A world apart and In my country

[taraswizard]

Two films that I think go together very well. A world apart (1988) written by Shawn Slovo, and In my country (AKA The country of my skull) (2004) written by Antjie Korg.

A world apart is set in 1962 South Africa and told through the eyes of Molly Roth (Jodhi May), based on the writer Shawn Slovo. Her father Gus Roth (Jeroen Krabbe), based on Joe Slovo, has left South Africa and is in hiding instead of standing trial with the other sabotage trial defendents (Mandela, Sisulu, Mbeki), Molly's mother, Diana Roth (Barbara Hershey) and based on Ruth First, has stayed behind with their three daughters, of which Molly is the oldest. Molly is conflicted about her parent's political activity, she is proud of what they're doing to make South Africa a better place for all races and peoples, and relishes what involvement she has with these activities, but she resents that these activities cause her parents to seperate and her father to leave, cause her school mates to resent, fear and be cruel to her, and that the government's survellance interferes with their lives. Diana is detained twice under rules which allow 90 day imprisonment without charges, of which she is detained for over 140 days total. During her imprisonment she is interoggated by a police man played by David Suchet, a role very different from Hercule Poirot. This film was nominated for the Golden Palm at Cannes and Jodhi May, Barbara Hershey and Linda Mvusi won best actress awards at Cannes. The film won and Independent Sprit award for best foreign film and Shawn Slovo won a BAFTA for original screenplay. IRL, Ruth First and her daughters left South Africa into exile shortly after the events depicted in this film and in 1982 was assasinated by a letter bomb sent by the South African Special Branch in Maputo (formerly known as Laurenco Marques), Mozambique. A world apart was filmed in Zimbabwe and the UK. Did this film become irrelvant due to the release in 1990 of Nelson Mandela? AFAIK, none of Mrs. First childern returned to South Africa to live and their father Joe Slovo died in 1995.

In my country starring Juliette Binoche and Samuel L. Jackson is based on a book by the poet Antjie Krog. The main character Anna Malan (Binoche), as happened to Korg, gioes from being a poet to being a radio journalist covering South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Langston Whitfield (Jackson) is a Washington Post journalist sent to cover the commission who meets and becomes involved with Malan. Whitfield's preconception regarding the Commission is that it is a white wash, coverup and show trial of the apartheid's regime atrocities and an excuse for avoidance of blame and guilt. OTOH, Malan tries to convince Whitfield the work is the active application of the concept of ubuntu. The penultimate scene of the film has a twist I did not see coming. This film was filmed in South African and Ireland. AFAIK, Ms. Korg still lives in South Africa.

Anyone else know and have thoughts on these films.

To the mods, if this message is thought to narrow and/or controversial please feel free to close it, lock it down or move it the Tank.