Channel 4 commissions Nelson Mandela documentary from Rogan, GroupM

UK pubcaster Channel 4 has ordered doc Free Nelson Mandela

UK pubcaster Channel 4 has ordered a documentary series titled Free Nelson Mandela from Rogan Productions and GroupM Motion Entertainment exploring Nelson Mandela’s life and the global campaign to free him from prison.

Free Nelson Mandela (w/t, 3×60’ & 1×90’) is the story of what C4 described as “the biggest campaign for a single prisoner in history,” and tells the story of the South African anti-apartheid activist and politician who served as the first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999.

BBC Studios, which has a first-look output deal with Rogan Productions, will be distributing the series internationally.

The series documents Mandela’s journey from activist to revolutionary, from prisoner to negotiator and how he led South Africa to democracy from a prison cell. With extensive access to those who fought for his freedom and the people at the heart of the anti-apartheid movement, the three-part series aims to tell Mandela’s story in full.

Free Nelson Mandela was commissioned by Shaminder Nahal, Channel 4’s head of specialist factual, and the series is directed by James Rogan and exec produced by Soleta Rogan. Deep Sehgal, head of creative diversity at GroupM Motion, is also an executive producer. The producers are Samora Tikly and Xinlan Rose.

The series is funded by C4 and GroupM Motion Entertainment’s Diverse Indies Fund, which was set up to support small and medium-sized ethnically diverse-led independent production companies to produce new projects. The fund is overseen by Sehgal and Vivienne Molokwu, senior commissioning editor at C4.

Nahal said: “We are looking forward to bringing the extraordinary story of Nelson Mandela, and the campaign to free him, to a new audience. It’s hard to think of a more significant and deeply resonant story for today. I can’t wait to see how this brilliant team, lead by James Rogan, will weave together the scintillating archive, music and testimony and bring it to life in a landmark series.”

James Rogan, Creative Director of Rogan Productions, said: “This is a story we all think we know, but through weaving together personal stories, the historic events and the cultural outcry, a whole different dimension emerges that is often overlooked. It’s an epic story for our time about sacrifice, hope and humanity.”