Red Dust – Die Wahrheit führt in die Freiheit (2004)

Red Dust – Die Wahrheit führt in die Freiheit: Directed by Tom Hooper. With Jamie Bartlett, Hilary Swank, Ian Roberts, Chiwetel Ejiofor. Police officer Dirk Hendricks files an amnesty application for Alex Mpondo, 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, meanwhile, returns to her homeland to represent Mpondo, as well as Steve Sizela, Mpondo’s friend who was arrested along with him and never heard from again.

“I was unsure of this movie before renting and did so on the assurance that Hilary Swank has always given excellent performances in her movies. She seems to rely on restraint to gain the emotional impact that she does. And she didnu0026#39;t prove me wrong in this movie.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eHowever the movie also had fantastic performances from all other members of the cast both speaking and non-speaking. I have to single out Jamie Bartlett and Chiwetel Ejiofor – the two main protagonists – for their outstanding acting abilities and portrayal of true human feelings and failings. The whole movie ran almost like a documentary.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eI must applaud Tom Hooper as the director and Avril Beukes as the editor for keeping a multiple layered story being revealed smoothly whilst keeping dialogue and action moving along in an understandable fashion. The opening sequence of the South African landscape was striking and I had to push the pause button to savour the photography.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eWhy canu0026#39;t a movie like this ever get nominated for an International award. It seems to me to hit the high-rating button on all counts. It was not just a film it was a true experience of life in a country coming out of apartheid. A life of poverty was all around but it celebrated the dignity of the human spirit.”