On the 27th of April (Freedom Day) Netflix will be bringing its 222 million subscribers in 190 countries the renowned South African filmmaker Mandla Dube’s latest film, Silverton Siege, produced by Pambili Media.
Director and creator Mandla Dube, known for films like The Italian Job, Strike Back, Angel Heart and Umtunzi we Ntaba, claims that Silverton Siege is his strongest work thus far.
“The hope is that filmmakers from Africa are given more opportunities at decolonising the narrative of who we are. I also hope that the youth of today can draw inspiration from the Silverton Siege trio, and know that they have the power to change the status quo, and most importantly that their stories matter.”
The film, which is set in 1980, is inspired by the real-life incident that sparked the global “Free Mandela” movement.
It stars South African actors like Thabo Rametsi, Noxolo Dlamini and Stefan Erasmus, who portray the Silverton trio – Stephen Mafoko, Humphrey Makhubo and Wilfred Madela – three young men who had nothing to lose.
Silverton Siege also features South African heavyweight, Arnold Vosloo alongside a number of well-known South African talents, including Tumisho Masha, Michelle Moslakae and Elani Dekker.
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The film’s tense storyline sees the freedom fighting trio ending up seeking refuge in a South African bank in Silverton, Pretoria after realising that they are being tailed by the police following a sabotage mission.
The stakes are high as they take the local bank and the civilians in it, hostage, demanding Nelson Mandela’s release in exchange for the release of the shaken hostages. According to sahistory.org.za the true Silverton Siege events went down in a Volkskas bank and the trio’s demands also included the release of a man called Mange, R100 000 in cash and an aircraft to fly them to Maputo.
Silverton Siege is sure to create dialogue about the historic event and the Silverton Siege trio, and will undoubtedly remind South Africans and the world that no matter what, people’s stories matter.
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