Invictus: Must See Inspirational Movie!

Posted on December 13, 2009 by Lolita Carrico

Invictus is an amazing, true story.  I saw the film at a press screening but I plan to see Invictus again with my family because I want my children to see a story about leadership.

Directed by Clint Eastwood, Invictus chronicles how South African President Nelson Mandela and Rugby star Francois Pienaar joined forces to unite the country by winning the 1995 World Cup.  Morgan Freeman plays Nelson Mandela and Matt Damon plays Francois Pienaar, the captain of the South African rugby team.

Invictus begins as Nelson Mandela–a man who had spent 27 years in prison for fighting against apartheid–is elected president of a South Africa that is still bitterly divided. Though apartheid has ended, the long-held racial lines between people cannot easily be erased.

When Mandela becomes President of South Africa, the country is divided between an angry, vengeance-bent black majority and a defensive, frightened white minority, out of power for the first time in its history.

Nelson Mandela believes that reconciliation and forgiveness are the keys to progress for South Africa. He realizes he needs something symbolic to pull the country together, something that has nothing to do with politics, government or race.

Mandela sees hope in an unlikely place: the rugby field. With South Africa poised to host the World Cup Finals, Mandela looks to unite the country behind their national team, the Springboks.

Mandela reaches out to the captain of the Springbok team, Francois Pienaar. The star rugby player and team captain suddenly finds himself in the center of a political arena.  Matt Damon talks a little about the situation Pienaar faced:

Mandela basically asks him to exceed his country’s expectations and his own expectations and win the World Cup. the actor. It’s an enormous request, but Francois knows that it’s actually bigger than any rugby match. And along the way, the entire team realize they have become an important instrument in bringing their country together. It’s a beautiful, inspiring story that shines a light on the best of who we are and what human beings are capable of. And what makes it more incredible is that it really happened.

Mandela calls upon Pienaar to lead his team to greatness, citing a poem that was a source of inspiration and strength to him during his years in prison.  The poem that inspired Mandela is  “Invictus,” by William Ernest Henley. The title is translated to mean “unconquered”.

This inspiring movie is one for your must-see list. Do yourself a favor and see Invictus this holiday season.

If you want to read more about the movie, visit the film’s website, www.invictusmovie.com or watch the trailer below.