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Whistleblower - In gefährlicher Mission

Original title: The Whistleblower
  • 2010
  • 16
  • 1h 52m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
37K
YOUR RATING
Vanessa Redgrave and Rachel Weisz in Whistleblower - In gefährlicher Mission (2010)
A drama based on the experiences of Kathryn Bolkovac, a Nebraska cop who served as a peacekeeper in post-war Bosnia and outed the U.N. for covering up a sex scandal
Play trailer2:01
1 Video
42 Photos
True CrimeBiographyCrimeDrama

A drama based on the experiences of Kathryn Bolkovac, a Nebraska cop who served as a peacekeeper in post-war Bosnia and outed the U.N. for covering up a sex trafficking scandal.A drama based on the experiences of Kathryn Bolkovac, a Nebraska cop who served as a peacekeeper in post-war Bosnia and outed the U.N. for covering up a sex trafficking scandal.A drama based on the experiences of Kathryn Bolkovac, a Nebraska cop who served as a peacekeeper in post-war Bosnia and outed the U.N. for covering up a sex trafficking scandal.

  • Director
    • Larysa Kondracki
  • Writers
    • Larysa Kondracki
    • Eilis Kirwan
  • Stars
    • Rachel Weisz
    • Monica Bellucci
    • Vanessa Redgrave
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.1/10
    37K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Larysa Kondracki
    • Writers
      • Larysa Kondracki
      • Eilis Kirwan
    • Stars
      • Rachel Weisz
      • Monica Bellucci
      • Vanessa Redgrave
    • 120User reviews
    • 148Critic reviews
    • 59Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 8 wins & 10 nominations total

    Videos1

    The Whistleblower
    Trailer 2:01
    The Whistleblower

    Photos41

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    Top Cast51

    Edit
    Rachel Weisz
    Rachel Weisz
    • Kathryn Bolkovac
    Monica Bellucci
    Monica Bellucci
    • Laura Leviani
    Vanessa Redgrave
    Vanessa Redgrave
    • Madeleine Rees
    David Strathairn
    David Strathairn
    • Peter Ward
    Nikolaj Lie Kaas
    Nikolaj Lie Kaas
    • Jan Van Der Velde
    Roxana Condurache
    • Raya
    Paula Schramm
    Paula Schramm
    • Luba
    Alexandru Potocean
    Alexandru Potocean
    • Viko
    William Hope
    William Hope
    • Blakely
    Rayisa Kondracki
    Rayisa Kondracki
    • Irka
    Jeanette Hain
    Jeanette Hain
    • Halyna
    Benedict Cumberbatch
    Benedict Cumberbatch
    • Nick Kaufman
    David Hewlett
    David Hewlett
    • Fred Murray
    Coca Bloos
    • Milena
    Luke Treadaway
    Luke Treadaway
    • Jim Higgins
    Liam Cunningham
    Liam Cunningham
    • Bill Hynes
    Anna Anissimova
    Anna Anissimova
    • Zoe
    Anca Androne
    Anca Androne
    • Zenia
    • Director
      • Larysa Kondracki
    • Writers
      • Larysa Kondracki
      • Eilis Kirwan
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews120

    7.136.8K
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    Featured reviews

    7swift127pk

    Worth to watch

    The movie uncovers some truths which anybody wont feel better on seeing this.It shows the ugly side of UN and the peace keepers.Rachel weisz did a phenomenal acting. i strongly recommend to watch it to see the ugly truth of the peacemakers. For the director its a nice debut and a bold one. i guess Rachel weisz would get an Oscar nomination for this role.Sex trafficking in war beaten country and on those people whom they are supposed to protect were their to rape and sexually torture them.i don't know what really happened there and what are the real deal is but this movie is a glimpse of what would happened.if i am not wrong i can expect these kind of activities in other war affected countries, where these contractors and peace keepers went.
    7ferguson-6

    I'm Not Like You

    Greetings again from the darkness. Emotional exhaustion swept over me as this film came to an end. Based on the true experiences of Kathryn Bolkovac, we see what a true hero is. She absolutely refused to turn away from the despicable actions of her co-workers and government officials.

    Rachel Weisz delivers what is far and away her best performance yet. She captures the emotional complexity and strength that Ms. Bolkovac displayed. Some have stated she was conflicted, but I never saw that. I saw the character of a woman who had a clear understanding of right and wrong ... and would settle for nothing less than "right".

    Kathryn, a Nebraska cop, accepts a UN peacekeeping job in post-war Bosnia. Her spirit and strength is recognized, and rewarded with promotion, by Madeleine Rees (Vanessa Redgrave) who is director of the Human Rights Commission. It is in this job where she slowly uncovers the corruption and cover-up of sex trafficking of underage girls. Even more sickening is that this most profitable business is being run by the peacekeepers and law officers being paid to protect these citizens.

    It turns out that though Ms. Bolkovac was fighting for these human rights of these girls, she was also working diligently to expose the corruption of the private contractors hired to supply personnel in all aspects of recovery in countries such as Bosnia. In her situation, the private contractor was DynCorp and she had no problem pulling back the curtain on the lack of training and control exhibited by this and other contractors.

