In My Country (2004) Country of My Skull (original title)

Director:

John Boorman

Writers (WGA):

Antjie Krog (book)
Ann Peacock (screenplay)

Release Date:

7 May 2004 (Italy)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

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:

Victim | Apartheid | Reconciliation | Hearing | Cruelty

Awards:

3 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
Lwando Nondzaba	...	Peter Makeba
Trix Pienaar	...	B&B Lady
Greg Latter	...	Sgt. Dreyer
Albert Maritz	...	Farmer
Sizwe Msutu	...	Gilbert
Dumisani Mbebe	...	Kenneth
Sunu Gonera	...	Lionel
Nick Boraine	...	Jack Marlon
Charley Boorman	...	Adam Hartley
Connie Chiume	...	Mrs. Tabata
Seumus Keir	...	Simon
Nicholas Andrews	...	Chris
Justin Creasy	...	Chris
Junior Singo	...	Troy (scenes deleted)
Yolanda Methvin	...	Deborah (scenes deleted)
Grant Swanby	...	Johan
Paul Eilers	...	Police General
Anthony Fridjohn	...	Tony Brown (scenes deleted)
Bheki Vilakazi	...	Perpetrator 1
Louw Venter	...	Alec
Wayne Harrison	...	Brian
Terry Norton	...	Lilly
Andre Jacobs	...	Judge
Alyce Chavunduka	...	Newsreader
Lillian Dube	...	Woman
Namhla Ndlovu	...	Woman
Lee Duru	...	Woman
Nambitha Mpumlwana	...	Woman
Garrick Hagon	...	Pilot
Johan Marais	...	De Jager's Security
Morgan O'Callaghan	...	De Jager's Security
Frederrick Dannhauser	...	De Jager's Security
Andrew Johnson	...	Taxi Driver
Lilian Khumalo	...	Commissioner
Genesis Canda	...	Commissioner
Tony Finley	...	Commissioner
Biah Mokgobu	...	Commissioner
Anthony Karriem	...	Commissioner
Milton Daka	...	Commissioner
Hiportia Hlatana	...	Commissioner
Jefferine October	...	Commissioner
Noliyanda Pike	...	Commissioner
Beverley Bownes	...	Commissioner
Justice Khontyo	...	2nd Judge
Denzil Campbel	...	3rd Judge
Christina Ntsomi	...	Woman Phone Booth / Corn Field
Xhantyi Nqayi	...	Herd Boy
Lulama J. Nombiba	...	Langston's Father (scenes deleted) (as Lulama Nombiba)
Jean Abrahams	...	Langston's Mother in Law (scenes deleted)
Thami Ngubeni	...	Deborah's Aunt (scenes deleted)
Cindi Sampson	...	Deborah's Aunt (scenes deleted)
Michelle Zaaiman	...	Inge
Natasha Kotze	...	Inge (voice)
Natalie Dippenaar	...	Johan's Wife
Zoliswa Mabawa	...	Malan Farmhouse Maid
Elizabeth Mokoatsana	...	Crying Woman
John Coom	...	Farmer's Father-in-law
Noel Coom	...	Farmer's Mother-in-law
Shannen Mackay	...	Farmer's Daughter
Xola Luse	...	Perpetrator 2
Sacky Veto	...	Old Man's Grandson
Mohogany Singiswa	...	Old Man's Comforter
Moho Seabela	...	Albertina's Friend
Zingisa Kobo	...	Albertina's Friend
Landiwe Hans	...	Albertina's Friend
John Zacharis	...	Langston's Driver
Jamo Jahjah	...	Soccer Ref (scenes deleted)
Brian Niewoudt	...	Boere Orkes Band
Endrie Nel	...	Boere Orkes Band
Nic Du Toit	...	Boere Orkes Band
Stompie Heyns	...	Boere Orkes Band
Susanna Vermeulen	...	Boere Orkes Band
Paul Dirkson	...	One Man Band
Russell Johnson	...	Schempers
Morris Uberstein	...	Bottle Shop Owner
Thembi Mtshali	...	Lizzie
Lara Bye	...	Alec's Wife
Marisa Sarfatti	...	PR Person
Phumla Stamper	...	Translator
Warona Seane	...	Translator
John Langemann	...	Afrikaner Next to Anna at Hearing
Nkuli Kgositsile	...	Woman with Applications
Suzanne Bassett	...	Anna Look-a-like
Amber Stodel	...	Lily's Daughter
Yavor Radkov	...	Taxi Driver
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Fana Mokoena	...	Mandla (uncredited)

