The Nelson Mandela Foundation congratulates Anant Singh, Director Justin Chadwick and his exceptionally talented team on the successful completion of the big-screen authorised dramatisation of our Founder’s autobiography Long Walk to Freedom, titled Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom. The film will debut at the Toronto International Film Festival on 7 September. We are confident that audiences both in South Africa and all around the world will be moved by the power of its narrative and the authenticity of its creation.
The making of the film Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom has been a long and intense, two decade long journey, one on which the Nelson Mandela Foundation has travelled with Anant and his team for most of the way. Mandated by Mr Mandela himself, the Foundation’s researchers and archivists were privileged to make their expertise available to the project.
Public representations of Mr Mandela’s life and times constitute a huge industry by any standards. It is therefore extraordinarily difficult to find terrain not already well trodden and to offer a fresh interpretation of his life, but this is what Anant and his exceptionally talented team have achieved. We are confident that audiences both in South Africa and all around the world will be moved by the power of its narrative and the authenticity of its creation.
Sello Hatang, CEO of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, commented: “Having watched the film, we believe it portrays Mr Mandela with great insight, his strengths, weaknesses and values. Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom promotes Mr Mandela’s legacy in society. We wish Anant and the team all the best at the Toronto Film Festival and we are sure that the audience there will be captivated by the power of our Founder’s life story.”
Producer Anant Singh said: “I was humbled and honoured when Madiba chose me to be the custodian of the film rights to his autobiography. We are privileged to have had the endorsement of Mr Mandela and the support of the Foundation over these years. We are proud of our film and we are delighted that it is now complete. I salute the thousands of people who came together to support us to get the film made.”
To view the trailer please click on the links below: