African Perspectives: „Captor and Captive – The story of Danger Ashipala & Johan van de Mescht“ by Rina Jooste on SAT, 26.11.2011, 19h

On Saturday, 26. November 2011, 19h00 AfricAvenir Windhoekin cooperation with Studio 77 presents the Namibian premiere of the documentary "Captor and Captive – The story of Danger Ashipala & Johan van de Mescht" by Rina Jooste, 2010, South Africa/Namibia, 52 min, English/Afrikaans/Oshivambo with English subtitles.

Date: 26. November 2011, Time: 19h00
Venue: Studio 77, Old Breweries Complex, entrance Garten Str.
Entrance: 20,-N$
Special guest: Hon. Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. (rtd.) Charles Namoloh, and Lt. Gen. (rtd.) Martin Shalli

We would like to thank our sponsors and supporters of this event: Bank Windhoek Arts Festival, WhatsOnWindhoek, the Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation, & the Franco Namibian Cultural Centre.

About the film
“Captor and Captive – The story of Danger Ashipala and Johan van der Mescht” is an emotional story of two enemy soldiers who meet 30 years after an event that changed both of their lives.nJohan van der Mescht, a South African SADF conscript was stationed on the border of Namibia when he was captured in 1978. He was held as a Prisoner of War in Sao Paulo Prison, Angola, for four and a half years before being exchanged for a Russian spy, Aleksei Koslov, at Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin in 1982. nDanger Ashipala was a young idealist when he joined the SWAPO’s military wing, PLAN, to help liberate his country from colonial oppression. He was responsible for Van der Mescht’s capture. nThe film chronicles the first meeting between Van der Mescht and Ashipala in 2009, and explores their respective experiences. “Captor and Captive” is both the story of a man whose capture has taken him to hell and back and of his captor who kept him alive during the attack. Ultimately it is a story of forgiveness and redemption.nAfter a fact finding mission to Namibia in 2009, Danger Ashipala, who was Van der Mescht’s SWAPO captor, was located by the filmmaker. When Van der Mescht and his family returned to Namibia in December 2009 for the meeting with his captor and the filming thereof, he received a hero’s welcome. Ironically in his own country he is still regarded as a traitor who walked over to join the enemy. At its centre the story contains the universal themes of war, love, pain, betrayal and forgiveness and will appeal to a wide audience from age group 15 years to adults of all ages. The film bears testament to the reconciliation between veteran soldier enemies. nThe film features prominently retired soldier Lieutenant-General Martin Shalli, then Chief of the Namibian Defence Force, NDF.nThe film will be broadcasted on the South African Broadcasting Corporation channel SABC 2 late 2011.nProduced in association with the National Film and Video Foundation of South Africa.nDistribution done by Shadow Films. Contact az.oc.smlifwodahs@divadDirect DVD internet sales via Full Circle Productions. Contact: az.oc.snoitcudorpcf@anir nWatch the film trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21-MIPo1p2EnAbout the director & producer Rina Jooste
Award-winning filmmaker Rina Jooste has been engaged with music, arts and social development programmes in impoverished communities since 1991. Jooste’s experience as a documentary producer, director, researcher comprise several documentary films produced for South African television, many of which have screened at film festivals, contextualized in the South African experience and include subjects such as youth culture; youth violence; the military history of the ANC and the Nationalist government and; Afrikaner culture and identity.
In 2009 she was nominated for SA Film and Television Awards (SAFTA) for her documentary about the SA Border War, “Betrayed”. nTwo years later she won the SA Film and Television Award (SAFTA) 2011, Best Director and Best Overall Documentary for her documentary about youth violence in a white Afrikaans high school, “Jammer as ek so bitter is”. nShe is currently a Masters Student in History (University of Stellenbosch) and submitted the film “Captor and Captive – the story of Danger Ashipala and Johan van der Mescht”, alongside a written thesis to be completed.