Production Notes

Love comes more naturally to the human heart... (Nelson Mandela)

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom is the long awaited motion picture adaptation of the personal story of one of the world’s most revered leaders, an esteemed statesman in modern history and an international icon, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. Based on his autobiography, the motion picture rights to which were entrusted exclusively to producer Anant Singh, this is the first film to tell Mandela’s whole story. The epic film spans Mandela’s exceptional life journey from his early years as a herd boy in rural Transkei to his inauguration as the first democratically elected President of South Africa.

Director, Justin Chadwick (The First Grader, The Other Boleyn Girl) helms a screenplay penned by Academy Award® nominated screenwriter William Nicholson whose other acclaimed screenwriting work includes Shadowlands, Gladiator and, Les Miserables.

Multiple award-winning actor, Idris Elba (The Wire, Luther, Prometheus, Pacific Rim and Thor), plays the role of Nelson Mandela, with Naomie Harris (The First Grader, Skyfall) as Winnie Madikizela Mandela. The stellar South African cast is headlined by Tony Kgoroge (Invictus), Riaad Moosa (Material), Fana Mokoena (World War Z, Machine Gun Preacher), Jamie Bartlett (Beyond Borders), Deon Lotz (Skoonheid, Sleeper’s Wake), Simo Mogwaza (District 9), Terry Pheto (Tsotsi), Thapelo Mokoena (Nothing For Mahala), and Praise Singer and Poet of the Nation, Zolani Mkiva, who rose to fame as the praise-singer at the inauguration of Nelson Mandela as President in 1994.

Executive Producers are Videovision’s Sanjeev Singh and Sudhir Pragjee; Pathe’s Cameron McCracken and Francois Ivernel, as well as the Industrial Development Corporation’s Geoff Quena and Basil Ford alongside the National Empowerment Fund’s Philisiwe Buthelezi and Hlengiwe Makhathini, with Vlokkie Gordon, Brian Cox and Robert Naidoo as co-producers.

Sundance Film Festival ‘Best Cinematography’ winner, Lol Crawley (Hyde Park on Hudson), is the Director of Photography, with Johnny Breedt (Catch a Fire) as Production Designer. Costumes are designed by Diana Cilliers (District 9) and Ruy Filipe (The Bang Bang Club), with Rick Russell editing.