Virtual Screening and Talk With Gerri Williams

Saturday, April 12 at 10:00 AM | Free

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NEW FILM ON NELSON MANDELA PROVIDES INSPIRATION AND GLOBAL CONNECTION FOR MINNESOTA AUDIENCES

There are nearly 9,000 miles separating Minnesota and South Africa … and yet Nelson Mandela’s life and legacy crosses continents with its message of reconciliation and unity.  Amid today’s many international and even internal national conflicts, the South African concept of “Ubuntu” articulated in Mandela’s actions-–that we are all bound together in one humanity-- couldn’t be more timely and relevant.  

Now a new documentary, filmed in northern Minnesota with that focus, will be screened online by Rochester Art Center on Saturday, April 12 at 10:00 AM.

The film is based on community events that took place during 2018, commemorating the 100-year anniversary of the birth of Nelson Mandela, the South African liberation leader imprisoned for 27 years for his resistance to the oppressive apartheid system. Mandela went on to become the president of the new multiracial democracy in South Africa and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

“At the close of the Mandela events, we found we had quite a bit of video footage,” said Gerri Williams, chairperson of the anniversary committee that organized the programs and producer of the Mandela film. “We decided to extend the reach and meaning of the anniversary year through a documentary film.”

“Duluth for Mandela” chronicles the art, music, dance and educational programs in which community members participated – exploring South African history, sampling the country’s cuisine and moving to rhythms of a South African choir. Above all, they absorbed the lessons of reconciliation, inclusion and joy embodied in the person of Nelson Mandela, experiencing inspiration and a global connection through their participation.

With grants from the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation’s Global Awareness Fund and the Duluth NAACP, Williams and the filmmaking team generated additional footage in the Duluth area, including interviews with local leaders who provided the context for Mandela’s message and its relevance  for our contemporary times. The film was produced at the MMAD studio, located on the University of Minnesota-Duluth campus.

The result is a film with an upbeat, unifying message for all ages. Pulsating South African music on the soundtrack provides a special African flair.

“I hope that viewers of the film, especially youth, will learn about the life of Nelson Mandela and why he has become a beloved world icon,” said Williams. “From South Africa to Minnesota, his inspiration for a better world touches and enriches all of us.”

Filmmaker Bio

Gerri Williams is the producer and director of “Duluth for Mandela: A Northland Celebration,” a documentary film that was released in early 2024.

The film is based on a series of Duluth community events she organized for the centenary of South African liberation leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Nelson Mandela.  While dealing with the hard struggle to overcome that country’s oppressive apartheid system,  the film also emphasizes joy and hope--conveyed in Mandela’s inspiring words and images as well as buoyant, rhythmic South African and locally-composed music.

Raised in Minneapolis, Gerri Williams has worked as an editor and is a published writer of essays and film reviews. She was involved in the U.S. anti-apartheid movement and later in her career as a Foreign Service Officer, she served in the U.S Consulate in Durban, South Africa as a cultural and public affairs representative. She also has had stints as an assistant producer at WPFW Radio in Washington, DC and as a researcher and guest presenter with the “People of Color” broadcast for KUWS Radio, Superior WI.

Ms. Williams received her M.A. degree in Communication with a concentration in International Affairs from Trinity University in Washington, DC. She moved to Duluth in 2013, where she curated the “HUMAN” (Heart-Unity-Movement-Action-Now) film and lecture series on social change. She is a member of the Duluth Film Collective and studied filmmaking with Matt Koshmrl of the North x North Film School.

“Working on the Mandela film, interacting with local people from all walks of life, embedded me in the community of this unique area.” Ms. Williams notes. “There are many stories to be told in the Northland. I am honored to bring this joyful reflection of international unity to the public.”

“Duluth for Mandela: A Northland Celebration,” her first film, was selected for the Minnesota Film Festival in Spring 2024.