A United Kingdom

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Movie
German title A United Kingdom
Original title A United Kingdom
Country of production United Kingdom
original language English
Publishing year 2016
length 111 minutes
Age rating FSK 6
JMK 8
Rod
Director Amma Asante
script Guy Hibbert
music Patrick Doyle
camera Sam McCurdy
cut Jonathan Amos
occupation

A United Kingdom is a British drama film with romantic elements directed by Amma Asante . The biography of Ruth Williams Khama and her husband, the designated king of Bechuanaland (later Botswana), Seretse Khama , is based on the 2006 book Color Bar: The Triumph of Seretse Khama and His Nation by historian Susan Williams. The film premiered on September 10, 2016 at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival and was released in cinemas in the United Kingdom on November 25, 2016.

action

The Motswana Seretse Khama is supposed to prepare for his future role in the 1940s by studying law in London . There he met Ruth Williams at a dance evening, a white Englishwoman who is the daughter of a sales representative in the tea trade and works as a secretary. They quickly fall in love, start a relationship and decide to get married. Their connection would actually be quite meaningless if Seretse were not the budding head of the Bamangwato in Bechuanaland , which in turn is a British protectorate . His wedding plans not only aroused the minds of the government of the British Empire and its compatriots, the African country is now receiving a lot of international attention because the relationship does not correspond to the social customs of the time. The fiancée's families also reject this relationship, and the British government even fears a diplomatic confrontation with the racist apartheid regime in South Africa and the loss of control of the country's many natural resources. When Khama finally married the Englishwoman in 1948, the scandal had set in and their love story met with great opposition. The British government is trying with all sorts of schemes to divide the couple.

Nevertheless, the couple travels to Bechuanaland. Khama's uncle, who was previously the king's governor, is against Khama becoming head of the people under these circumstances. After Khama's passionate speech, however, the convened assembly of residents decides in favor of Khama and the uncle moves to another area to avoid conflict. Over time, Ruth gained some sympathy among the population; Khama's sister, who was initially hostile, now supports her. One day, Khama is ordered to London. Pregnant Ruth stays in Africa because her husband fears that she will be refused entry again. Instead, Khama is told in England that he is not allowed to go to Bechuanaland for five years. Meanwhile, Ruth gives birth to a daughter in Africa. Khama goes public and finds advocates in British MPs. Churchill promises in the election campaign that Khama will be allowed to return home if he wins. After the election , however, he does not keep this promise; instead, Khama is to remain in exile for life. Ruth holds out a few more months in Africa, but then returns to London. Since Khama has learned from a journalist friend that diamonds have been found in Bechuanaland, he tries to get a promise from the British government that the locals will get the mining rights for any mineral resources found, and is successful with it. Finally, Khama is allowed to travel to Bechuanaland for a week to sort out personal affairs. He reconciles with his uncle, renounces the royal dignity so that he can stay in the country and pleads for it to be modernized and democratized.

In the credits one learns that Khama became the first Prime Minister of Botswana in 1966 and that Ruth was involved in various ways for the population. Thanks mainly to the diamond finds, the country developed extremely well economically and is now considered one of the most developed countries in Africa.

background

Seretse Khama is played by David Oyelowo in the film Seretse Khama is played by David Oyelowo in the film
Seretse Khama is in the film by David Oyelowo embodies

The film is based on real events and tells the story of the meeting and marriage between Seretse Khama , the tribal leader of the southern African nation of Bechuanaland (now Botswana ) , which was then a British protectorate , and Ruth Williams, a white British woman, which came from the middle class. Khama was studying law in London and Williams was an office clerk at Lloyd's of London insurance company . Ruth Khama's family and the Bamangwato Council of Elders had spoken out against their relationship, as had the governments of South Africa and Southern Rhodesia . The British government finally ordered the exile, expressing itself clearly racist. After exile in London, Khama later became the first president of Botswana after the country's independence. With Ruth Williams, Khama had a daughter and three sons who were born between 1950 and 1958. In April 2008, his son Ian Khama took office; his brother Tshekedi Khama , whom his father named after his own uncle, remains a minister in the cabinet even after Ian Khamas has left as President.

production

The film is based on the 2006 book Color Bar: The Triumph of Seretse Khama and His Nation by historian Susan Williams. Directed by Amma Asanta . The parents of the "black Briton" grew up in a British colony. Guy Hibbert wrote the script for the film .

