Directed by Clint Eastwood, Invictus tells the true story of how newly elected Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) joined forces with the captain of South Africa’s rugby team, Francois Pienaar (Matt Damon), to help unite their country.
After decades of apartheid Mandela knows his nation remains racially and economically. Believing he can bring his people together through the universal language of sport, Mandela rallies South Africa’s underdog rugby team as they make an unlikely run to the 1995 World Cup Championship match.
Filming entirely on location in and around the cities of Cape Town and Johannesburg, Invictus sees Eastwood reunited with many of his longtime collaborators, including director of photography Tom Stern, production designer James J. Murakami, editors Joel Cox and Gary D. Roach, and costume designer Deborah Hopper.
The screenplay is by Anthony Peckham, based upon John Carlin’s book Playing the Enemy. Freeman, Tim Moore, Gary Barber and Roger Birnbaum are the executive producers.
Invictus hits UK cinemas nationwide from 5th February 2010.