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68% Critic Match
The 16th Man
“United by the colour of the uniform.”
6.8 / 10• 2010• 53m•NR• English
Documentary
Storyline
Rugby Union has long been viewed in South Africa as a game for the white population, and the country’s success in the sport has been a true source of Afrikaner pride. When the 50-year-old policies and entrenched injustices of apartheid were finally overthrown in 1994, Nelson Mandela’s new government began rebuilding a nation badly in need of racial unity. So the world was watching when South Africa played host to the 1995 Rugby World Cup. Though they had only one non-white player, the South African Springboks gained supporters of all colors as they made an improbable run into the final match where they beat the heavily favored New Zealand team. When Mandela himself marched to the center of the pitch cloaked in a Springbok jersey and shook hands with the captain of the South African team, two nations became one. Oscar winner Morgan Freeman and director Cliff Bestall will tell the emotional story of that cornerstone moment and what it meant to South Africa’s healing process.
Cast & Crew
Morgan Freeman
Narrator (voice)
LeadFP
François Pienaar
Self
JS
James Small
Self
BS
Balie Swart
Self
CW
Chester Williams
Self - Springbok Wing
Desmond Tutu
Self
KB
Koos Botha
Self
JB
Justice Bekebeke
Self
What People Are Saying
4.0
“A staggering achievement of craft and ambition. Clifford Bestall's vision lands with breathtaking precision.”
3.0
“Every frame feels alive. The 16th Man is the rare release that takes its audience seriously.”
