The newly elected President Mandela knows that his country is divided in the wake of apartheid racial prejudice and economic disadvantage. He believes, however, firmly unite his people through a sport to be able to overcome all the barriers: With great enthusiasm he supported the South African rugby team, although as an outsider in the 1995 World Cup has hardly a chance.
Clint Eastwood filmed a mixture of drama and sports Poilit, a work on an extremely turbulent and sensitive time in South Africa shortly after the end of apartheid and Nelson Mandela’s release from prison. This took upon entering his office a political legacy, as it could hardly be worse. The white population of the country was unsettled and anxious whether the changes that the black residents were angry, and longed after years of struggle for equality for justice eventually – and some for revenge. Mandela recognized the danger of chaos and civil war and sought a social means to unite the people behind an idea. He took this opportunity in 1995 in the country held Rugby World Cup.
Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) teamed up with the team captain Francois Pienaar (Matt Damon) and together managed to unite the people around the country in enthusiasm for “their” team – although rugby until then as the “sport of the white man” was. The South African Springboks managed it as absolute underdogs not only the final, but won the championship even.South Africa experienced a delirium of joy, the whites and blacks for the first time celebrated together.
Directed by Clint Eastwood Produced by Clint Eastwood Lori McCreary Robert Lorenz Mace Neufeld Morgan Freeman Screenplay by Anthony Peckham Based on Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Changed a Nation by John Carlin Starring Morgan Freeman Matt Damon Music by Kyle Eastwood Michael Stevens Overtone Cinematography Tom Stern Editing by Joel Cox Language English Afrikaans Maori Budget $50 million Box office $122,233,971
