Nelson Mandela, an iconic South African president and human rights leader, has been the subject of countless books, documentaries and feature films.

Premiering at Sundance, Antoine Fuqua discusses why the documentary centers the global icon’s own voice. “I wanted people to see him as a human being,” the director said.

Nelson Mandela appears in Troublemaker by Antoine Fuqua, an official selection of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute. In Antoine Fuqua’s documentary “Troublemaker,” the ...