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Madiba confusion at Cannes

Two Nelson Mandela-themed projects are fighting for international support at this year's Cannes Film Festival.

The Hollywood Reporter reported that international buyers at the festival were "circling" a documentary called 'Mandela's Children' (narrated by the former president himself) by grandson Kweku Mandela and Kemal Akhtar.

But there seems to be some competition from another documentary.

'Mandela: The World That Made Him' by Jacqueline Fox is also at the festival. However, even the National Film and Video Foundation's Naomi Mokhele, who is in Cannes, was unaware of this.

Fox's documentary, shot in the Eastern Cape late last year, is due to be delivered to buyers by July.

The London and Los Angeles-based Stealth Media Group (a distribution, film and television sales company) has joined Fox's project.

But The Hollywood Reporter interviewed Akhtar who said that 'Mandela's Children' had created such a buzz because "it features what will probably be the last extensive interview that Mandela, now 94, will give on camera".

Some of his grandchildren's stories will also be included in the documentary.

Pre-sales for the documentary have begun and UK-based Kaleidoscope Film Distribution is on the front line.

Fox, meanwhile, said her team had hosted five different 20-minute screenings for international buyers and press.

She said: "It was really amazing. Obviously there is big interest in him and where he comes from. Gathering from the reactions afterwards, they were blown away."