Invictus

1. Watch the trailer 

2. In the following scene Nelson Mandela takes office in Pretoria and gives a powerful speech to the staff. 

At the beginning they think that the newly-elected President wants the satisfaction of firing the white people of the staff.

But later on they find out that nothing disqualifies them to work with the new government - neither the colour of their skin nor their language.

3. In the next scene Mandela introduces two important themes: reconciliation and forgiveness.
Jason, his bodyguard, has just found out that four white bodyguards will join his staff and he is not happy about it.
His task is hard: to forgive and make peace with his enemies. 

4. In this scene Mandela and François, the captain of the South Africa national, rugby team Springboks talk about leadership and inspiration. 
How do we inspire ourselves to greatness? How do we inspire everyone around us?

According to Mandela leadership involves (= implica, comporta) “allowing me to expect more of myself” and to inspire a team not only to do their best, but to become even better than they thought they could.

"(...) We need inspiration François. Because to build our nation, we must all exceed our own expectations (...)"

5. Watch the ending scene: you can listen to the poem that inspired Nelson Mandela and gave him the courage and strength and kept him alive during his 27 long years in prison.

Dal profondo della notte che mi avvolge,

Buia come un pozzo che va da un polo all'altro,

Ringrazio qualunque dio esista

Per l'indomabile anima mia.

Nella feroce morsa delle circostanze

Non mi sono tirato indietro né ho gridato.

Sotto i colpi d’ascia della sorte

Il mio capo è sanguinante, ma non chino.

Oltre questo luogo d'ira e di lacrime

Incombe il solo Orrore delle ombre,

E ancora la minaccia degli anni

Mi trova e mi troverà senza paura.

Non importa quanto stretto sia il passaggio,

Quanto piena di castighi la vita,

Io sono il padrone del mio destino:
Il capitano della mia anima.

" Invictus " is a short poem by the English poet William Ernest Henley (1849-1903). It was published in 1888. 

Nelson Mandela had the poem written on a scrap of paper on his prison cell while he was in Robben Island. 

This poem teaches us to make each day a good one, no matter what our circumstances may be.