Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom achieved its first success of the film awards season, winning the Golden Globe award for Best Original Song – ‘Ordinary Love’ composed by Irish super band, U2.
U2 were inspired to write a song especially for the film after watching an early cut of the film. U2 has a long association with South Africa as supporters of the anti apartheid movement and as supporters of Nelson Mandela’s projects, including the 46664, Mandela’s global HIV/AIDS prevention and awareness campaign.
On accepting the award, U2 guitarist, The Edge said, “This is amazing. We have been working for President Mandela since the 70’s, since we were teenagers and when we did our very first concert against the apartheid movement, so it has taken us 35 years to write this song.”
Bono said, “This really is personal for us. Very, very personal. This man turned our life upside down, right side up. A man who refused to hate, not because he didn’t have rage or anger, but he thought love would do a better job. We wrote a love song because it’s kind of what’s extraordinary about the film. You know about the global statesman, but you don’t know about the man, that’s why you should see this film.”
Producer, Anant Singh commented, “Congratulations to Bono and U2. They composed an amazing song that truly captures the love story of Madiba and Winnie. ‘Ordinary Love’ was their first song in three years. We thank them for their contribution to our film and for their commitment to Madiba and to our continent.”
Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom is an Anant Singh presentation of a Justin Chadwick film. A Videovision Entertainment production in association with Distant Horizon, Origin Pictures, Pathe, Industrial Development Corporation Of South Africa and National Empowerment Fund. The film stars Idris Elba, Naomie Harris, Tony Kgoroge, Riaad Moosa, Lindiwe Matshikiza, Terry Pheto, Jamie Bartlett, and Deon Lotz. Music is composed by Alex Heffes with Music Contributions from Caiphus Semenya, Blondie Makhene and Dizu Plaatjies. The Co-Producers are Robert Naidoo, Brian Cox, Vlokkie Gordon, Hlengiwe Makhathini with Executive Producers Cameron McCracken, François Ivernel, Geoffrey Qhena, Basil Ford, Philisiwe Mthethwa, Harvey Weinstein, Sudhir Pragjee and Sanjeev Singh, and Producer for Origin Pictures is David M. Thompson. Produced by Anant Singh, the film is based on Nelson Mandela’s Autobiography ‘Long Walk To Freedom’ with the screenplay by William Nicholson and it is directed by Justin Chadwick.
For Further Information:
Nilesh Singh
Tel: 031 2046050 E-mail: nilesh@videovision.co.za
Web: www.mandelamovie.co.za
