Photos: 'Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom' Screening in NYC hosted by U2 and Anna Wintour

U2 And Anna Wintour Host A Special Screening Of 'Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom', In Partnership With Burberry And The New York Times at Ziegfeld Theatre on November 25, 2013 in New York City.


Adam Clayton, Idris Elba, Justin Chadwick, Bono, Naomie Harris, Zenani Mandela, The Edge, and Larry Mullen, Jr. attend U2 And Anna Wintour Host A Special Screening Of 'Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom', In Partnership With Burberry And The New York Times 

Adam Clayton, Idris Elba, Justin Chadwick, Bono, Naomie Harris, Zenani Mandela, The Edge, and Larry Mullen, Jr. attend U2 And Anna Wintour Host A Special Screening Of 'Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom', In Partnership With Burberry And The New York Times 

Idris Elba, Justin Chadwick, Bono, Naomie Harris, Zenani Mandela, The Edge and Larry Mullen, Jr. attend U2 And Anna Wintour Host A Special Screening Of 'Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom', In Partnership With Burberry And The New York Times 

 Bono, Naomie Harris and Zenani Mandela attend U2 And Anna Wintour Host A Special Screening Of 'Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom', In Partnership With Burberry And The New York Times 

Zenani Mandela, Justin Chadwick, Naomie Harris and Idris Elba speak onstage at U2 And Anna Wintour Host A Special Screening Of 'Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom', In Partnership With Burberry And The New York Times

Justin Chadwick, Naomie Harris and Idris Elba attend U2 And Anna Wintour Host A Special Screening Of 'Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom', In Partnership With Burberry And The New York Times

'Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom' Screening in NYC hosted by U2 and Anna Wintour - Vogue

NYC, 11.26.2013

A Screening of Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom- click here to see more photos

by Mark Guiducci | photographed by Hannah Thomson

The Ziegfeld Theater’s vast Midtown auditorium is de facto home to the biggest budget, most Oscar-buzzed, tentpole cinematic events in town and to fill it to the brim on short notice is no small feat. But leave it to Harvey Weinstein, Anna Wintour,and U2 to cull together a crowd so keen to see the film that a queue for standby tickets snaked all the way down West Fifty-fourth Street. That the movie was the Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, a biopic based on the former South African president’s sweeping autobiography, surely helped motivate last night’s roughly 1,200 guests, despite the sub-freezing temperatures. 

The presence of A$AP Rocky and his girlfriend Chanel Iman next to Vivi Nevo, Shala Monroque nearby Salman Rushdie, and Sami Gayle sitting by both Marina Rust and Monique Péan (who was straight off a plane from Beirut, no less) demonstrated how many different facets of New York were anxious to support the film. Add stars Idris Elba and Naomie Harris (both looking spectacular in Burberry), U.N. Ambassador Samantha Power, and Mandela’s daughter Zenani, and the mere “special screening” was all of a sudden as momentous as any Ziegfeld event in recent memory, complete with a small after-party hosted by Weinstein at Le Bilboquet.

“I’m a little nervous since I didn’t know there would be so many people,” Zenani Mandela self-effacingly addressed the crowd. “I’m not used to movie premieres.” Even Naomie Harris, who has experienced the spectacle of a James Bond press tour, was moved by the turnout: “What a night . . . ” she whispered to costar Elba as Weinstein invited them onstage.

Ms. Mandela was soon buttressed on either side by the four members of U2, whom she said “have made themselves known the world over almost as much for their activism as for their music.” Quoting her father, Nelson, Mandela extrapolated the themes of her father’s struggle to address Africa’s ongoing woes: “Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is manmade and can be overcome, and eradicated by the actions of individuals. This is not a gesture of charity—it is an act of justice; it is the protection of fundamental human rights, the rights to dignity and human life.”

When Bono took the microphone, he just seemed excited to be there. “This man . . . Zenani’s dad . . . when you think about it, her dad . . . really turned our lives upside down, or right side up,” he said. “Since we were teenagers, he’s been telling us what to do. He’s a giant part of our lives.” Nods from his bandmates confirmed those sentiments before Bono pronounced: “Long live Nelson Mandela.”

Naomie Harris looks anything but blue in a peekaboo cocktail dress as she poses with Idris Elba at Mandela screening 

By ELEANOR GOWER

PUBLISHED: 06:00, 26 November 2013 | UPDATED: 10:04, 26 November 2013

Leading lady Naomie Harris, who plays Winnie Mandela in Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom, looked effortlessly chic at the screening for highly anticipated new film Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom.

Wearing a sheer ice blue dress teamed with black heels, Naomie bared a little skin with a slash at the chest of the Burberry Prorsum look.

And the perfect accessory to finish her fashionable look was her handsome leading man Idris Elba, who looked his usual dapper self in a grey suit.

