Production News South Africa

Documentary on '95 Rugby World Cup

Written and directed by Helena Nogueira, the documentary Playing the Enemy - a tribute to John Carlin's book of the same name - will be screened on the History Channel (DStv channel 254) on Friday, 23 July 2010, at 8.30pm.
Documentary on '95 Rugby World Cup

It tells story behind the Springboks' miraculous road to glory at the 1995 Rugby World Cup, capturing all the excitement, high emotion and political intrigue surrounding this landmark event in the nation's history.

As a filmmaker, Nogueira is well known for her meticulous attention to detail as well as for her ability to delve into the essence of her subject matter, evidenced by projects such as her acclaimed documentary on the life of Afrikaans poet Ingrid Jonker.

In this film, she turns her attention to the 1995 Rugby World Cup - during which the Springboks, once loathed as ambassadors of apartheid and symbols of the apartheid "old guard", became national heroes, with rugby serving as an unlikely unifying force between whites and blacks.

In contrast to Invictus, this is "the full story told by those who lived it," as the documentary goes behind the scenes of the game that many agree made SA a nation.

Media interviews

The South African media played a significant role in rallying the nation behind the team and Nogueira has included interviews with 702's John Robbie and Dan Moyane, as well as with Beeld political editor Arrie Roussouw, who was the first journalist Mandela spoke to after his release from prison.

The documentary runs for 72 minutes and has been made with the support of the SA Rugby Union, the International Rugby Union, the Gauteng Film Office and the National Film and Video Foundation. The DVD, available in all major retailers, features an exclusive interview with John Carlin, as well as 50 minutes of great bonus footage.

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