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PRESIDENT

Camilla Nielsson | Denmark, Norway, USA | English, Shona | 2021 | 130 MIN

This engrossing, award-winning and globally relevant documentary follows activist Nelson Chamisa as he runs for President of Zimbabwe, campaigning against a corrupt regime that has held power for over 30 years.

In 2018, just one year after dictator Robert Mugabe was ousted by a military coup, Zimbabwe was preparing for its first free and democratic election in decades. The establishment candidate was Emmerson Mnangagwa, a longtime Mugabe aide and the acting President, and challenging him was Nelson Chamisa, a charismatic 40-year-old lawyer and activist. In the weeks prior to the election, Chamisa campaigned tirelessly, building a momentum that seemed sure to bring true change to his long-beleaguered country. Mnangagwa’s entrenched ruling party, however, had other ideas. Bureaucratic manipulations, needless delays, and blatantly rigged results meant that the final outcome of the election had to be determined not by Zimbabwe’s voters, but by its constitutional court. The fate of the country would be decided on live television. Whether you already know the outcome of that court case or not, Camilla Nielsson’s award-winning portrait of Chamisa’s campaign is riveting to watch, capturing late-night strategy sessions and violent street protests with equal urgency. As Chamisa and his followers fight to have their voices heard, PRESIDENT becomes not just a portrait of one country’s political process; it becomes a clarion call for democracy that rings true around the world.


PFS ON US is a free ticketing initiative that makes our programming available to all. Free tickets are available to the screening. Seating is first-come, first-served. Reservations do not guarantee admission.

Admission is not guaranteed after scheduled start time.

PFF30 VIRTUAL CINEMA: this title will be available starting October 25 on our virtual platform, watch.filmadelphia.org

CLICK HERE to return to the complete 30th Philadelphia Film Festival schedule.


A Note on Health & Safety

As of September 1, PFS will require masking as well as proof of vaccination at the Film Center & PFS Bourse.

Acceptable forms of proof of vaccination include your CDC record/card or a picture of the vaccination card along with photo I.D.

Masks are required at all times except when eating or drinking in the theater. Children under the age of 12 are currently exempt from this requirement.

Click HERE for all of our health and safety regulations.

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Masking is now optional at the Film Center & PFS Bourse, proof of vaccination is still required. Click HERE for more info!