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| Two films of Mandela's life set to go head to head at the box office | Two films of Mandela's life set to go head to head at the box office |
| (2 months later) | |
| As millions pray for Nelson Mandela, hospitalised for a week with a recurring lung infection, the race is under way to provide the definitive film version of his extraordinary life and times. | As millions pray for Nelson Mandela, hospitalised for a week with a recurring lung infection, the race is under way to provide the definitive film version of his extraordinary life and times. |
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| Leading the charge is a big-budget adaptation of Mandela's bestselling autobiography Long Walk to Freedom, starring Idris Elba, best known for The Wire and Luther, and Naomie Harris, recently seen in Skyfall. | Leading the charge is a big-budget adaptation of Mandela's bestselling autobiography Long Walk to Freedom, starring Idris Elba, best known for The Wire and Luther, and Naomie Harris, recently seen in Skyfall. |
| Later this year it could go head-to-head at the box office with Winnie, featuring Jennifer Hudson as Mandela's wife, the struggle heroine Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, with Terrence Howard as South Africa's first black president. | Later this year it could go head-to-head at the box office with Winnie, featuring Jennifer Hudson as Mandela's wife, the struggle heroine Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, with Terrence Howard as South Africa's first black president. |
| The casting of foreigners has been controversial in South Africa and accents will be under close scrutiny in the latest films, which represent a transatlantic duel between Britons Elba and Harris and Americans Hudson and Howard. | The casting of foreigners has been controversial in South Africa and accents will be under close scrutiny in the latest films, which represent a transatlantic duel between Britons Elba and Harris and Americans Hudson and Howard. |
| The films will cover much of the same historical territory from different perspectives, but so far it appears something of a David versus Goliath contest. Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom is the most expensive South African movie ever made, whereas Winnie is being released two years late after numerous setbacks. | The films will cover much of the same historical territory from different perspectives, but so far it appears something of a David versus Goliath contest. Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom is the most expensive South African movie ever made, whereas Winnie is being released two years late after numerous setbacks. |
| Both come at a time that – with Mandela spending his seventh day in a serious but stable condition in a Pretoria hospital – South Africa and the world are coming to terms with his mortality and taking stock of his life and achievements. | Both come at a time that – with Mandela spending his seventh day in a serious but stable condition in a Pretoria hospital – South Africa and the world are coming to terms with his mortality and taking stock of his life and achievements. |
| Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, directed by Britain's Justin Chadwick (The Other Boleyn Girl), is in post-production and due for release in South Africa this winter. The film spans 1924 to 1994, with two other actors playing Mandela at ages eight and 16. His prison on Robben Island was reconstructed in minute detail at a studio in Cape Town, right down to the keys and locks used on cell doors. Producer Videovision has offered to donate the sets to the Mandela museum in Qunu and other heritage sites. | Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, directed by Britain's Justin Chadwick (The Other Boleyn Girl), is in post-production and due for release in South Africa this winter. The film spans 1924 to 1994, with two other actors playing Mandela at ages eight and 16. His prison on Robben Island was reconstructed in minute detail at a studio in Cape Town, right down to the keys and locks used on cell doors. Producer Videovision has offered to donate the sets to the Mandela museum in Qunu and other heritage sites. |
| The picture was made in consultation with the Mandela family and his foundation. Producer Anant Singh, who has been working on the project for 17 years, said: "I was thrilled that when Madiba [Mandela's clan name] looked at some of images of Idris Elba in the trademark Madiba shirt, he asked the question, 'Is that me?'. This recognition and affirmation from Madiba is extremely satisfying and makes our journey worthwhile." | The picture was made in consultation with the Mandela family and his foundation. Producer Anant Singh, who has been working on the project for 17 years, said: "I was thrilled that when Madiba [Mandela's clan name] looked at some of images of Idris Elba in the trademark Madiba shirt, he asked the question, 'Is that me?'. This recognition and affirmation from Madiba is extremely satisfying and makes our journey worthwhile." |
| Secrecy around the project is tight and all requests for interviews were declined. One South African cast member did agree to talk to the Guardian on condition of anonymity. "The sets are incredible," he said. "When the guys playing prisoners stripped down and the wind blew through, I'm sure it was not dissimilar to what it was like on the island. It was very creepy and eerie." | Secrecy around the project is tight and all requests for interviews were declined. One South African cast member did agree to talk to the Guardian on condition of anonymity. "The sets are incredible," he said. "When the guys playing prisoners stripped down and the wind blew through, I'm sure it was not dissimilar to what it was like on the island. It was very creepy and eerie." |
| Elba and Harris were joined by more than 100 South African actors, for whom this was a deeply personal project. "The casting of Idris Elba was a piece of genius," the cast member said. "He doesn't look like Mandela at all but they didn't want a Mandela lookalike." | Elba and Harris were joined by more than 100 South African actors, for whom this was a deeply personal project. "The casting of Idris Elba was a piece of genius," the cast member said. "He doesn't look like Mandela at all but they didn't want a Mandela lookalike." |
| A British prosthetics team worked on Elba so he could portray Mandela over a period of 30 to 40 years, the actor added. "I like what Idris did with it. I was moved by him. He was very focused and I admired his concentration. Hats off to him." | A British prosthetics team worked on Elba so he could portray Mandela over a period of 30 to 40 years, the actor added. "I like what Idris did with it. I was moved by him. He was very focused and I admired his concentration. Hats off to him." |