Directed by
John Boorman

Writing credits (WGA)
Antjie Krog		(book "Country of My Skull")
Ann Peacock		(screenplay)

Produced by
Chris Auty	....	executive producer
Sam Bhembe	....	executive producer
John Boorman	....	producer
Jamie Brown	....	executive producer
Robert Chartoff	....	producer
Kieran Corrigan	....	producer
Peter Fudakowski	....	associate producer
Michael L. Games	....	line producer
Niles E. Helmboldt	....	associate producer
Lynn Hendee	....	producer
Mike Medavoy	....	producer
Neil Peplow	....	executive producer
Duncan Reid	....	executive producer
Mfundi Vundla	....	executive producer
David Wicht	....	co-producer: South Africa

Original Music by
Murray Anderson

Cinematography by
Seamus Deasy

Film Editing by
Ron Davis

Casting by
Moonyeenn Lee
Janet Meintjies

Production Design by
Emilia Roux
Derek Wallace

Art Direction by
Emilia Roux		(as Emilia Roux-Weavind)

Set Decoration by
Graeme Blem
Fred Du Preez

Costume Design by
Jo Katsaras

Makeup Department
Allan A. Apone	....	makeup artist: Samuel L. Jackson
Annette Keet	....	key hair stylist
Annette Keet	....	key makeup artist
Robert L. Stevenson	....	hair stylist: Samuel L. Jackson
Simone Stubbs	....	assistant hair stylist
Simone Stubbs	....	assistant makeup artist
Mieke Tait	....	assistant hair stylist
Mieke Tait	....	assistant makeup artist
Megan Tanner	....	key hair stylist
Megan Tanner	....	key makeup artist
Leon von Solms	....	makeup artist: Juliette Binoche
Victoria Wood	....	wig maker: Samuel L. Jackson

Production Management
Sandra Campbell	....	post-production supervisor
Genevieve Le Cordeur	....	unit production manager
Morgan Pather	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Kevan Barker	....	second unit director
Gareth Bird	....	third assistant director
Ryan Fox	....	third assistant director
Diana Keam	....	first assistant director
Carey Lagoe	....	assistant director: second unit
Jon-Luke Lourens	....	second assistant director
Matthew Muskett	....	second second assistant director
Shamiel Soni	....	third assistant director

Art Department
William Boyes	....	stand-by props
Zaan De Villiers	....	set dresser
Abdoulaye Diallo	....	stand-by set dresser
Bryn George	....	props buyer
Merinda Geyer	....	art department coordinator
Brian Glaser	....	assistant art director
Peter Hlongwane	....	stand-by scenic artist
Andrew Orlando	....	property master
Tracy Perkins	....	set dresser
Arik Reiss	....	storyboard artist
Matthews Sengasamore	....	assistant stand-by props (as Matthews Senyasamore)
Brendan Smithers	....	construction manager
Kobus Van Heerden	....	painter
Chris van Latum	....	art department production assistant

Sound Department
Brendan Deasy	....	production sound mixer
Caoimhe Doyle	....	additional foley artist
Martin Evans	....	supervising sound editor
John Fitzgerald	....	sound re-recording mixer
Joe Gilmore	....	dialogue editor
Pauline Griffiths	....	foley artist (as Pauline Vaughan-Griffiths)
Roland Hoek	....	trainee dialogue editor
Tom Johnson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jenny Lee Wright	....	foley artist (as Jenny Lee-Wright)
Fiadhnait McCann	....	assistant sound editor
Mike Nyembe	....	sound trainee
Jim Petrak	....	adr recordist
Eddie Quinn	....	boom operator
Nick Watson	....	sound consultant: Dolby
Cathi Weldon	....	foley editor
Brendan Geaney	....	transfer recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Roly Jansen	....	special effects coordinator
Cordell McQueen	....	special effects coordinator
Anton Voster	....	special effects crew
Clinton Smith	....	skeleton model: assistant (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Tim Caplan	....	digital intermediate producer
Dimitri Delacovias	....	matte painting supervisor
William Foxwell	....	digital lab operator: Lip Sync Post
Scott Goulding	....	digital lab operator
Gavin Graham	....	effects animator: Double Negative
Jan Hogevold	....	production executive: Framestore CFC
Katja Hollmann	....	digital lab supervisor: Lipsync Post
Alex Hope	....	visual effects executive producer
Max Horton	....	colourist
Graham Jack	....	computer graphics supervisor
Katy Lemon	....	digital lab operator: Lip Sync Post
Fay McConkey	....	visual effects producer
Dan McRae	....	digital cleanup artist
Charlie Noble	....	visual effects supervisor
Paul Norris	....	digital compositor
Kevan Shorey	....	matchmove artist: Double Negative
Thomas Urbye	....	online film editor
Paola Varvaro	....	digital artist
Steve Wagendorp	....	digital colorist
Aubrey Woodiwiss	....	digital clean-up

