see you at the movies

Johannesburg, 16th December 2009: - On the back of a very successful visit to South Africa by Academy Award® winner Morgan Freeman, and his producing partner at Revelations Entertainment, Lori McCreary, INVICTUS opened at the local box office this past weekend achieving R1,520,012 and 48,632 admissions from 73 cinemas for the first three days.  This is the biggest opening of all time in South Africa for a Clint Eastwood film. This is also one of the biggest openings in South Africa for an adult drama – ahead of titles such as Blood Diamond, Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Departed, Aviator, A Beautiful Mind and Pursuit of Happyness.
 
Shot entirely on location in South Africa, INVICTUS tells the inspiring true story of how the newly elected South African president joined forces with the captain of South Africa’s rugby team, Francois Pienaar (played by Matt Damon) to help unite their country.  In the wake of apartheid, President Mandela knows his nation remains racially and economically divided.  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 Rugby World Cup final.  The South African cast includes Tony Kgoroge, Patrick Mofokeng, Matt Stern, Leleti Khumalo and Marguerite Wheatley as Francois Pienaar’s wife, Nerine.
 
All the excitement and buzz created by this tour to South Africa will culminate in an event on South Africa’s National Day of Reconciliation – December 16th - where Freeman and McCreary will be handing over funds to three earmarked charities – The Nelson Mandela Foundation, the Make A Difference Foundation and the Chris Burger/Petro Jackson Players’ Fund - at Maponya Mall in Soweto.
 
INVICTUS is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company and sub-distributed by Nu Metro Films in South Africa.