| Mandela's unmistakeable voice has foiled many actors but the cast member said of Elba: "He worked on the sound very hard and on the gait very hard and I was totally bowled over by it." | Mandela's unmistakeable voice has foiled many actors but the cast member said of Elba: "He worked on the sound very hard and on the gait very hard and I was totally bowled over by it." |
| "Without doubt it will be the best portrayal of him there has ever been. I don't think there can be another Mandela movie after this. You could feel the weight of it." | "Without doubt it will be the best portrayal of him there has ever been. I don't think there can be another Mandela movie after this. You could feel the weight of it." |
| The film has added poignancy at this time, the actor said. "I don't think there's a person in the world who hasn't got a prayer for Nelson Mandela. If he was to pass away before the end of the year, the film would be the most incredible tribute to him." | The film has added poignancy at this time, the actor said. "I don't think there's a person in the world who hasn't got a prayer for Nelson Mandela. If he was to pass away before the end of the year, the film would be the most incredible tribute to him." |
| Winnie, meanwhile, has been sharply criticised by Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and got such negative reviews at a 2011 film festival that it was withdrawn for a major overhaul. It is expected to reach cinemas later this year, putting it on a possible collision course with Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. | Winnie, meanwhile, has been sharply criticised by Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and got such negative reviews at a 2011 film festival that it was withdrawn for a major overhaul. It is expected to reach cinemas later this year, putting it on a possible collision course with Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. |
| Its director, Darrell Roodt, told South Africa's Mail & Guardian newspaper recently: "It got emasculated in the editing process because it was trying to be honest. | Its director, Darrell Roodt, told South Africa's Mail & Guardian newspaper recently: "It got emasculated in the editing process because it was trying to be honest. |
| "I think the producer just got nervous. There were just too many things in it that would offend too many people." | "I think the producer just got nervous. There were just too many things in it that would offend too many people." |
| "It breaks your heart. You get judged even before you make the movie. I hadn't even begun shooting it and I was condemned." | "It breaks your heart. You get judged even before you make the movie. I hadn't even begun shooting it and I was condemned." |
| For Elba, Howard and others, Mandela is an acting Everest. Danny Glover, David Harewood, Morgan Freeman, Dennis Haysbert, Clarke Peters, Sidney Poitier have all attempted to scale it but none, perhaps, has reached the summit. Some observers believe that, such is Mandela's legend, the part is unplayable. | For Elba, Howard and others, Mandela is an acting Everest. Danny Glover, David Harewood, Morgan Freeman, Dennis Haysbert, Clarke Peters, Sidney Poitier have all attempted to scale it but none, perhaps, has reached the summit. Some observers believe that, such is Mandela's legend, the part is unplayable. |
| South African actor Sello Maake Ka Ncube, who has portrayed Mandela on stage, said: "It was the toughest role I have ever played." Apart from finding yourself dwarfed by the stature, he's such a recognisable figure. I imagine it's like doing Martin Luther King or Malcolm X or Barack Obama. There are recordings of them and there's a sound and rhythm of speech that people expect to hear." | South African actor Sello Maake Ka Ncube, who has portrayed Mandela on stage, said: "It was the toughest role I have ever played." Apart from finding yourself dwarfed by the stature, he's such a recognisable figure. I imagine it's like doing Martin Luther King or Malcolm X or Barack Obama. There are recordings of them and there's a sound and rhythm of speech that people expect to hear." |
| Ncube praised Morgan Freeman in Invictus for capturing Mandela's height and "intellectual sharpness". Verne Harris, head of the memory programme at the Nelson Mandela Foundation, also singled out Freeman as well as Poitier and Peters. | Ncube praised Morgan Freeman in Invictus for capturing Mandela's height and "intellectual sharpness". Verne Harris, head of the memory programme at the Nelson Mandela Foundation, also singled out Freeman as well as Poitier and Peters. |
| But he said: "All have made the same error: they try to impersonate him rather than interpret him. There is hope that Idris Elba will interpret the role for himself and it might be a seminal performance. We're still waiting for a seminal performance." | But he said: "All have made the same error: they try to impersonate him rather than interpret him. There is hope that Idris Elba will interpret the role for himself and it might be a seminal performance. We're still waiting for a seminal performance." |
| Harris, who has seen the Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom script, said: "It does go into some of the difficult spaces but it is Long Walk to Freedom, authorised by Mr Mandela personally, and with authorised versions there are limitations of the robustness of the interpretation." | Harris, who has seen the Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom script, said: "It does go into some of the difficult spaces but it is Long Walk to Freedom, authorised by Mr Mandela personally, and with authorised versions there are limitations of the robustness of the interpretation." |
| The film's trailer was warmly received at last month's Cannes film festival. "This is not your dad's HBO Mandela film," said US distributor Harvey Weinstein. "This is the kick-ass Mandela." | The film's trailer was warmly received at last month's Cannes film festival. "This is not your dad's HBO Mandela film," said US distributor Harvey Weinstein. "This is the kick-ass Mandela." |
| The script was written by William Nicholson, whose credits include Gladiator and Les Misérables. | The script was written by William Nicholson, whose credits include Gladiator and Les Misérables. |
| • This article was amended on 17 June as the South African release date for Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom has not yet been confirmed. | • This article was amended on 17 June as the South African release date for Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom has not yet been confirmed. |
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