Accused #2 Walter Sisulu
A virtual-reality animated documentary
The world discovered Sisulu during the Rivonia trial, which took place in 1963 and 1964. Mandela, accused number 1, read a speech to justify the use of armed struggle. Sisulu, accused number 2, was the first to be interrogated. The sound archives of the trial, recently unearthed by the INA, allow us to relive the five days of his moving face to face with a dreadful, racist and zealous prosecutor. Sisulu, while risking the death penalty, fights back. Immerse yourself in the closed doors of the hearings and the violence of apartheid, discover the testimony of an exceptional character at a key moment in the history of the 20th century.
Thanks to Oerd Van Cuijlenborg’s illustrations and a spatialized sound, this 360° video immerses the spectator at the core of the Rivonia trial.
The defendants will turn their 9 months hearings into a political platform against apartheid. Their defense, the search for acquittal or a light sentence are absolutely not a priority in their eyes. They want to take advantage of the presence of international journalists and diplomats to denounce the immorality of the segregationist regime. Through a subjective and immersive experience, this VR film restores the violence of the exchanges between Walter Sisulu, a prominent member of the ANC and Mandela’s mentor, and his aggressive and racist prosecutor.
Nominations and Awards
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Sheffield International Documentary Film Festival 2019
BEST DIGITAL NARRATIVE AWARD NOMINEE
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New Media Film Festival 2019
BEST VR-360
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IDFA 2018
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Kaohsiung Film Festival
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360VR
Docaviv International Documentary Film Festival 2019
Credits
- A film by - Nicolas Champeaux, Gilles Porte
- Animation director - Oerd
- Artistic and technical director - Michaël Bolufer
- Original music by - Aurélien Godderis-Chouzenoux
- Animation by - Oerd van Cuijlenborg, David Devaux, Matthieu Gueritte, Mathieu Ratier
- Sound editor - Florent Denizot
- Sound design – spatialized sound – Radio France - Hervé Déjardin
- Production - La Générale de Production
- Coproduction - La Générale de Production, ARTE France, Radio France, Institut national de l’audiovisuel (INA), UFO Production, Rouge International