Winnie
By Barbara Shulgasser-Parker,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Story of controversial activist has violence, mature themes.
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Winnie
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What's the Story?
Many young viewers will be unaware that violent racism was the law of the land in South Africa until 1994, when Nelson Mandela negotiated a relatively peaceful takeover from the white apartheid government by the black-led African National Congress. WINNIE focuses on the job his wife, Winnie, did to fight the racism and the violence against blacks both before, during, and after Nelson's 27 years in prison. The documentary suggests that Winnie was less compromising than her husband, more socialist and more progressive, a position that made her a target of both whites -- who wanted to negotiate retaining more power in the transition to black rule -- and, surprisingly, the blacks taking over, who didn't want to jeopardize negotiations by asking for too much. Winnie was ostracized and isolated through strategic accusations about her character and her motives by both black and white leaders as her political positions remained constant. The movie asserts murder charges against her were trumped up in the attempt to delegitimize her and lessen the threat she and her many supporters posed to peaceful transition.
Is It Any Good?
This documentary makes the case that Winnie Mandela was railroaded by concerted and tactical efforts to sully her name and dissipate her power. The trouble is that some parts seem muddy and may be difficult to follow for all but the most well-informed. The story of the murder charges against her and the origins of that story aren't presented as clearly as they might have been. Also, the argument for the deliberate and baseless besmirching of her name is made, but it feels a bit one-sided and thus perhaps not as convincing as it might have been. Oddly, Winnie never suggests that the efforts by her own party to get rid of her had anything to do with anti-female bias, which certainly feels like a factor to even the most uninformed observer.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the startling oppressiveness of the South African regime and its cruelty to the country's majority black population. Slavery in America ended long ago (although racism persists). Parents may wish to help kids understand how such institutional racism could exist into the 1990s.
Why do you think Winnie seems to have been singled out for vilification by both the apartheid government and the ensuing black majority regime?
Some people and organizations boycotted South African products and events to help end apartheid. Do you think the community of other nations and concerned individuals should have condemned the apartheid government earlier? What role do you think money, power, and racism played in the white government's ability to keep the black population down?
Movie Details
- In theaters: June 27, 2017
- On DVD or streaming: February 26, 2018
- Director: Pascale Lamche
- Studio: Netflix
- Genre: Documentary
- Topics: Activism
- Character Strengths: Courage , Perseverance
- Run time: 98 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: March 11, 2023
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