Namibian documentary PATHS TO FREEDOM screens at Durban International Film Festival
Paths to Freedom tells the story of the birth of Namibia’s armed struggle against South Africa in 1966. South Africa’s “Border War” saw generations of South Africans fighting Swapo guerillas with little idea of why and who they were fighting. Now Paths to Freedom reveals the story behind the “border war”.
Based on eye witness accounts Paths to Freedom is the story of David rising against Goliath. Armed with only 6 machine guns Swapo guerillas took on South African helicopters at the start of a war that ended with Namibian independence in 1990.
Using rarely seen archive footage and photographs Paths to Freedom traces the origins of nationalism in Namibia as peasants and contract workers organized themselves and rebelled against being enslaved in their own country.
Key participants including Andimba Toivo ya Toivo, Helao Shityuwete and Sam Nujoma tell how Namibians escaped from the then SWA to find arms and training in Tanganika and in the Soviet Union. By 1965 the first group of armed insurgents had returned home to take on the South African regime. Women including Priskilia Tuhadeleni, Lahya Iyambo and Justina Amalwa recall how they provided crucial shelter and support to the guerillas.
Recently declassified documents reveal how the South Africans located Swapo’s military camp in northern Namibia by recruiting a high ranking Swapo commander. The film follows the eruption of armed conflict with the air-born attack on the military camp and the reign of terror and mass arrests that followed. After unspeakable torture the guerillas were tried and sentenced to life imprisonment on Robben Island while the war against South Africa continued until independence in 1990.
Paths to Freedom ,an independently produced Namibian film, has won Best Documentary, Best Music and Best Sound Design at the Namibia Film and Theatre Awards and Best Artistic Achievement at the Luxor African Film Festival in Egypt.
Director/Producer: Richard Pakleppa Editors: Khalid Shamis, Catherine Meyburgh Music: Hishishi Papa, Philip Miller Produced by On Land Productions in Co-Production with Namibia Broadcasting Corporation with support from Namibia Film Commission, Ministry of Veteran’s Affairs, Carl Schlettwein Foundation, Embassy of Finland, FNB Foundation. 108 min. HD. World Rights Available.
Paths to Freedom will screen at the Durban International Film Festival on Saturday 18 July at 18 00 hrs at the Suncoast Cinema and on Wednesday 22 July at 14 00 hrs at Elangeni.
View Paths to Freedom trailer here: http://vimeo.com/99680862