In 1985, South Africa burns as the vile Apartheid regime crumbles. In the months leading up to this historic moment, a group of men hold secret talks to bring about peace and democracy to the nation. Under constant threat and fearful of their lives, a gathering of ANC 'terrorists' led by the future president of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki and key Afrikaner representatives meet in a manor house in South East England.
Against all the odds, through volatile discussions, set backs and breakthroughs, the secret talks in Britain achieve a precious arena of frail trust between the two archenemies. While Nelson Mandela's tense negotiations at Pollsmoor Prison and later in the heavily bugged warden's villa at Victor Verster Prison prove fruitful, the courage of the unsung heroes at the crucial British talks begin to show results.
But will they live to see the peace they are striving so hard for? In the climate of the 'war on terror' we all now live in, this inspiring film based on Robert Harvey's acclaimed book 'The Fall of the Apartheid: The Inside Story from Smuts to Mbeki' has never had more relevance.
Daybreak Pictures was set up by Executive Producers David Aukin and Hal Vogel who together have forged a reputation for creating high profile and critically acclaimed feature films and television series.
Productions include the multi‐award winning drama mini-series The Promise, the critically acclaimed feature‐length drama Endgame, and television series The Politician's Husband, written by Paula Milne, directed by Simon Cellan Jones and starring David Tennant & Emily Watson.
Other credits include feature film Hyde Park on Hudson, starring Bill Murray and directed by Roger Michel and released in cinemas worldwide in 2013. In 2014, Daybreak's Channel 4 comedy drama series Sirens was successfully remade for US cable channel USA Network which was co-written by actor and comedian Denis Leary and Bob Fisher. The Politician’s Husband has also now been picked up as a format in the US and is being developed for Showtime under the title Chemistry.
Aside from numerous television projects with all the UK broadcasters, The team is currently in post production on feature film Denmark, starring Rafe Spall, written by Jeff Murphy and directed by Adrian Shergold – set to be released in 2018 and is in pre-production on The True History of the Kelly Gang, based on Peter Carey’s booker prize winning novel about the infamous Australian outlaw. It is directed by Justin Kurzel (Snowtown, Macbeth, Assassins Creed) and stars Russell Crowe, George MacKay, Nicholas Hoult and Essie Davis. It is scheduled for a Spring 2019 release.