Day 9: I Heart Winnie

Finally, a full 5 hours of sleep seems possible will many of the red carpets rolled up and tucked away as the city is emptied of visiting celebrities. But luckily, there is still one very long red carpet welcoming guests to Roy Thompson Hall where
Winne saw its gala world premiere on Friday before a packed theatre. Director Darrell Roodt and lead actor Terrance Howard, who plays the charismatic Nelson Mandela, were amongst the cast present to introduce the film, the actor taking time to first credit
TIFF to be the home of his “cinematic birth,” it being the festival where Paul Haggis first screened Crash. Howard is magnetic on screen as the former South African President silencing and moving the audience with speeches taken directly from history. Playing opposite him in the film’s title role is Jennifer Hudson, as his wife Winne Mandela. Together, the two capture a monumental period in world history, dramatizing events with care and precision, creating a heartfelt picture of Nelson and Winnie Mandela never seen before.
Most Sentimental Moment of the Evening: The closing song of Winnie performed by Jennifer Hudson heard through the sound of sniffles in an otherwise silent theatre. Miss Day One through Day Eight? Click here for the
full report.