The roles of Seretse Khama and Ruth Williams Khama were cast with David Oyelowo and Rosamund Pike .

Filming took place at the Old Royal Naval College and the Palace of Westminster in London, at St. Mary's Church in Isleworth in Middlesex and in Serowe in Botswana.

The score was composed by Patrick Doyle . Critics, including Scott Feinberg of The Hollywood Reporter , found the score to be Oscar-worthy , even if few pieces were known before it opened in theaters. The recording with the Prague Philharmonic was conducted by James Shearman . The soundtrack for the film comprises 21 pieces, has a total running time of 53:43 minutes and was released on CD and as a download on February 24, 2017 by the record label Varèse Sarabande.

The film celebrated its world premiere on September 10, 2016 as part of the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival . The film was shown as the opening film at the London Film Festival 2016 and celebrated its European premiere there. The film was released in cinemas in the United Kingdom on November 25, 2016. The film opened in the USA on February 10, 2017. Telepool has taken over the distribution in Germany. The film started there on March 30, 2017.

reception

Age rating

In Germany the film is FSK 6 . The statement of release states: “The drama tells, based on a true story from 1948, of an African king and a British clerk who hold on to their love against all opposition from their parents and their governments. […] The film's plea against racism and hatred is understandable even for a very young audience. Although individual emotionally intense situations of hostility and unrest can overwhelm children under the age of 6, children under the age of 6 are able to put these scenes into context. With its many quiet passages and impressive landscape shots, the film offers you sufficient relief to process it without impairment. "

Reviews

The film was able to convince 83 percent of the critics at Rotten Tomatoes (from 124 critics in total, as of March 21, 2017).

Nina Jerzy of the Neue Zürcher Zeitung explains that Amma Asante's film with the ambiguous title tells colonial history from a different perspective. Helmut Hollerweger from the Salzburg Window also says that the title of the film is program and celebrates the freedom and equality of all ethnic groups. Hollerweger says that A United Kingdom is staging in the footsteps of opulent historical dramas in the style of David Lean , and that moviegoers are overwhelmed by romantic love, picturesque African landscapes and a beautiful message. The courageously acting leading actors David Oyelowo and Rosamund Pike , according to Hollerweger, made sure that the film does not drift too much into kitsch. Glenn Kenny from the New York Times also highlights Oyelowo in particular, who makes A United Kingdom a worthwhile film with depth. Kyle Smith of the New York Post criticizes, however, the two main characters are still two-dimensional and boring.

In his review, Christoph Meyer particularly emphasizes the spectacular landscape shots of Botswana . The recordings were made in Serowe on the edge of the Kalahari

Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times says an opening title that reads "Based on a True Story" tried to cover up film sins in many cases, but in the case of A United Kingdom this opening sentence is a door that opens up a romantic drama open up that is becoming more remarkable by the minute.

Christoph Meyer from the Luzerner Zeitung says that the film is strong when it comes to emotions, when the two main actors danced, laughed, cried together and when they resisted the cold-hearted British colonial officials. Rosamund Pike is particularly convincing with her expressive facial expressions, and David Oyelowo made his best appearance in a speech by Seretse to the assembled elders of his people when he said with tears in his eyes: "I love this country, but I also love my wife" , says Meyer. The spectacular landscape shots of bright and warm Botswana stand in contrast to the always gloomy and rainy London , according to Meyer, and computer-animated images of crowds or spectacular panoramic images of virtually created cities are completely dispensed with. Rather, Asante lets you guess the vastness of the African steppe and the size of the British capital in the background. On the other hand, the film is sometimes weak when political theories are presented, according to Meyer, and Seretse Khama's monologues are not always convincing either.