Demure: Naomie Harris arrived in a pale blue floaty mini-dress teamed with black heels and a matching purse

Stars of the show: Naomie was joined by Idris Elba who plays President Mandela in the biopic based on his memoir

In fashion: Idris and Naomie pose with director Justin Chadwick and U.S. Vogue Editor Anna Wintour

However it was a little more demure than her choice of outfits in recent weeks where she has been snapped out in an array of body-baring sheer creations.

Idris plays Nelson Mandela in the biopic film which is based on South African President Nelson Mandela's autobiography of the same name.

It chronicles his early life, coming of age, education and 27 years in prison during the apartheid era before becoming President.

'I discovered that Winnie is probably the feistiest character I’ve ever played,' Harris recently told The New York Daily News. 

Sweetest Thing: U2 members The Edge, Bono, Wintour, Larry Mullen, Jr., Adam Clayton and Idris pose together before the film

'I thought she was just the woman who stood by Nelson’s side. I didn’t know about her huge contribution in her own right, and the fact that he might not have become [who he was] without her.'

The screening was attended by the high priestess of fashion Anna Wintour herself who was one of the event's hosts along with U2, Idris Elba, Naomie Harris, Bob & Harvey Weinstein. The screening was supported by British fashion brand Burberry.

With any luck the talented actress may land the prestigious Vogue cover that has eluded her so far. 

The event was attended by over 800 guests including Salman Rushdie, Grace Coddington, Olivia Palermo and boyfriend Johannes Huebl, Martha Stewart, and Helena Christensen.

Scarlet lady: Anne V outshone Naomie Harris in a clinging scarlet printed dress with black belt and heels as she arrives at the Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom in New York City on Monday night  

Simply flawless: The 27-year-old star showed off her stunning porcelain skin in subtle make-up

U2 members The Edge, Bono, Larry Mullen, Jr., Adam Clayton and U.S. Vogue editor Anna Wintour posed with Idris and Naomie before the film.

Perhaps it was the chiller New York temperatures that did it, but the other glamorous ladies in attendance at Monday night's special Mandela screening chose to cover up.

Sports Illustrated model Anne V managed to outshine everyone,  including leading lady Naomie Harris at the Ziegfeld Theater in New York City in a stunning bright red knee-length dress.

The 27-year-old star, real name Anne Vyalitsyna, wore her blonde hair loose around her face in tousled waves with subtle make-up highlighting her flawless porcelain skin.

Anne joined a slew of models and actresses at the special screening

She's in fashion: Anne struck some model poses on the carpet before watching the biopic

Showstopper: Helna Christensen showed off the stunning looks which made her one of the world's top supermodels in a black dress, tights and red heels 

The white stuff: Olivia Palermo sported a chic trench coat over a floral grey and black dress with suede boots to the event 

Autumn colours: Iman sported a grey coat with furry collar, black knitted sweater and platform heels 

The actress, who has signed on to play Miss Moneypenny in the next Bond film, said she found the role her most challenging ever. 

'So when I read the script, it was a massive shock and I realised that I had inadvertently said yes to this role that was the most challenging role of my life so far. Nearly killed me!'

Anna Wintour attracted plenty of models to the event, with Helena Christensen showing the looks which made her one of the world's top supermodels in a black dress, tights and red shoes. 

Model moments: Shanina Shaik wore a strapless multi-coloured frock while Jessica Stam sported a more casual sweater, shirt and trousers

Formal attire: Chanel Iman looked a lot more glitzy than the majority of the attendees in a white strapless fishtail gown

Contrast in styles:Model  Teresa Moore looked sophisticated in black with cut out panels, while fellow fashionista Alyssa Miller sported a stunning blue and white embroidered skirt

Iman, 58, showed off her stunning figure in an autumnal outfit consisting of a grey coat with furry collar, black knitted sweater and platform heels.

Victoria's Secret star Chanel Iman, meanwhile went for a much more formal look in a sleeveless white floaty fishtail gown. 

Olivia Palermo also plumped for white, sporting a chic trench coat over a floral grey and black dress with suede boots.

Hell for leather: Martha Stewart arrived looking rather edgy in black trousers boots and leather and furry jacket

Black and blue shades: Julie Henderson sported a grey tunic, actress Sami Gayle wore dark blue jacket over a snakeskin playsuit and actress Alysia Reiner was more risky in a sheer lace top and leather skirt

Even better than the real thing: Bono was chased down the streets by young girls and autograph collectors after the event

Searching for peace: Bono and his wife tried for dinner at a local pub in New York before they were chased by autograph hounds

The chase: Bono tried to escape his adoring fans

Read more:

• As Winnie Mandela, Naomie Harris found the role of her career in ¿Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom¿

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2513637/Naomie-Harris-looks-blue-peekaboo-cocktail-dress-Mandela-screening.html#ixzz2lkK09gs1
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