Jerusalema (2008)

Director:

Ralph Ziman

Writer:

Ralph Ziman (writer)

Release Date:

May 2008 (South Africa)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

"If you're going to steal...Steal big, and hope like hell you get away with it!"

Plot:

Young hoodlum's rise from a small-time criminal to a powerful crime entrepreneur during the turbulent years before and after the fall of apartheid. |

Plot Keywords:

Post Apartheid | South Africa | Drug Lord | Bank Robbery | Police

Awards:

6 wins

Cast

Daniel Buckland	...	Josh Freidlander
Robert Hobbs	...	Detective Swart
Eugene Khumbanyiwa	...	Drug dealer
Motlatsi Mahloko	...	Young Zakes
Jafta Mamabolo	...	Young Kunene
Shelley Meskin	...	Leah Freidlander
Kenneth Nkosi	...	Sithole
Ronnie Nyakale	...	Zakes Mbolelo
Louise Saint-Claire	...	Anna-Marie van Rensburg
Rapulana Seiphemo	...	Lucky Kunene
Jeffrey Zekele	...	Nazareth

Also Known As:

Jerusalem Entjha (South Africa: English title) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, language, drug use and some sexual content.

Runtime:

Germany:120 min (Berlin International Film Festival)

Country:

South Africa

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Certification:

South Africa:16LV | Australia:MA | USA:R (certificate #45659) | Netherlands:16

Filming Locations:

Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa

Company:

Muti Films

Trivia:

A mixture of languages can be heard throughout the movie. Township slang is mostly a bastardized language known as Fanagalo which was founded in the mines by various tribes working together and needing a common language. It is comprised of Zulu, Xhosa, English and Afrikaans

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Josh is in drug rehab, a sign says "Hospice Entrance" is clearly visible, showing that the scene was shot at a hospice.

An African Renaissance in Cinema

Saw Jerusalema last weekend. I found the film to be an engaging, moving, and important reminder that the strangest worlds are right under our noses. Fast paced, gritty and in your face

I loved Rapulana Simpiwe in the lead, a stunning young talent, Jafta Mamabolo who played the young Kunene is fantastic.

The script is excellent, reassuringly tight and Carried me effortlessly through the journey.

This is the story of how a intelligent kid with the same hopes and dreams as anyone else; an education, work hard, get a degree and live his dreams through legitimate means, succumbs, despite himself, to a life of crime because it is his only course available.

It accurately portrays the universal genesis of crime and loss of innocence and righteousness (the symbol of which of course was the mother with her hand pressed tightly on her bible).

I don't know what's happening with the film in terms of its international release, but I would sincerely hope that many others will have the memorable experience that we did.