Winnie Mandela is a 2011 South African-Canadian historical drama film starring Jennifer Hudson and Terrence Howard as Winnie and Nelson Mandela. Based on Anne Marie du Preez Bezrob's biography Winnie Mandela: A Life, the film is directed by Darrell Roodt and co-stars Wendy Crewson, Elias Koteas and Justin Strydom. Image Entertainment released the film in theaters on September 6, 2013. It received generally negative reviews. Plot Following the life of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela (Jennifer Hudson), from her strict rural upbringing by a father disappointed she was not born a boy, to her giving up the chance to study in America in order to remain in South Africa where she felt more needed, through her husband Nelson Mandela's (Terrence Howard) imprisonment. She then faces continuous harassment by the security police, banishment to a small Orange Free State town, betrayal by friends and allies, and more than a year in solitary confinement. Upon her release, she continues her husband's activism against apartheid and, after his release from prison, suffers divorce due to her infidelity and political pressures. She also faces accusations of violence and murder and in the end, must own up to her actions in court, while many still remain loyal to her because of her fight against apartheid. Cast Jennifer Hudson as Winnie Mandela Terrence Howard as Nelson Mandela Wendy Crewson as Mary Botha Elias Koteas as Major de Vries Justin Strydom as Chief Policeman Aubrey Poo as Peter Magubane Jonathan Rands as Judge de Wet Hlomla Dandala as Oliver Tambo Leleti Khumalo as Adelaide Tambo Clive Scott as Judge FL Rumpff John Whiteley as Cecil Williams Nhlanhilo Milo as Zenani Mandela Zinhle Mabena as Zindzi Mandela Damon Berry as Rev Verryn Fezile Mpela as Cyril Ramaphosa Deon Lotz as F.W. de Klerk Zibuse Zihle as Walter Sisulu Albert Maritz as Chris Hattingh Production Writers Andre Pieterse and Darrell Roodt, who also directed, developed the screenplay based on Anne Marie du Preez Bezrob's biography Winnie Mandela: A Life. The film was produced by Equinoxe Films. Filming took place in Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Robben Island in South Africa beginning in April 2010. Controversy Winnie Mandela criticized the fact that she was not consulted for the making of a film about her life, stating, "I have absolutely nothing against Jennifer [Hudson, the film's star], but I have everything against the movie itself. I was not consulted. I am still alive, and I