The Whistleblower (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 trafficking scandal.

Director:

Larysa Kondracki

Writers:

Larysa Kondracki, Eilis Kirwan

Stars:

Rachel Weisz, Monica Bellucci, Vanessa Redgrave

8 wins & 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Rachel Weisz	...	Kathryn Bolkovac
Vanessa Redgrave	...	Madeleine Rees
Monica Bellucci	...	Laura Leviani
David Strathairn	...	Peter Ward
Nikolaj Lie Kaas	...	Jan Van Der Velde
Roxana Condurache	...	Raya
Paula Schramm	...	Luba
Alexandru Potocean	...	Viko
William Hope	...	Blakely
Rayisa Kondracki	...	Irka
Jeanette Hain	...	Halyna
Benedict Cumberbatch	...	Nick Kaufman
David Hewlett	...	Fred Murray
Coca Bloos	...	Milena
Luke Treadaway	...	Jim Higgins

Storyline

Inspired by true events, Kathy (Rachel Weisz) is an American police officer who takes a job working as a peacekeeper in post-war Bosnia. Her expectations of helping to rebuild a devastated country are dashed when she uncovers a dangerous reality of corruption, cover-up and intrigue amid a world of private contractors and multinational diplomatic doubletalk.

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Plot Keywords:

bosnia | corruption | cover up | diplomatic immunity | rape | 

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Taglines:

Nothing is more dangerous than the truth.

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Genres:

Action | Biography | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for disturbing violent content including a brutal sexual assault, graphic nudity and language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

Canada Germany

Language:

English Romanian Russian Serbian

Release Date:

27 October 2011 (Germany)

Also Known As:

La verdad oculta

Filming Locations:

Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$61,002, 7 August 2011, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$1,120,914, 23 October 2011

Company Credits

Production Co:

Samuel Goldwyn Films, Whistleblower (Gen One), Barry Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

A rape scene, in which the fictionalized character of Raya is brutalized with a lead pipe. had to be toned down as one viewer fainted during a preview screening in Toronto.

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Goofs

In the opening sequence which is entirely in the language of Ukraine, as Raya is being photographed, Luba whispers while mouthing the word "smile" in English.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Raya: [in Ukrainian] I have to get home. Mama's gonna kill me.
Luba: No. You are staying with me tonight. Roman wants us there at nine in the morning. Raya, we've been over this. It's just a few months working in a hotel.
Raya: Yes, but...
Luba: You want to work at a Copyshack like your mother? He said it was both of us or nothing!
Raya: ...No.
[walks away]

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Connections

Featured in Maltin on Movies: Man on a Ledge (2012)

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Soundtracks

Svitlo I Spovio (Part III)
Written by Taras Chubai
Performed by Plach Veremiyi
Published by Madiba Music Publishing (ASCAP)
Courtesy of Taras Chubai

User Reviews

A story that so desperately NEEDS TELLING!

If you only watch one movie this month - this should be the one. Its not perfect in terms of putting a movie together but the glitches are very few. More important is the message and if you are not shocked and deeply troubled about our society after watching it I would be surprised! Human trafficking is something most of us all to readily assume is some minor issue that doesn't happen to those around us or is perpetrated by the supposedly small percentage of 'bad guys' around us. But men typically have a very different mindset about rape to how women view and feel about it - and I personally felt this depiction of the realities of the world we actually live in both horrifying and sadly sickening thanks to a virtually global scale of indifference and lip service! The lack of action on the part of the American bureaucratic system after what was happening was exposed (along with the European governments et al as well) to clean up the contractors and the representatives sent to these destabilised regions, all to well underlines the real attitude to dealing with this epidemic of trafficking, systematic rape and torture. Trafficking is certainly alive and well thanks to that attitude and indifference to deal with this issue (largely by men). The fact that she was unable to obtain work anywhere after this expose all to readily underlines the lack of interest in the private contractors to cleaning up their own operations... Deeply Sickening and Saddening!