Cannes woo Mandela

Nelson Mandela presiding over the kings and queens of Hollywood - now that would be one of the great sights of Cannes.

Cannes Film Festival organisers and South African film-makers are trying to woo Mandela to this year's movie jamboree on the Cote d'Azur.

One event being planned for the festival is a series of South African feature-length and short films, celebrating ten years of democracy in the country.

Mandela became a symbol of South Africa's struggle against apartheid and, in 1993, he shared the Nobel Peace laureate with F.W. de Klerk. In May, 1994, Mandela was voted South Africa's first democratically elected president.

A spokeswoman for the Nelson Mandela Foundation told me that Mandela 'might consider' attending the festival, but at this stage it was not certain whether he would go.

A spokesman for Cannes explained that aspects of the festival were still at the planning stage. 'We're hoping there will be a South African element at the festival and Nelson Mandela would be welcome,' he said.

However, Eddie Mbalo, of the National Film and Video Foundation in Johannesburg, cautioned: 'We have spoken to his office and we are hopeful, but it might not be possible for him to travel.'

It would be fantastic if Mandela were able to be in Cannes. I can just picture him strutting his stuff along the Croisette, doing that jive of his, the Madiba Shuffle.