    Combine that with the frustrations in dealing with bureaucrats such as Monica Bellucci's character, it often feels as if Ms. Bolkovac is fighting a one woman crusade (with a little help from David Strathairn's character). When red tape (such as no passport for the abused girls) and diplomatic immunity become major players in fending off her efforts, we get the wonderful line "immunity not impunity". That explains a great deal.

    The film is directed by first timer Larysa Kondracki. Setting and tone is well captured, but the editing of many scenes left me somewhat distracted, but not to the point of annoyance. There is so much tension and exposure to despicable actions in this film that I found it difficult to relax afterward. The strength and courage of this woman will restore your faith in humanity and remind us we should never turn away from doing the right thing.
    lee_eisenberg

    don't trust military contractors

    While the atrocities in the former Yugoslavia made a lot of news in the 1990s, less well known were the actions of military contractors in the region. "The Whistleblower" tells the story of Kathryn Bolkovac, a Nebraska cop who joined a private company to serve as a peace-keeper in Bosnia, only to discover that the company was complicit in human trafficking.

    The really ugly scenes are when we see what is done to the trafficked girls. It almost seems as though the movie should have focused more on them. But what is equally important to understand is not only the atrocities committed with impunity by private contractors, but the risk that whistleblowers face even today (as shown by the WikiLeaks case).

    Either way, this is something that everyone should see to understand the reality behind modern-day mercenary armies.
    7jpurits-604-559217

    A good movie with an IMPORTANT story to tell.

    Sure the production values could have been better, but I am sure this movie did not have the biggest budget either.

    I thought Weisz, Redgrave and Strathairn gave good performances. But,most of all, what I liked was the raw feel of this movie, perhaps due to it's smaller budget, and the fact that it had a very important story to tell (a true story).

    I can not comprehend people complaining, in their reviews, regarding the languages spoken. Who cares ? Obviously they cared more about aesthetics than the actual story.

    Even with all it's flaws, it is a very entertaining, although sad, movie. It actually prompted me to do some research on DynCorp, KBR and Blackwater , 3 of the security contractors getting billions of $ from our governments while committing countless crimes around the world. So, I guess, in that respect, the movie has worked and got it's point across. Good to see a movie that actually gets your passion and emotions flowing, even if it is outrage.
    9claudio_carvalho

    Powerful, Gripping and Heartbreaking

    In 1999, in Nebraska, the police officer Kathryn Bolkovac (Rachel Weisz) sees the chance to raise money to be close to her teenage daughter, who lives with her father in another state, with the temporary assignment serving as U.N. peacemaker in Bosnia.

    The idealistic Kathryn believes that she can make the difference in a country devastated by the war, and she works hard and is promoted to director of her department. But soon she discloses a corruption and human trafficking ring with the direct participation of contractors and diplomats that have diplomatic immunity and she does not know who is reliable.

    "The Whistleblower" is a powerful, gripping and heartbreaking movie about corruption and human trafficking in a country devastated by the war. There are great movies about human trafficking and "The Whistleblower" has a plus since it is based on true events.

    Rachel Weisz has a top-notch performance in the role of the brave Kathryn Bolkovac, whose story can be easily found in Internet. Ms. Vanessa Redgrave and the always efficient David Strathairn lead the magnificent supporting cast. My vote is nine.

    Title (Brazil): "A Informante" ("The Whistleblower")

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    Related interests

    Lee Norris and Ciara Moriarty in Zodiac - Die Spur des Killers (2007)
    True Crime
    Ben Kingsley, Rohini Hattangadi, and Geraldine James in Gandhi (1982)
    Biography
    James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Sharon Angela, Max Casella, Dan Grimaldi, Joe Perrino, Donna Pescow, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Michael Drayer in Die Sopranos (1999)
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    Drama

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Kathryn Bolkovac, the woman on whose real life experiences the film is based, sold the rights to her story to director Larysa Kondracki for $100.
    • Goofs
      When Kathryn is asked to return her ID at the HQ, her right-side shirt collar is unfolded. When she is escorted, the collar is folded again, and in the next shot it is the left-side collar that is unfolded.
    • Quotes

      Kathryn Bolkovac: [email to authorities] We are peacekeepers who came to protect the innocent, but now prey upon them in the worst ways possible. We may be accused of thinking with our hearts instead of our heads, but we will have our humanity.

    • Connections
      Featured in Maltin on Movies: Man on a Ledge (2012)
    • Soundtracks
      VONHA (War)
      Written by Anatoli Krupnov (as Anatoly Krupnov), Vasily Bilishotsky and Vladimir Ermakov

      Performed by Black Obelisk

      Courtesy of CD-Maximum

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    FAQ20

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 27, 2011 (Germany)
    • Countries of origin
      • Canada
      • United States
      • Germany
    • Languages
      • English
      • Romanian
      • Russian
      • Serbian
      • Ukrainian
    • Also known as
      • The Whistleblower
    • Filming locations
      • MediaPro Studios, Bucharest, Romania(Studio)
    • Production companies
      • Samuel Goldwyn Films
      • Whistleblower (Gen One)
      • Barry Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $1,124,966
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $61,002
      • Aug 7, 2011
    • Gross worldwide
      • $1,870,392
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 52m(112 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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