Endgame

In the 1980s, South Africa was on the verge of violent revolution. The black national liberation movement, led by the African National Congress, was poised to confront the apartheid Nationalist South African government when a British businessman came forward with an audacious plan to seek a peaceful resolution. The secret talks that ensued on a remote estate in England are powerfully dramatized in this PBS/MASTERPIECE presentation directed by Pete Travis. The term “endgame” refers to the final moves in a game of chess, and this production captures all the tension and surprise of a well-played match. At the same time, a pivotal chapter in the history of South Africa, one previously overlooked by most historians, is vividly brought to life through the extraordinary performances of William Hurt, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Jonny Lee Miller. For shining a dramatic light on a critical historical moment, one that became a model for peaceful conflict resolution in other international conflicts, Endgame receives a Peabody Award.