Country of My Skull (2004)

Director:

John Boorman

Writers (WGA):

Antjie Krog (book)
Ann Peacock (screenplay)

Release Date:

7 May 2004 (Italy)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

A South African Story of Truth, Love and Reconcilliation

Plot:

Langston Whitfield is a Washington Post journalist. His editor provocatively sends him to South Africa...

Plot Keywords:

South Africa | Interracial Relationship

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Samuel L. Jackson	...	Langston Whitfield
Juliette Binoche	...	Anna Malan
Brendan Gleeson	...	De Jager
Menzi Ngubane	...	Dumi Mkhalipi (as Menzi 'Ngubs' Ngubane)
Sam Ngakane	...	Anderson
Aletta Bezuidenhout	...	Elsa
Lionel Newton	...	Edward Morgan
Langley Kirkwood	...	Boetie
Owen Sejake	...	Reverend Mzondo
Harriet Lenabe	...	Albertina Sobandia (as Harriet Manamela)
Louis Van Niekerk	...	Willem Malan
Jeremiah Ndlovu	...	Old Man in Wheelbarrow
Fiona Ramsey	...	Felicia Rheinhardt (as Fiona Ramsay)
Dan Robbertse	...	De Smidt (as Daniel Robbertse)
Robert Hobbs	...	Van Deventer

Also Known As:

Guilt, Sorrow, and the Limits of Forgiveness in the New South Africa (UK) (working title)
In My Country (USA)
Truth (UK) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language, including descriptions of atrocities, and for a scene of violence.

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

UK | Ireland | South Africa

Language:

English | Afrikaans

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Sweden:15 | Singapore:NC-16 | Brazil:16 | UK:15 | Mexico:B15 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Germany:12 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Zurich) | Canada:14A (Ontario) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

South Africa

Company:

Chartoff Productions

Quotes:

[first lines]
Nelson Mandela: Never, never, and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The South Bank Show: John Boorman (#28.18)" (2005)

Soundtrack:

De Aar

Ubuntu, the power of compassion

Why 8 stars ? John Boorman has made more "cinematographically" significant movies, in terms of artistic creation, but the grandness of a nations people shown in this movie dealing with its terrible wounds, is a great lesson in humanity.

This movie just reached Belgium. It was never shown in our theaters, it was released as a DVD. I really would have loved to discover this picture in a theater. John Boorman conveys the magnificence of this country and its people, thus giving us breath enough to bear the unbearable. The rather sober way of acting leaves room for our own emotions.

Thank you, Mr. Boorman !