
ISSUE 02
"He came out in his early seventies and you
see images of Mandela and that spirit… he
had that energy. In my memory I hadn’t
quite realised how turbulent that time was.
How he managed to turn that around and
the transition was relatively peaceful and it
didn’t descend into a bloodbath..."
CS: Was it a full South African crew?
JC: Yes, last night watching the
credits – all those brilliant people and
the level of passion and workmanship
that went into it – South Africa has
got a great wealth of talent here.
CS: Did you find yourself getting
emotional on set?
JC: I didn’t want the money to be
wasted so I wanted to make sure that
we were using it carefully so that it
was all up on screen, so no it was
very well planned and the script was
very tight. This film can’t deal with
all parts – many wonderful stories
and events that we didn’t explore,
but no the script was tight as we
didn’t want to waste that money. It
was a South African financed movie
so we definitely didn’t want to waste
anything.
JC: Every day. I think all the crew
did, and the cast.
CS: If it goes to DVD would you have
an extended edition?
CS: Where there any challenges you
found during filming?
JC: No the cut you saw, that cut
was the director’s cut.
JC: No, considering I was an
outsider, I was welcomed everywhere
I went. I used to wake up excited to
show up. It’s so wonderful to be back,
I love the country I think it’s beautiful,
I think the people are extraordinary
and the fact that this history is here is
incredible, it’s incredible it’s so close.
CS: Have you received any negative
criticism about the film?
CS: The Sharpeville and 1976
sequence was difficult to watch at
times
JC: Those scenes were tough to
shoot. It was so brutal.
CS: Would you want to do another
film in South Africa?
JC: I’d love to. It’s necessary,
definitely. There’s great talent here
and great stories here. Just the
country itself, how beautiful is this
country? There’s a wealth of talent
here and I hope that more and
more people come here to invest in
storytelling because we desperately
need it, not just one point of view.
CS: Favourite location?
CS: Did you have to cut a lot of
footage out or did you have quite a
strict script?
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JC: Well you can’t deal with
everything, and I hope the film feels
true to the men and women it’s
depicting and inspires others to go out
and make films about the characters
we don’t depict. This is a particular
take and I hope it’s honest and true. It
celebrates a character but ultimately
shows him as a flawed human being
like the rest of us.
JC: I loved Johannesburg! There’s
a pulsing energy there that’s just
intoxicating and vibrant and energetic
and exciting and you feel the history
there, but there’s also a modernity to
the place and community spirit that
is so strong. I can see why Winnie has
never left, I can see why she still lives
there. As a place and a people, Soweto
is so inspiring. I’m glad to be back, I
wish I could stay longer.
CS: Thank you somuch for your time
Justin, and enjoy the rest of your stay
in South Africa.
JC: Thank you!