The 16th Man Wins Peabody Award For Documentary

The 16th Man documentary (as part of the 30 for 30 documentaries commissioned by ESPN for it 30th anniversary) has just won a Peabody for “commendable depth, breadth and insight” of sports coverage.

The Sound Room is hugely excited to have composed the score for this feature length documentary - produced by Morgan Freeman and directed by Cliff Bestall for ESPN Films and cinematic release.

Airdate: 5-6 p.m. Tuesday, May 4 2010 (ESPN) - USA
Production: ESPN, in association with Revelations Entertainment Prods. and Shadow Pictures
Executive producers: John Carlin, Lori McCreary, Morgan Freeman
Co-executive producer: Tracy Mercer
Producer/director:Clifford Bestall
Writer: John Carlin
Directors of photography: Jonathan Partridge, Scott Duncan
Picture and sound editor: Ashley Smith
Music: Tom Fox, Marshall Smith
Narrator: Morgan Freeman

"An engrossing, informative and compelling documentary of a story whose lessons will carry relevant lessons for many years to come."
Inside Pulse Sports

"Bestall’s documentary brings the (ESPN 30 for 30) series to a memorable peak."
New York Times

"With its amazing story and heartfelt reminiscenses, "16th Man" does as much to illustrate the potential, passion and power of sports as anything ever made for theatrical release."
The Hollywood Reporter

The documentary is based on the history surrounding the 1995 Rugby World Cup, the Springbok's win against the All Blacks and Nelson Mandela's plan to unify the racially divided country behind it's rugby team.  The Sound Room headed to South Africa where the documentary was filmed and produced by the same company that brought cinematic audiences Invictus - the Clint Eastwood film which starred Morgan Freeman (as Mandela) and Matt Damon as Springbok captain Francois Pienaar.

The documentary is part of the 'ESPN 30 for 30' series: "An unprecedented documentary series featuring thirty films from some of today’s finest storytellers" including Morgan Freeman, Spike Jonze and Frank Marshall amongst many others.  "Each filmmaker will bring their passion and personal point of view to their film detailing the issues, trends, athletes, teams, rivalries, games and events that transformed the sports landscape from 1979 to 2009."

Documentary synopsis:

Rugby has long been viewed in South Africa as a game for the white population, and the country’s success in the sport has been a true source of Afrikaner pride. When the 50-year-old policies and entrenched injustices of apartheid were finally overthrown in 1994, Nelson Mandela’s new government began rebuilding a nation badly in need of racial unity. So the world was watching when South Africa played host to the 1995 Rugby World Cup. Though they had only one non-white player, the South African Springboks gained supporters of all colors as they made an improbable run into the final match where they beat the heavily favored New Zealand team. When Mandela himself marched to the center of the pitch cloaked in a Springbok jersey and shook hands with the captain of the South African team, two nations became one. Oscar winner Morgan Freeman and director Cliff Bestall will tell the emotional story of that cornerstone moment and what it meant to South Africa’s healing process.