Liliesleaf Farm Mayibuye: In Search of the Spectres of History
Synopsis
Using double screen, the filmmaker juxtaposes her domestic family history with that of Nelson Mandela prior to his arrest. The artist considers the roles that personal and political histories play in opening up the narratives of a place.
Liliesleaf Farm, located in Rivonia South Africa, was the headquarters of the military wing of the African National Congress, (‘Umkhonto we Sizwe') in the early 1960s. Nelson Mandela lived at Liliesleaf under an alias. ‘Operation Mayibuye’ was an ANC undercover campaign of sabotage intended to bring down the apartheid government.
Ideas for the film originated with 8mm film footage and photographs of
Gaal-Holmes’ immigrant family at Liliesleaf. Her German and Hungarian parents had recently moved to settle in South Africa, and Liliesleaf became their family home for a short time in the late 1960s.
Official Selection BFI London Film Festival 2016 - Experimenta Strand - World premiere
Details
- Year
- 2016
- Type of film
- Shorts
- Running Time
- 10 mins
- Format
- 8mm, 16mm
- Director
- Patti Gaal-Holmes
- Editor
- Patti Gaal-Holmes
- Screenwriter
- Patti Gaal-Holmes
- Music
- Emily Barker
- Archival Material
- Gaál family archive and Liliesleaf Museum
Production status
Complete
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Last updated 23rd September 2016
