Skin (2008)

Based on the true story of a black girl who was born to two white Afrikaner parents in South Africa during the apartheid era.

Director:

Anthony Fabian

Writers:

Helen Crawley (screenplay), Jessie Keyt (screenplay)

Stars:

Sophie Okonedo, Sam Neill, Alice Krige

13 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sophie Okonedo	...	Sandra Laing
Sam Neill	...	Abraham Laing
Alice Krige	...	Sannie Laing
Tony Kgoroge	...	Petrus Zwane
Ella Ramangwane	...	Young Sandra
Terri Ann Eckstein	...	Elsie Laing (aged 19)
Bongani Masondo	...	Henry Laing (aged 20)
Dan Robbertse	...	Factory Foreman
Jeremy Crutchley	...	Hugh Johnston
Jonathan Taylor	...	TV Sound Recordist
Nomathamsanga Baleka	...	Factory Worker 1 (as Thami Baleka)
Valesika Smith	...	Factory Worker 2 (as Valesica Smith)
Faniswa Yisa	...	Nora Molefe
Hannes Brummer	...	Leon Laing
Zamanthebe Sithebe	...	Young Thembi

Storyline

Based on the true story of a black girl who was born to two white Afrikaner parents in South Africa during the apartheid era.

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Plot Keywords:

south africa | apartheid | prayer | civil rights | one word title | 

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Genres:

Biography | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for thematic material, some violence and sexuality

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

UK South Africa

Language:

English Zulu

Release Date:

24 July 2009 (UK)

Also Known As:

Skin - In schwarzer Haut

Filming Locations:

Johannesburg, South Africa

Company Credits

Production Co:

Elysian Films, Bard Entertainments, Moonlighting Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Sannie Laing: Anything else for you Joseph?
Joseph: I need a new wife. This one she is too expensive.

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Connections

Referenced in Maltin on Movies: Unknown & Cedar Rapids (2011)

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Soundtracks

Innocent Child

User Reviews

Good film based on a true story

I saw this last month at the 2009 Palm springs International Film Festival. This is based on the true story set in South Africa during the Apartheid system of a Sandra Laing (Sophie Okonedo), who was born of dark skin to two Afrikaaners of white Eropean descent Abraham (Sam Neill) and Sannie (Alice Krige) Laing. Sandra is a genetic throwback because unknown to her parents, and like many Afrikaaners, there was mixed blood in their heritage between the Euopeans who settled in South Africa and the indigenous Africans. The story begins with Sophie getting expelled from an all-white school because of her differences in appearance. She is reclassified as dark. Her father (who is himself a bigot) fights to have her reclassified as white. She eventually is but against her family wishes she causes an unbreakable divide when she decides to marry a black man and have herself reclassified yet again as black. This is the feature film directorial debut of writer/director Anthony Fabian who was also present at my screening for an audience Q&A. The screenplay is from Helen Crawley but there was a book written recently by author Judith Stone called When She Was White that goes more into the complete story of Sophie's life. This film covers Sophie from around age 10 through her first marriage. Both Fabian's film and Stone's book had the cooperation of Sophie herself in their making. An excellent cast with three veterans in the principal roles with Neill, Krige, and the young but very busy Okonedo who was an Oscar nominee for Hotel Rwanda. This is a good film but it plays more like a made for TV movie and HBO, BET, Hallmark, A&E, AMC or Lifetime should all consider showing this. I would give this an 7.5 out of 10 and recommend it.