Winnie Mandela bio-picture gets September release date Jennifer Hudson arrives on the red carpet at the 85th Academy Awards at the Hollywood and Highlands Center in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles on February 24, 2013. LOS ANGELES, July 3 (UPI) -- "Winnie Mandela," the bio-picture starring Jennifer Hudson as the title character, is set for release in U.S. theaters Sept. 6, producers announced. Written and directed by Darrell J. Roodt, the film is a big-screen adaptation of Anne Marie du Preez Bezdrob's biography "Winnie Mandela: A Life." It co-stars Terrence Howard as former South African President Nelson Mandela and features the song, "Bleed for Love," written by Diane Warren and sung by Hudson. "Both Jennifer Hudson and Terrence Howard deliver powerful performances that depict the lives of two influential people of our time," Bill Bromiley, chief acquisitions officer for Image Entertainment, said in a statement Wednesday. They are a force to be reckoned with on screen, showcasing the Mandelas' journey through their struggles and triumphs.