Oh look, another biopic. If you’ve heard any buzz about a Nelson Mandela-centric movie this year, it was probably about Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, the Idris Elba and Naomie Harris vehicle set to hit theaters this fall. But after getting negative buzz at TIFF all the way back in 2011 and finally securing a distributor this spring, it looks like Winnie Mandela will also see the light of day in September.
Directed by Darrell J. Roodt (Sarafina; Cry, The Beloved Country), the biopic follows the story of the South African freedom fighter (Terrence Howard) from the perspective of his wife, Winnie (Jennifer Hudson), as she campaigns for his release from jail and in the fight against apartheid. And in the fashion of some, if not a lot of biopics, it seems like a safe bet for all involved. As soon as the trailer starts and you get sucker-punched by the emotional soundtrack, it’s clear that we’ve walked into a story about an Important Woman – but will it be enough to keep our attention?
What will be interesting is seeing how the film handles the negative press and criticism Winnie garnered later in life, or if the film will even touch on the subject.
Check out the trailer here:
Winnie Mandela is in theaters September 6th.
