Mama Africa, screening with We Are Here PG

From the archive

This film was last shown on 22 October 2012

Doc/Fest presents

When the South African government exiled rising star Miriam Makeba for appearing in a documentary about apartheid in 1959, little did they realise they were pushing onto the world stage a unique singing talent and budding civil rights activist. Taken in by the US, “Mama Africa” was nurtured by Harry Belafonte, and became a big star, singing for Marlon Brando and JFK. The record companies soon shunned her when she married Black Panther firebrand Stokely Carmichael. They moved to Guinea and campaigned passionately for a united Africa, Makeba charming a generation of fawning African presidents. Her soft manner belied the steely nature of the woman determined to see her country free, and South Africa doubly exiled her when she became the first African to ask for a boycott. After the release of Nelson Mandela, she finally returned triumphantly to her homeland. As shown through the wonderfully rich performance archive, throughout her turbulent life Makeba’s singing enraptured audiences, influencing generations of African musicians.
Film synopsis courtesy of Sheffield Doc/Fest.

Kindly supported by University of Sheffield.

Screening with...

we are here

This short documentary was filmed by the Year 9 Black Pupils' Achievement Programme at King Edward VII Lower school. The pupils undertook a series of interviews with students and staff at the university to find out more about Higher Education.

We Are Here is a 'widening participation' project based in the School of English at the University of Sheffield. It aims to utilise pedagogical devices and strategies drawn from research in the Arts and Humanities in work with school children of a predominantly BME background. The project aims to support aspiration and widen access to culture, and seeks to develop new models of and approaches to outreach.