F.W. de Klerk - The Other Man

De Klerk served as President of South Africa from 1989 to 1994.  Initially a supporter of the apartheid state, he is widely credited for orchestrating the end of South Africa's racial segregation policy and leading the country's transformation into a multi-racial democracy alongside Nelson Mandela.  THE OTHER MAN examines the life and times of a man who was reviled by some, praised by many, yet has somehow remained in the shadow of his exploits.  Historians compare him with Mikhail Gorbachev as one of the most transformational leaders of our times. From the political minefield of his time in government during apartheid to his complicated relations with Mandela and Desmond Tutu and his legacy as the last white President of South Africa, this film will be the definitive resource for understanding the man behind the name. 

The story of de Klerk is also the story of  South Africa. Its oppressive history and stunning transformation continue to inform its social and political identities in very real and tangible ways and its effects can be felt on an international scale. THE OTHER MAN looks at the trajectory of this unique nation and reflects on how the end of apartheid will continue to shape South Africans for years to come.

The film includes in-depth interviews with de Klerk, as well as with a range of experts and South Africans who played a vital role in pre- and post-apartheid South Africa, including  Thabo Mbeki, Leon Wessels, Mathews Phosa, Chester Crocker, Albie Sachs, Roelf Meyer, Ela Gandhi, Richard Goldstone, William Gumede and more.