Joe Morgenstern of The Wall Street Journal says that while one might wish this extraordinary story had been told with more flair, it is still an extraordinary story based on historical events in which love and idealism come from two directions with racism would face. Kathrin Horster from the Stuttgarter Nachrichten , on the other hand, criticizes the historical events; in the blurred images there is hardly a trace of the poverty caused by the English, which Seretse denounces, and historically significant things become secondary in this setting.

Scott Feinberg of The Hollywood Reporter saw David Oyelowo as a possible candidate for Best Actor and Rosamund Pike as a candidate for Best Actress at the 2017 Academy Awards .

Gross profit

The film's worldwide revenue from theatrical screenings to date is $ 10.4 million. In Germany, the film has so far recorded 138,524 visitors (as of July 20, 2017).

Awards

British Independent Film Awards 2016

London Critics' Circle Film Awards 2017

Black Reel Awards 2018

  • Nomination for best film in world cinema

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Release certificate for A United Kingdom . Voluntary self-regulation of the film industry (PDF; test number: 166241 / K). Template: FSK / maintenance / type not set and Par. 1 longer than 4 characters
  2. ↑ Age rating for A United Kingdom . Youth Media Commission .
  3. ↑ a b Christoph Meyer: 'A United Kingdom' - Marrying despite resistance ( Memento from April 3, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) In: Luzerner Zeitung, March 29, 2017.
  4. ^ Directory of Research and Expertise , School of Advanced Study
  5. ↑ a b Helmut Hollerweger: Film review: 'A United Kingdom' In: salzburger-fenster.at, March 27, 2017.
  6. ↑ a b Scott Feinberg: Feinberg Forecast: The First Look at the 89th Oscar Race In: The Hollywood Reporter, September 9, 2016.
  7. ^ And the predicted nominees are In: awardscircuit.com. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  8. ↑ Soundtrack Information: A United Kingdom In: soundtrack.net. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
  9. ↑ European premiere of A United Kingdom to open the 60th BFI London Film Festival In: bfi.org.uk, August 1, 2016.
  10. ↑ Elsa Keslassy: Berlin: Pathe Intl. Marks Big Sales for 'United,' 'Cezanne' and 'Eternity' In: Variety, February 15, 2016.
  11. ^ Reasons for approval for A United Kingdom In: Voluntary self-control of the film industry. Retrieved March 30, 2017.
  12. ↑ A United Kingdom In: Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved April 19, 2018
  13. ↑ Nina Jerzy: A United Kingdom: Jenseits von Botswana In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung, March 29, 2017.
  14. ↑ Glenn Kenny: Review: 'A United Kingdom' With Love That Tested Racial Tolerance In: The New York Times, February 9, 2017.
  15. ↑ Kyle Smith: A true-life royal interracial romance in 'A United Kingdom' In: February 9, 2017.
  16. ↑ Kenneth Turan: Review: David Oyelowo and Rosamund Pike breathe life into the star-crossed lovers in the true story 'A United Kingdom' In. Los Angeles Times, February 9, 2017.
  17. ↑ Joe Morgenstern: 'A United Kingdom' Review: For Crown and Country In: The Wall Street Journal, February 9, 2017.
  18. ↑ Kathrin Horster: Cinema review: 'A United Kingdom'. Love in times of racism In: Stuttgarter Zeitung, March 29, 2017.
  19. ↑ A United Kingdom In: boxofficemojo.com. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  20. ↑ Top 100 Germany 2017 In: insidekino.com. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  21. ↑ Clarisse Loughrey: BIFA nominations reveal the best British independent films of the year In: independent.co.uk, November 1, 2016.
  22. ↑ Nancy Tartaglione: 'Moonlight', 'Love & Friendship' Lead London Critics' Circle Nominations In: deadline.com, December 20, 2016.
  23. ↑ Get Out Dominates the Black Reel Awards In: blackreelawards.com, December 13, 2017.