http://9jaflave..com/2013/11/mandela-movie-premieres-in-south-africa.html

The long-awaited film on the life of anti-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela premiered in his native South Africa on Sunday, stirring emotional memories of the country's turbulent history. Mandela is played by British actor Idris Elba, 41, and Winnie by Naomie Harris, also of Britain.

The movie "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom", largely based on his autobiography of the same title, traces the life of the anti-apartheid icon from his childhood in the rural Eastern Cape to his election as the country's first black president in 1994.

Justice Minister Jeff Radebe cried more than once during some of the scenes of movie.
"It was a very emotional movie. It depicted not only the struggle by Nelson Mandela but also by the people of South Africa," Radebe said.
"I cried many times during the movie because it was so emotional."

African National Congress deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa praised the film.
"I thought the movie was great. It depicted Nelson Mandela very well. And it was a good narrative of our history," he said.

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela said in remarks before the screening that she had "no words" to describe the film's "translation of that painful past".
"We should remember where we come from and that this freedom was hard earned and that it was won at a very, very heavy price," said Madikizela Mandela, wearing traditional Xhosa dress with headwrap.

But there were some misgivings about star roles being given to foreigners.Nobel literature prize winner Nadine Gordimer said she was "a little troubled ... because we have got wonderful actors here, like John Kani. I don't know why we had to have a stranger playing Mandela, our Mandela."

South Africa's celebrated Kani, whose son Atandwa played the role of the young Mandela in the movie, said he understood "well the passion of South Africans."

But production costs at times dictated that an international actor be hired and "give a little hope that the people who invest will make their money. Idris Elba is an African, I am happy," he said, referring to the fact that Elba's parents are from Ghana and Sierra Leone.

After the two-and-half hour film ended, people waited outside the main cinema to applaud the cast.
The movie will hit South African cinemas on November 28 and will be released in the United States in December.

http://9jaflave..com/2013/11/mandela-movie-premieres-in-south-africa.html