Anant Singh, Idris Elba, Zindzi Mandela and Justin Chadwick
On 27 January 2014, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom was launched in Berlin with great fanfare at a benefit banquet for the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
International singing sensation Katie Melua and South African-German singer Joy Denalane performed at the event, which was followed by a gala premiere the following evening.
Movie producer Anant Singh, director Justin Chadwick, lead actor Idris Elba, Nelson Mandela’s daughter, Zindzi Mandela, and Sello Hatang, CEO of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, represented the film at the premiere.
The film was the first to premiere at Berlin's historic Zoo Palast cinema since it reopened in November 2013 after a major renovation. Among the VIP guests at the premiere were German celebrities, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and Oscar nominee Armin Mueller-Stahl, who starred in Singh’s production, The Long Run.
The film, which has been dubbed in German, is distributed by Berlin-based Senator Film, and was released across Germany today, 30 January 2014.
“The reaction was amazing and the standing ovation all through the credits was incredible,” said Singh. “We are proud to be working with Senator Film in Germany.”
South African Ambassador to Germany and former Minister of Sport and Recreation Makhenkesi Stofile hosted a post-premiere reception at the South African Embassy in Berlin in honour of the film.
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom continues to be released in major international territories, and will be released this week in Austria, Germany, New Zealand, Nigeria and Ghana. This will be followed by releases in Hong Kong, Australia and Greece on 6 February 2014, and then in Finland a week later and in Turkey on 28 February 2014.