Film Review: President (2021) DIR. CAMILLA NIELSSON
Nelson Chamisa at rally long shot © PRESIDENT
We are all too accustomed to corruption in politics in third world countries, a lack of democracy, rigged elections and violent interventions. This film should cause a lot of squeamishness in today’s America as we are suffering from vicious hateful divisions in our politics and uncivil discourse, nefarious actions by elected officials and rabid civilian conspiracy theorists and acolytes. It feels all too familiar. The locus of this film is Zimbawe and the attempt at the first “free and fair” election after 38 years of the corrupt dictatorship of Robert Mugabe finally overthrown by a military coup in 2017.
The country which had been brought to its knees economically and had its freedoms overrun by an authoritarian regime which was finally so universally unpopular that the whole country wanted the ouster of Mugabe. It was a bloodless coup which allowed Mugabe to resign and the proviso that the military would not seize control and allow a democratic election. In the interim the former vice-president Emmerson Mnangagwa was acting president. When it came time for the election Mnangagwa ran as the candidate of ZANUF-PF (Mugabe’s party). It became obvious that Mnangagwa represented business as usual and had all the cards to hold onto power.
President © PRESIDENT
Nelson Chamisa and his team © PRESIDENT
The opposition candidate for the MDC (Movement for Democratic Change) Party, Nelson Chamisa, an eloquent charismatic 40 year old lawyer who was often compared to Nelson Mandela. His impassioned aspirational oratorical style was fashioned on Barack Obama and served him well. The massive crowds hungering for change in the form of leadership instead of dictatorship which would serve the people receive him like a rock star with wild enthusiasm. He is a galvanizing presence who feels thoroughly authentic.
Director Camilla Nielsson © PRESIDENT
Nielsson, who was given complete access to the campaign in the last four weeks has deep connections with Zimbawe having directed Democrats in 2014 which focused on the process of writing Zimbawe’s first democratic constitution and which won Best Documentary at Tribeca Film Festival. Her cinema verité style is totally immersive and gives the film the immediacy of a political thriller, which is totally appropriate given the unpredictability of the proceedings. Trained as an anthropologist, she acts as an observer and we feel as if we are experiencing in real time. There are no talking heads. We are up close and personal with the candidate and his team as they strategize, campaign and face menacing opposition by armed opposition forces. The election was internationally watched by outside observers and was blatantly manipulated and brazenly lied about. It was a tragic travesty for the people and democracy and reveals a hard truth. You can remove the head of the beast but the beating heart is harder to eradicate. Democracy just may be one of the biggest endangered species. This is a cautionary tale and one which should alarm and activate us all.
