マンデラ映画初上映の夜の訃報：Mandela dies during Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom premiere

Last Thursday, I was sitting in the Odeon Leicester Square, London, a row behind the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, as the film I'd written, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, was heading towards its end. There was some sort of quiet commotion going on, people leaving their seats, scuttling up the aisles. Prince William was handed a phone. Then Kate was crying. As the credits rolled the royal couple were led away. The audience was on its feet, giving a standing ovation. The film's South African producer, Anant Singh, appeared on stage, with Idris Elba, our Mandela. The applause redoubled. The producer signed for silence and told us about the death of Mandela.

We all stood in silence for a minute. Then, as we began to make our way quietly out of the cinema – the after-party had been cancelled – I found myself doubly silenced by what seemed to be more than coincidence. We had been working on the film for 16 years. Many times during those years I had feared the film would never be made. Now it was completed; Mandela's daughters Zenani and Zindzi had come to London for the premiere. And he had died this very night.Last Thursday, I was sitting in the Odeon Leicester Square, London, a row behind the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, as the film I'd written, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, was heading towards its end. There was some sort of quiet commotion going on, people leaving their seats, scuttling up the aisles. Prince William was handed a phone. Then Kate was crying. As the credits rolled the royal couple were led away. The audience was on its feet, giving a standing ovation. The film's South African producer, Anant Singh, appeared on stage, with Idris Elba, our Mandela. The applause redoubled. The producer signed for silence and told us about the death of Mandela.

先週木曜、私はロンドンのオデオン・レスター・スクエアでケンブリッジ公と公爵夫人の後ろの席で、私が脚本を書いた映画『マンデラ：自由への長い道』初上映を観ていた。映画が終わりに近づくにつれ、場内には静かなざわめきが広がり、席を立つ人、通路を足早に歩く人が目についた。側近がウィリアム王子に携帯を渡す。するとケイトが泣き出した。エンディングロールが流れると、ロイヤルカップルは先導されて退席した。会場は総立ちのスタンディングオベーション。映画の南アフリカ人プロデューサーのアナント・シンがマンデラ役演じたエドリス・エルバと壇上に現れると、歓声はひときわ高くなった。プロデューサーは歓声を鎮め、マンデラが今しがた亡くなったと伝えた。

我々はしばし無言でその場に立ち尽くした。そしてみな黙りこくったまま映画館を後にした（上映後のパーティーは中止となった）。ふと気づけば私は人一倍黙りこくっていた。とても偶然とは思えない。この映画は16年かけて作ったものだ。このまま一生日に目を見ることもないまま終わるかもしれないと何度恐れたことだろう。それがやっと完成し、マンデラの娘のゼナニとジンジ*がこのプレミアのためにわざわざロンドンまで来てくれた。よりによってその夜に、マンデラは死んだのだ。

- William Nicholson, screenwriter of "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom" The Guardian 

*上映開始直前に遺族には報せが行ったが、ゼナニさんとジンジさんの希望で上映は予定通り行われた。