Stunts
Roly Jansen	....	stunt coordinator
Cordell McQueen	....	stunt coordinator
Janine Wyatt-Mair	....	stunt double

Camera and Electrical Department
Blid Alsbirk	....	still photographer (as Karin 'Blid' Alsbirk)
Jens Bacher	....	key grip: South Africa
Neil Baillie	....	camera loader: "b" camera, second unit
Nick Barr	....	electrician
Giulio Biccari	....	camera operator: "b" camera, second unit
Meike Chinnery	....	clapper loader
Harmon Cusack	....	aerial camera operator: Wescam Camera
Felder Da Silva	....	assistant grip
Shane Deasy	....	focus puller
Colin Gottgens	....	rigging grip: night
Chris Harker	....	best boy grip
Clint Howes	....	electrician: nights
Siphiso Jezile	....	grip trainee
Hans Kühle Jr.	....	camera operator: "b" camera, second unit (as Hans Kühle)
Allen Markham	....	assistant grip
John Murphy	....	dolly grip
Justin Paterson	....	electrician
Tim Philipsen	....	assistant grip: night
Daniel Pitso	....	generator operator (as Danny Pitso)
Tell Reid	....	electrician
Richard Rolf	....	Steadicam operator
Wayne Shields	....	rigging gaffer: nights
Johannes Thejane	....	video operator
Jaco van Niekerk	....	rigging grip
Adi Visser	....	first assistant camera
Oliver Ward	....	camera technician: Wescam camera
Michael Watts	....	best boy electric

Casting Department
Russell Boast	....	casting coordinator
J.P. van der Merwe	....	extras casting agent

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Kim du Plessis	....	wardrobe assistant
Askia Won-Ling Jacob	....	costumer: Samuel L. Jackson (as Askia Jacob)
Bernadine Preston	....	seamstress
Zureta Schulz	....	wardrobe supervisor
Thomaley van Niekerk	....	key wardrobe stand-by
Widaad Williams	....	costume assistant

Editorial Department
Tim Caplan	....	digital intermediate producer
Simon Davis	....	first assistant editor
Tom Davis	....	editorial trainee
Stuart Fyvie	....	digital colorist
Max Horton	....	digital film colorist
Kevin Phelan	....	head of post-production: Lip Sync Post
Jason Wheeler	....	negative cutter

Music Department
Philip King	....	music supervisor
Brian Masterson	....	music editor
Tina Moran	....	music coordinator

Transportation Department
Sean Berkhout	....	transportation manager
Pieter De Lange	....	action vehicle coordinator
Ilze Kitshoff	....	driver: cast

Other crew
Gail Behrmann	....	researcher
Chris Bohmenn	....	helicopter pilot
Emma Callinan	....	assistant to producer
Sandra Campbell	....	assistant: John Boorman
Carol A. Compton	....	script clearance
Chezlin Cross	....	assistant: Kevan Barker
Peter Doyle	....	on-set mechanic
Seth Games	....	production assistant
Lori Imbler	....	assistant: Robert Chartoff (as Lori Imbler Vernon)
François Lategan	....	production assistant
Natascha Leite	....	production coordinator
Rhys Maitland-Jones	....	sync rushes
Aaron Merrell	....	production coordinator: Phoenix Pictures
Regan Mitchell	....	tracking shots
Della Moore	....	production accountant
Spud Murray	....	animal wrangler
Louise Mycielski	....	production coordinator
Luleka Florence Mzondo	....	production secretary
Moroba Nkawe	....	assistant: Lynn Hendee
Bill Olmsted	....	helicopter pilot (as Bill Olmstead)
Morgan Pather	....	location manager
Shamila Phillips	....	account assistant
Peggy Plessas	....	assistant: Juliette Binoche (as Peggy Hall-Plessas)
Mandy Raubenheimer	....	accounts assistant
John Rogers	....	set manager
Dezi Rorich	....	unit publicity manager
Pete Smith	....	key armorer
Hendrik H. Spangenberg	....	base camp manager
Ollie Steele	....	armorer
Michelle ten Haaf	....	production accountant
Leonard L. Thomas	....	assistant: Samuel L. Jackson (as Leonard Thomas)
Garin Van Munster	....	head animal wrangler
Joan Washington	....	dialogue coach
Laura Wilcox	....	construction coordinator
David Alex Wilson	....	unit publicist
William Chartoff	....	assistant to producers (uncredited)
Michael J. Harker	....	completion bond company representative (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Chartoff Productions
• Film Afrika Worldwide
• Film Consortium
• Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa
• Merlin Films
• Phoenix Pictures
• Studio Eight Productions
• UK Film Council

