Red Dust (2004)

Director:

Tom Hooper

Writers:

Troy Kennedy-Martin (screenplay)
Gillian Slovo (novel)

Release Date:

14 April 2005 (Netherlands)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Police officer Dirk Hendricks (Bartlett) files an amnesty application for Alex Mpondo (Ejiofor), a member of the South African Parliament who can't remember the torture he once endured as a captive political activist. South African-born attorney Sarah Barcant (Swank), meanwhile, returns to her homeland to represent Mpondo, as well as Steve Sizela, Mpondo's friend who arrested along with him and never heard from again. |

Plot Keywords:

South Africa | Man On The Verge Of Tears | Apartheid | Courtroom | Truth Commission

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Jamie Bartlett	...	Dirk Hendricks
Hilary Swank	...	Sarah Barcant
Ian Roberts	...	Piet Müller
Chiwetel Ejiofor	...	Alex Mpondo
Hlomla Dandala	...	Oscar Dumasi
James Ngcobo	...	Ezekiel
Glen Gabela	...	Themba
Connie Mfuku	...	Alex's Aunt
Sylvaine Strike	...	Woman at House
Greg Latter	...	Mannie Bester
Zaa Nkweta	...	Reporter
Marius Weyers	...	Ben Hoffman
Sam Phillips	...	Elder (as Sam Philllips)
Elize Cawood	...	Anna Hoffman
Mawongo Tyawa	...	James Sizela (as Mawonga Dominic Tyawa)
Nomhlé Nkyonyeni	...	Mrs. Sizela (as Nomhle Nkyonyeni)
Junior Singo	...	Sipho
Loyiso Gxwala	...	Steve Sizela
Dirk Stoltz	...	Andre (as Dirk Stolz)
Superintendant Van Rooyen	...	Minister
Robin Smith	...	Duty Officer
Aaron Motaung Khotse	...	Policeman
Dudu Mbele	...	Comforter
Leslie Mongezi	...	Chairman Neville Mashaba
Nambitha Mpumlwana	...	Advocate Norah Mbeti
Marcel van Heerden	...	Advocate Chris Hummell
Kamo Merilo	...	Sipho's Friend
David Dennis	...	Police Superintendent
Vivian Bieldt	...	Forensics Inpector
Jennifer Steyn	...	Marie Müller
Wilson Dunster	...	District Judge

Directed by
Tom Hooper

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Troy Kennedy-Martin		screenplay
Gillian Slovo		novel

Produced by
Ruth Caleb	....	producer
Richard Green	....	line producer
Joe Oppenheimer	....	co-producer
Sudhir Pragjee	....	co-producer
Anant Singh	....	producer
Helena Spring	....	producer
David Thompson	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Rob Lane		(as Robert Lane)

Cinematography by
Larry Smith

Film Editing by
Avril Beukes

Casting by
Pam Dixon

Production Design by
Mark Wilby

Art Direction by
Patrick Cox

Set Decoration by
Darryl Hammer

Costume Design by
Diana Cilliers

Makeup Department
Chiara Allegrucci	....	assistant makeup artist
Raine Edwards	....	makeup department head
Natalie Hamer	....	hair stylist
Simone Stubbs	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Daphne Williams	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Taryn Collister	....	second assistant director
Grant Nale	....	assistant director
Chris van Latum	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Cheryl Eatock	....	props
Francis Grewe	....	carpenter
Jeanne Henn	....	property master
Michael Hyman	....	lead scenic
Rosalind Lurie	....	graphic designer
Amanda Van Wyngaardt	....	art department coordinator
Edward Visage	....	stand-by props

Sound Department
Fernando Ascani	....	adr recordist
Charlotte Buys	....	adr editor
Michelle Chan	....	boom operator
Nicky De Beer	....	sound effects editor
Akbar Ali Goolam	....	foley recordist (as Akbar Goolam)
Martin Jensen	....	adr recordist (as Martin Peter Jensen)
Ivan Milborrow	....	sound
Jim Petrak	....	adr recordist
Juliet Phillips	....	foley artist
Jeremy Saacks	....	sound re-recording mixer

