Red Dust - The truth leads to freedom

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Movie
German title Red Dust - The truth leads to freedom
Original title Red dust
Country of production Great Britain , South Africa
original language English
Publishing year 2004
length 107 minutes
Age rating FSK 12
Rod
Director Tom Hooper
script Troy Kennedy Martin
production Ruth Caleb ,
Anant Singh ,
Helena Spring
music Robert Lane
camera Larry Smith
cut Avril Beukes
occupation

Red Dust - The truth leads to freedom ( Red Dust ) is a British-South African film drama by Tom Hooper from the year 2004 . Troy Kennedy Martin wrote the screenplay based on the novel Red Dust by Gillian Slovo .

action

Dirk Hendricks was a police officer in the small town of Smitsrivier in South Africa during the period of racial segregation . With his then superior, Captain Piet Muller, who now lives in seclusion and runs a private security service, he participated in political murders and torture. Since Hendricks is incarcerated for another offense, he turns to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission , which grants amnesty to anyone who fully exposes all of their politically motivated crimes, to admit to Alex Mpondo's ill-treatment in 1986.

Alex Mpondo, now a member of parliament and board member of the ANC , has appealed against the amnesty request. He wants to clarify the whereabouts of his friend and fellow campaigner Steve Sizela, who has since disappeared. Alex is asked to testify before the commission. He accuses Hendricks of not disclosing all offenses. Alex is assisted by the lawyer Sarah Barcant, who now lives abroad. She was detained for one day because she had contact with black youths. Her mother had lost custody as a result and left the country.

A hearing ensues, during which Hendricks has to answer all open questions about Alex Mpondo's one month imprisonment. Alex can prove that at the time (contrary to Hendricks' testimony) he did not admit all the relevant details; he had not revealed the names of several newly recruited comrades-in-arms. Politically very damaging for him, however, is that he has to admit that he identified his friend Steve Sizela at the time after he was severely tortured. Because he was too weak for that, Hendricks had to point Alex's arm at Steve.

Hendricks has to admit that his testimony before the commission was incomplete, that Steve Sizela and Alex were tortured not at the police station but at the Ryder farm and that he died there on May 8, 1986 after severe abuse of a broken neck and was buried. Although this false statement should result in a rejection of the amnesty request , Alex forgives , withdraws his objection and enables Hendricks' amnesty.

Hendricks testimony leads to indictment of former manager Cpt. Piet Muller. At the beginning of the trial, Muller, for his part, invokes the amnesty under Section 18 of the National Unity and Reconciliation Act.

Reviews

Marta Barber wrote in the Miami Herald , Hooper manipulating the audience, but still the story remains " captivating " ( " engrossing ").

According to Urban Cinefile , “an intense and powerful drama. Tom Hooper's concentrated direction doesn't miss anything [...] the script is clever [...] the acting performances by Swank and Ejiofor are impeccable. "

The lexicon of international film discussed a "committed and convincingly staged political drama that skilfully puts truth and its ambivalence up for discussion and supports South Africa's path with the means of court films."

The magazine TV direkt 12/2007 wrote that the film contained “ court-word duels full of truthfulness ”.

Awards

In 2005, Tom Hooper won the Special Jury Prize of the International Film Festival of India for “ efficient use of film language in telling a story about political unrest ”. In 2005 he was nominated for the Golden Kinnaree Award of the Bangkok International Film Festival . The film was nominated for the BAFTA Award in 2006 for Best Drama .

background

The film was shot in South Africa . It had its world premiere on September 13, 2004 at the Toronto International Film Festival . On May 28, 2005, it was screened at the Seattle International Film Festival .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Release certificate for Red Dust - The truth leads to freedom . Voluntary self-regulation of the film industry , February 2006 (PDF; test number: 105 374 DVD / UMD).
  2. ^ Marta Barber: Movie review Red Dust. The Miami Herald February 4, 2005, archived from the original February 8, 2005 ; accessed on December 24, 2014 .
  3. ^ Louise Keller: Red Dust. In: Urban Cinefile. Retrieved on April 12, 2009 (English): "an intense and powerful drama [...] Tom Hooper's focused direction doesn't miss a beat [...] Troy Kennedy-Martin's script [...] is intelligent [...] Performances from Swank and Ejiofor." [...] are faultless "
  4. ↑ Red Dust - The truth leads to freedom. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed February 21, 2017 .Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used 
  5. ↑ TV direkt 12/2007, page 101
  6. ^ Film awards for Red Dust, accessed June 15, 2007
  7. ^ Filming locations for Red Dust, accessed June 15, 2007
  8. ↑ Red Dust premiere dates, accessed June 15, 2007