A long walk to Mandela

I have no pictures just words.

Last week. 11 November 2013. I watched a Long Walk To Freedom.
At the LA premiere in Hollywood at the Archlight Theatre

I was fortunate enough to watch one of the greatest film our country has produced. Don't worry this story has no spoilers. Its not about the film its my experience.

Now lets give this story a back story. Well back in 2011 when I was working in production because well I thought it would get me into film. A naive little aspiring actress I was. Tsk Tsk.
I worked in the commercial division in a production company. There was a features department but in all honestly I did not want to work there. Working in commercial I work for a couple of weeks on a job, high impact and then have a couple days off and back on it. A feature film meant months and commitment. I didn't love my job and making a long term commitment like that just for money............... NAH. I told myself and my mom 3 years ago, if I ever would work on a feature it would be a Long Walk to Freedom if the film ever gets made. Back then it was talked about but never in production or anything.


I managed to get job opportunities two years later to work on a long walk to freedom. Anyway so I don't want to go into detail because its too personal and still hurts. But anyway the film holds a very special place in my heart. I managed to get over my incident with A long walk to freedom and moved on to bigger and better things, I got to work on other productions and that pushed me to come to America to fulfill my dream.

Idris Elba 

So if you read my previous you will know that I couldn't work and now that I have graduated I can legally work in December. But now I have time on my hands. So I have been hustling to get some under the table work that pays on the day. My first week done with school, I got two jobs as a promoter working for an event. One was a business expo and the other a screening. The screening was well unorganized, I didn't know much about it other that I was hired. When it got closer to the day I was informed it was the Mandela screening. At first I was like........ no way. Then I did some research but nothing came up. Then I assumed it was a screening for some Mandela movie in light of the Long walk to freedom film coming out and that there would be executive people and producers there. So who that is cool i got dressed up and luckily since I stay in Hollywood now, I could walk to the Arclight Theatre. As I approached I saw a red carpet and my heart skipped a beat. Is this a Premiere????? WTF. The thought alone was too much for me to handle. I went to the bathroom to catch my breathe and then waited for an hour to find out what I was doing on this job. Eventually when the they arrived I ran with the other group of people. Still no one could tell me if this was a premiere or a screening. We walked into the theatre and then it became clear that I was ushering the event. When the lady started mentioning the attendees like, Quincy Jones, Naomi Harris, Idris Elbla....... I got such a fright I dropped my bag on the floor and freaked out. THIS WAS THE LA PREMIERE OF LONG WALK TO FREEDOM and I was about to be apart of it.This news hit me like a ton of bricks, I did not expect a premiere, heck I just finished school I was not ready for this. The leader showed us the seat allocations and I knew where I wanted to stand. I moved a couple steps closer, but some asshole ran out of nowhere and beat me to it. I had asked him if I could please take that spot, he was so rude and said it was already taken. I was crushed. I then went to the top back and stood there. I was still in awe, because I could not believe I was that I was there. I had come all the way from South Africa to be at a premiere screening in motherfucking Hollywood of a film about my country and icon with my favorite actor. Somebody pinch me now.

If this book doesnt mean anything to you.....

All of a sudden I became overwhelmed with emotions, it all became so real. How far I have come. They started playing the intro a bit of the middle and the end of the film as a tester for sound ect. I was the only girl from South Africa working there. That little bit took me by surprise it, it brought back so many memories I just started crying. After my little crying session I picked myself up and did my job. From where I was standing I could see that asshole at my spot, the spot where I would be ushering Idris Elba and Quincy Jones where to sit. I would actually meet them. Anyway......... people started arriving. Yeah as you can guess I missed the whole fan walk and photos outside, but who gave a fuck I was inside. The people that I saw arriving where the likes of oh well....... Lance Gross, Tracey Elliss Ross. Then I got the pleasure of seating and meeting Louis Gossett. Obviously I knew who he was, because I  fell in love with Idris Elba in Tyler Perrys Daddy's Little Girls a little star stuck and a little emotion led to me being a complete fool. I was not myself. I still could not believe I was there. Everyone was seated and then they announced Sir Quincy Jones. I took yet another gasp was this real. He said a couple of words and then introduced Zinzi Mandela. My knees buckled. WOW WOW WOW. I could not believe it. So lucky. The film began. Dont worry no spoilers I promise. I miss home so much, and when the film opened I balled my eyes out and........ well for the next 2h30min I cried my eyes out for the entire film. It wasn't the film alone, it was spectacular dont get me wrong it was me. The film took me down memory lane. It was surreal, I was all over the place. Seeing all those images, the fact that I was suppose to be on that production, that I was actually in America, I was so far away from home it just made me weep. How could I, me little Annocha be so close to something that means so much to me? What did it all mean. Then there was a moment when the president meets FW De Klerk. He opened up the door and it was Gys De Villers a well known South African actor. I balled. Well because I didnt know that he was booked in the film. But I worked on a local production called Jimmy in Pienk (Support local movies and watch it)  Gys and I got along and that time of my life I was so wrapped up in production I didn't know how to get out of it and pursue acting and still survive. Gys to a liking and interest in me asked me and then got it out of me that I wanted to be an actress. He gave me such great advise then, and genuinely believed that I had a talent and a career. I remember going back to my mom and told her that I couldn't believe that he believed in me and he didn't even know. Heck he believed in me more than I in myself. I forgot about that convo we had then and seeing him on the big screen just took me over the edge. I literally cried my entire shift. When I came out I saw Taraji Henson, Alfre Woodard, Angela Bassett I was like 2 feet away from them. And I could not go up to them I had been crying and was just a hot mess. However I saw Terry Pheto, I went up to her. Hott mess. She was sweet and kind.

It was an incredible night, I was in LA, at a premiere getting paid to watch a film that ment the world to me with the actors and being surrounded by African American Actors who I admire. YEAH. Holy shit is this really my life. But you know what was amazing I was surrounded by all these people, and I felt like I belonged. I didnt see them as above me. I saw them as the same, my fellow actors. I felt like this is the world and life I belong in. Not a fan. But one of them. I finally felt like this is my density and God put me here for a reason to see what my life could be. The film  reminded me that I am a proud South African, yes Ive been oppressed, seen the worst of racism in our country, dealt with interrasim and I have over come it like my country.It reminded me that we are warriors, no we are not perfect and have dealt with alot but we have the power. I was liberated. More than ever do I want to use the power I have to make good and represent our beautiful country. We have an iconic leader Nelson Mandela that uses his wisdom, knowledge and humbleness to over come even the toughest situations. Something I'd like to think I posses or try to be like. His spirit is something I would like to have with me no matter where I am in the world. The film is amazing, oscar shit and I urge everyone to see it.

Sometimes I lay awake at night and wonder why God chose me to watch this film with all those people. What does it all mean? Its not a coincidence? I guess time will tell. 

AMANDLA!!!!

Lance Gross

Louis Gossett

Tracey Ellis Ross

Angela Bassett

Alfre Woodard

Taraji