Visual Effects by
Eddie Addinal	....	digital compositor
Desmond Allan	....	visual effects coordinator
Tallen Chow	....	digital compositor
Brett Manson	....	digital compositor
Tracey Williams	....	visual effects producer

Stunts
Nic Grigg	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Umberto Adaggi	....	still photographer
Telfer Barnes	....	focus puller
Robert Binnall	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Vincent G. Cox	....	director of photography: second unit
Harmon Cusack	....	camera operator
Justin Fouche	....	camera operator
Juri Geldenhuys	....	key grip
Trevor Henen	....	clapper loader
George Loxton	....	focus puller
Nicholas McKenzie	....	assistant camera
Meshack Molope	....	grip
Abel Phoswa	....	generator operator
Sarel Pretorius	....	Steadicam operator
Richard Rolf	....	Steadicam operator
Elliot Sewape	....	gaffer
Chris Summers	....	assistant camera
Derek Ueckermann	....	clapper loader

Casting Department
Nina Gold	....	casting: UK
Christa Schamberger	....	casting: South Africa

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Julia Francis	....	costume stand-by
Michelle Karavoussanos	....	head costume buyer
Philip Stapelberg	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Rika Camizianos	....	assembly editor
Rika Camizianos	....	first assistant editor
Pat Munnik	....	color grader
Margaret Setlako	....	negative matcher

Music Department
Yann McCullough	....	assistant music engineer
Steve Parr	....	music mixer
Steve Parr	....	music recordist

Transportation Department
Peter Ndifon	....	unit transport manager

Other crew
Maureen Conway	....	script supervisor
Luke Cornell	....	animal wrangler
Ronnie Govender	....	production auditor
Carol Kruger	....	production accountant
Robert Naidoo	....	production auditor
Dezi Rorich	....	publicity manager
Adriaan van Zyl	....	production secretary
Leila Wreyford	....	title designer
Francesca Franklyn	....	script editor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
• Distant Horizon
• Videovision Entertainment
• Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa
• BBC Films

Distributors

• RCV Film Distribution (2005) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (2005) (UK) (TV) (BBC2)
• DNC Entertainment (2004) (Italy) (all media)
• FS Film Oy (2006) (Finland) (DVD)
• Film1 (2006) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• IPA Asia Pacific (2009) (Taiwan) (DVD)
• Koch Media (2008) (Germany) (DVD)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Teleview International (2006) (Lebanon) (all media) (Middle East)
• Verenigde Arbeiders Radio Amateurs (VARA) (2009) (Netherlands) (TV)
• Visionary Thinking (2008-2013) (Serbia) (all media)

Other Companies

• Film Finances  completion guarantor

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for violent images and language

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

UK | South Africa

Language:

English | Xhosa | Afrikaans

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Netherlands:12 | UK:15 | Brazil:14 | USA:R | Australia:M | Finland:K-15 | Germany:12 | Italy:T | Iceland:12 | Singapore:NC-16 | Argentina:16

Filming Locations:

South Africa

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Quotes:

[last lines]
Alex Mpondo:We have the right to say that it hurt.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "At the Movies: Episode #2.41" (2005)

Truth and Reconciliation

POSSIBLE SPOILERS

No one is likely to pick up a DVD of Red Dust without knowing that it is about South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Hilary Swank stars as a South African exile who returns to her home town as a lawyer representing Alex Mpondo (Chiwetel Ejiofer), a member of the South African parliament who was tortured by a prison guard, Pete Muller (Ian Roberts), who is seeking to escape prison by testifying before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. They could certainly have found an actress who has or could imitate a South African accent; Ms. Swank makes no attempt whatsoever to cover her unmistakably American accent. Nevertheless she is the only well-known actor in the movie, and it would probably not have been made without her or someone equally well known. She does a passable job. However, Ejiofer and Muller (pronounced in the German way with an umlat over the "u") are outstanding as is Jamie Barlett as the chief of police, responsible for murdering Mpondo's comrade and fellow prisoner. The torture scenes are shown in brief flashes but they are vivid and believable. What is not believable is the Truth and Reconciliation process -- except that it actually happened. "Red Dust" should be seen for that reason alone because it was and is unbelievable that the ANC prisoners could actually forgive the torturers, and this is as close as we are likely to get to seeing the process in action.