Mandela Film to be Screened in US Schools
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Nelson Mandela Foundation CEO, Sello Hatang
The film based on the life of former president Nelson Mandela, "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom", will be introduced to American classrooms, the Nelson Mandela Foundation said on Tuesday.
"There are no words to describe how meaningful it is to us to know that thousands of miles away school children are learning the history of our country and the father of our democracy," CEO Sello Hatang said in a statement.
"It is an honour to be a part of this project and to provide US students with access to resources and materials from our archives and work that enable the continuation of a living legacy and learning."
Hatang said the foundation was certain it was the kind of project Mandela had in mind when he said "the future belongs to our youth".
The foundation and the Weinstein Company would work with the largest school districts and education organisations in America to see millions of high school students study the life lessons in Mandela's story. The programme would be supplemented with clips from the film, exclusive primary source materials from the foundation and an introduction from former American president George Bush. It aims to reach all high school pupils in America.
Movie producer Anant Singh welcomed the move saying: "Nelson Mandela is not just a symbol of hope and peace the world over. His very success is emblematic of what can be achieved through education."
The film premieres in New York and Los Angeles on November 29 and in the rest of the country on December 25.
The movie will be released in South Africa on November 28.
British actor Idris Elba, who is famous for his role in the television series "The Wire", and films "Thor", "Prometheus", and "Pacific Rim" plays Mandela.
The role of Mandela's former wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela is played by Naomie Harris, who played Eve Moneypenny in the recent James Bond film "Skyfall".
The film has already been selected for the Royal Film Performance in the UK. It also won the Audience Favourite Feature Award at the Aspen Filmfest in the US.
