Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom Soundtrack
Soon the world will get to see Justin Chadwick’s (The First Grader, The Other Boleyn Girl) epic dramatisation of the life of one of the world’s most iconic leaders, Nelson Mandela.
Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom is based on South African President Mandela’s autobiography of the same name, which chronicles his early life, coming of age, education and 27 years in prison before becoming President and working to rebuild the country’s once segregated society. Idris Elba (Prometheus) stars as Nelson Mandela, Naomie Harris (Skyfall) stars as Winnie Mandela, with Chadwick directing.The film is set to land in U.S. theaters on November 29, 2013, with a worldwide expansion through January 2014.
Accompanying Chadwick’s masterful filmmaking, which perfectly captures both the majesty and violence of Africa, is composer Alex Heffes’s emotive score which features choir vocals and South African singing legend Caiphus Semenya.
Heffes’s use of both classical and African instruments gives the film its emotional resonance and complements the feeling of watching history unfold in front of your eyes.
After working in South Africa, Heffes conducted and recorded the rest of the score at London’s Abbey Road with a 65-piece orchestra. 'The film provided me with a vast emotional canvas,' says Heffes. 'My aim was for the music to guide the audience through this emotional journey and come away with a joy for what this story can inspire in us,' he continues.
'The score starts sparsely using African instruments and becomes more orchestral as the story darkens. As the years become more up to date, it adds electric guitars and synths to give the audience the subliminal feeling of the decades having passed,' says Heffes.
The film’s official soundtrack also features contributions from artists as diverse as Gil Scott Heron, The Specials AKA, Bob Marley & The Wailers and Havana Swingsters.
Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom score and soundtrack on December 9th.
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