'Long Walk to Freedom' destined to be world hit

As the world pays tribute to Nelson Mandela, a new movie about the iconic South African leader is likely to become a worldwide hit.

Mandela's death came as the film, ‘Mandela: A Long Walk to Freedom’, premiered in Britain, where the audience, which included Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge, observed a minute's silence.

"It was extremely sad and tragic news," Prince William said. "We were just reminded of what an extraordinary and inspiring man Nelson Mandela was, and my thoughts and prayers are with him and his family right now."

The film broke box office records when it debuted in South Africa last week.

With its wider international release scheduled for the coming weeks, Mandela's death is likely to drive up viewership and increase the film's chances for Oscar glory as it hits screens around the world later this month and in January.

The film has received glowing reviews, and British actor Idris Elba, who portrays Mandela in the biopic, has been tipped for an Oscar.

"What an honour it was to step into the shoes of Nelson Mandela and portray a man who defied odds, broke down barriers, and championed human rights before the eyes of the world," Elba said in a statement. "My thoughts and prayers are with his family."

"It's been an honour to have been granted such proximity to a man who will go down as one of history's greatest freedom fighters and advocates for justice," said Harvey Weinstein, the film's executive producer.

"I have had the privilege of spending time with President Mandela and I can say his sense of humour was as great as his optimism."

- dpa