Nelson Mandela watched movies to help him get through his time in prison.
Harvey Weinstein, along with Anna Wintour and U2, hosted the premiere of “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom” Monday night at the Ziegfeld.
Weinstein told the crowd of the time Mandela visited the Tribeca Film Center weeks after he was freed from prison in 1990 after 27 years behind bars: “We thought he’d talk about politics, but he said every Thursday night on Robben Island, the one thing they would do was watch movies.
“He talked about Eddie Murphy’s films, [Robert] De Niro’s films, Oliver Stone’s and some of my movies. It was one of the most incredible, touching events . . . I’ve never forgotten the story about Thursday nights, and never forgotten the mission of what movies can be on a Thursday night.”
Stars of “Mandela” Idris Elba and Naomie Harris were on hand at the screening, as well as Mandela’s daughter, Zenani Mandela, who thanked U2 for their tireless work against apartheid and their philanthropy. “I give you four men who my father is proud of and proud to honor with his words,” she said before introducing the band.
U2 wrote “Ordinary Love” for the movie’s soundtrack, which Bono called a “complicated love song,” before he hosted an after-party for the screening at Le Bilboquet.
Bono, Guy Oseary, Juliette Lewis, Nur Khan and Lenny Kravitz held court at a back banquette, while The Edge, John Varvatos and Gina Gershon took up a table near the bar. Also spotted working through the crowded room: Chanel Iman and boyfriend A$AP Rocky, Theophilus London, Zac Posen, Tabitha Simmons, Helena Christensen, and Huma Abedin, who bolted for the door shortly after we introduced ourselves.