Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom is a 2013 biographical film directed by Justin Chadwick from a script written by William Nicholson and starring Idris Elba and Naomie Harris. The film is based on the 1994 autobiographical book Long Walk to Freedom by anti-apartheid revolutionary and former South African President Nelson Mandela.[5]
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
- Idris Elba
- Naomie Harris
- Tony Kgoroge
- Riaad Moosa
- Lindiwe Matshikiza
- Jamie Bartlett
- Terry Pheto
- Deon Lotz
Rick Russell
- Pathé
- Videovision Entertainment
- Distant Horizon
- Origin Pictures
20th Century Fox (United Kingdom)
United International Pictures (South Africa)[1]
- 7 September 2013 (TIFF)
- 28 November 2013 (South Africa)
- 3 January 2014 (United Kingdom)
146 minutes[2]
- United Kingdom
- South Africa[3]
$35 million[4]
$28 million[1]
Plot[edit]
Based on South African President Nelson Mandela's autobiography of the same name, which chronicles his early life, coming of age, education and 27 years in prison before becoming President of South Africa and working to rebuild the country which was ravaged by Apartheid.[6]
Historical accuracy[edit]
Vincent Hiribarren, a lecturer in world history at King's College London, notes in his review of the film for History Extra, the website of BBC History Magazine: "[The film] clearly depicted Mandela's understanding of the apartheid years. Or, at least, what he wanted to let us know. As the film is not based on Mandela's life but on Mandela's own words, criticism levelled at Mandela's autobiography can also be directed at the film."[24]
The film was noted by many for the lack of resemblance Idris Elba had to Mandela. While calling him a "terrific actor", The Guardian criticised the film for the casting of Elba, of West African descent from Ghana and Sierra Leone, as the Xhosa Mandela, because Elba "looks nothing like the man he portrays".[25]
Turning to the 1976 Soweto uprising, Hiribarren said that the film "did not spend much time evoking this pivotal event, because Mandela did not say much about Soweto in his book. The Soweto uprising was, however, instrumental in creating a new political climate in South Africa that directly led to the politicisation of many young South Africans."[24]
Hiribarren awarded the film three stars for historical accuracy, and five for enjoyment.[24]