South African Snowboarding Documentary Tells the Story of Liberation

Anthon Bosch, a Swedish-born second-generation South African, may be the first professional snowboarder to represent team South Africa among the world’s top 30 snowboarders at the Olympics in February 2022. A total of 238 athletes will participate in the winter leg of the Games.

Swedish-born Anthon Bosch hopes to represent his South African grandfather's legacy at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing

On being asked to join the Swedish national snowboarding team, Anthon chose to represent South Africa instead. With this, he bought out of the promise of European grants and the financial support for entering and competing in international tournaments, including the Olympic Games. After being granted dual citizenship with the help of Mandla Mandela, the grandson of the late President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, Bosch received his letter of release from the Swedish federation. He was granted exclusive representation for South Africa.

Anthon started training for board sports at the age of nine. It wasn’t long before he was accepted into Norges Toppidretts-gymnas (NTG), the Norwegian College of Elite Sport. After graduating in 2015, he started competing at world cup tournaments, including the World Snowboard Tour.

Anthon’s journey as a professional sportsman continues to be inspired by his late grandfather and long-time South African political activist, Joseph Edward Bosch, and his political pursuit for freedom in a country riddled with a tumultuous past. In 1959, Joseph was forced to live in exile in Sweden, where he remained for 34 years. His brother, Jonie Bosch, a renowned freedom fighter, was imprisoned and placed under house arrest where the apartheid’s home security forces often tortured him. He died in 1990 as a result. Jonie and Joseph were survived by their South African family, who still reside in the Western Cape. The Bosch family reign from the small town, Genadendal, just outside of Greyton. Genadendal, known as the oldest Moravian mission village in Africa, became known as a sanctuary for people from different racial groups to convene. It was visited by many vertical activists during the apartheid regime. During the late Nelson Mandela’s term in office, he renamed the official presidential residence in Cape Town from ‘Westbrooke’ to ‘Genadendal’ to commemorate the town’s rich politicial and spiritual history. ‘Genadendal’ means ‘valley of grace’.

After qualifying for the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, Anthon sustained a severe injury withholding him from participating in and completing the Games. Anthon will participate in his second Olympic Games, where final qualifying results will be announced in January 2022.

“Qualifying for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics means you need a solid plan and a sincere work ethic,” says Anthon. “Being able to compete in one of the world’s most revered sporting challenges helps me fulfil my goal to do my grandfather proud.”

In production, a documentary called Dancing on Ice – A Search for Authenticity spans the storylines of Anthon and his grandfathers’ decades-long pursuits for breaking limitations. The film focuses on Joseph’s forced political exile and Anthon’s optimistic glory of snowboarding talent, in return giving an entire nation hope.

“The film showcases the challenges and highlights that have come across Anthon’s path,” says Stephen Schutte, a close friend, and Anthon’s agent and publicist.

“None of these come without his desire to honour his grandfather’s legacy and encourage South Africans to demystify the limitations associated with their identities.”

“It’s about sacrifice, faith, and hope, but above all else, love,” adds Stephen. “It stands testament to the harsh realities many South Africans had to endure during the apartheid regime, and also shows the beauty of family and companionship, and the will to succeed no matter the obstacles.”

“I believe it’s up to the next generation where we, together, can reiterate that our story is equally important than that of Madiba’s and what he did with his collective,” narrates Mandla Mandela in one of the documentary’s scenes.

“It will start with South Africa, and it will end with South Africa,” adds Brian Bosch, Anthon’s father. “I can see why he (Anthon) chose to compete for our country.”

Dancing on Ice – A Search for Authenticity is due for release on a mainstream network towards September 2022. Bosch’s journey and experience of next year’s Olympics are yet to be captured as the film undergoes its last season of international involvement.

For more information about the film and to get involved, contact stephen@anthonbosch.com

Visit www.anthonbosch.com for more on Anthon’s background.

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