Distributors

• Columbia TriStar (2005) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar (2005) (Denmark) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar (2005) (New Zealand) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar (2005) (Norway) (theatrical)
• DeA Planeta Home Entertainment (2005) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Filmhouse (2005) (Mexico) (theatrical)
• Frenetic Films (2005) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Icon Film Distribution (2005) (UK) (theatrical)
• Lucky Red (2004) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Mongrel Media (2005) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Classics (2005) (USA) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2005) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Spentzos Films (2005) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Ster-Kinekor Pictures (2005) (South Africa) (theatrical)
• Canal+ (2005) (France) (TV)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (2005) (Argentina) (all media)
• LK-TEL (2005) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Double Negative (visual effects)
• Cine Image Film Opticals (digital titles) (digital effects) (opticals) (end titles)

Other Companies

• Fred Chandler Associates  opticals
• Airborne Camera Experts  helicopters
• Ardmore Sound  re-recorded at
• Ardmore Sound  sound post-production
• Bow Lane Studios  music recorded at
• Deluxe  prints
• Executive Helicopters  helicopters
• Film Afrika Worldwide  production services: South Africa
• Fred Chandler Associates  titles
• Gearbox Sound and Vision  additional ProTools systems supplied by
• IndieClear  script clearance
• Jason Wheeler Film Services  negative cutting
• Kodak  motion picture film supplied by
• Lipsync Post  35 mm digital intermediate
• Moving Picture Company (MPC)  digital film mastering
• Panavision Ireland  cameras and lenses
• Sapex Scripts  continuity script
• Windmill Lane Pictures  post-production facilities
• Windmill Lane Recording Studios  music recorded at

Also Known As:

"Country of My Skull" - UK (original 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:

USA:R | 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)

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:

References Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967)

Soundtrack:

De Aar

Misjudged story of tenderness

COUNTRY OF MY SKULL aka IN MY COUNTRY is no masterpiece thats for sure, but it has been unfairly slaughtered by critics who were expecting something else entirely.

The film is set against the real life "Truth and Reconcilliation Commission" set up in South Africa after apartheid in order to begin the process of healing the wounds of a divided nation.

However this commission is not the subject of the film, it is the setting. The main drama of the film emanates from the love/hate relationship between journalists Langston Whitfield (Samuel L.Jackson) and Anna Malan (Juliette Binoche).

Whitfield, a Washington Post journalist, is sent to South Africa to cover the hearings. He meets local journalist Anna Malan who is covering the hearings for radio. She trusts the commission entirely and believes forgiveness is the only way forward for her country.

Whitfield however places no trust in a system that does not punish. The pair immediately clash and begin a battle of wills.

however soon the enormity of the evidence they hear draws them together into an affair.

Boorman is not interested in exploring the TRC as a system or it's successes and failures. Instead he is more interested in its impact on his two vastly different protagonists, who must confront issues of race and gender in their own relationship as much as in their work. This is the films strength and weakness. It is beautifully intimate yet is set in a time of great social upheaval which is all but ignored.

The other major problem is that much of the early dialogue sets out to explain the political and social setting rather than define the characters. This leads to somewhat inane characterisation.

With Binoche however Boorman has struck it lucky. Her hard work is evident and although her character is poorly drawn the actresses understanding of emotion allows us to read much into her performance. Even her Afrikaans accent is passable. She displays an incredible tenderness throughout the film. Jackson however does not fair as well, giving a sullen and almost lethargic performance.

To call COUNTRY OF MY SKULL an utter failure as has been suggested by some critics is unfair. With his female protagonist and interesting setting Boorman's sincerity is beyond question and for that alone he deserves praise.