''Red Dust'' is a 2004 British

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...

starring Hilary Swank and Chiwetel Ejiofor and directed by

Tom Hooper Thomas George Hooper (born 5 October 1972)''Births, Marriages & Deaths Index of England & Wales, 1916–2005''. 5d: 2485. is a British-Australian filmmaker. Known for his work in film and television he has received numerous accolades includ ...

. The screenplay, written by Troy Kennedy Martin, is based on the novel ''Red Dust'' by

Gillian Slovo Gillian Slovo (born 15 March 1952) is a South African-born writer who lives in the UK. She was a recipient of the Golden PEN Award. Early life and education Gillian Slovo was born on 15 March 1952 in Johannesburg, South Africa, a daughter of Jo ...

. The film was predominantly shot on location in South Africa, specifically in the town of Graaff Reinet.

Plot

Sarah Barcant ( Hilary Swank), a white lawyer in New York City who grew up in South Africa, returns to her childhood home to represent Alex Mpondo ( Chiwetel Ejiofor), a Black South African politician who was tortured during

apartheid Apartheid ( , especially South African English: , ; , ) was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. It was characterised by an ...

. Under the post-apartheid Truth and Reconciliation terms, the whole truth must come out. As it is, under duress Mpondo had identified one of his underground comrades, Steve Sizela, to the apartheid authorities. But he also confirms that he kept a much more important secret – a list of new recruits. This is still where he left it buried. The full truth now emerges. Dirk Hendricks ( Jamie Bartlett), the local policeman, admits Sizela was killed by his boss, Piet Muller ( Ian Roberts) and that much of the torture was carried out at a ranch rather than at the police station – thus confirming Alex's apparently false memories of a 'dirt floor' and a water tap in the corridor. Visiting the ranch, Alex puts details together. Dirk admits where he buried Steve Sizela. The bones are found and dug from the ground; Mpondo decides to allow amnesty as the whole truth has been said. Muller, who denied the charges and pleaded not guilty, ironically applies for amnesty himself, infuriating members of the Black South African community. Parallel with this story is Barcant's confrontation with her own past. She was arrested as a teenager for having a black boyfriend, which was breaking the apartheid laws. She got out of custody after one night, thanks to Ben Hoffman, a white lawyer who has worked all of his life against apartheid and is a strong believer in 'Truth and Reconciliation'. Sarah Barcant is there because she owes him a debt, and he is now too weak to take the case himself. He sees the outcome as positive.

Cast

* Hilary Swank as Sarah Barcant * Chiwetel Ejiofor as Alex Mpondo * Jamie Bartlett as Dirk Hendricks * Ian Roberts as Piet Müller * Nomhle Nkonyeni as Mrs. Sizela * Marius Weyers as Ben Hoffman

References

External links

* * * 2004 directorial debut films 2004 drama films 2004 films 2000s English-language films 2000s British films British drama films South African drama films English-language South African films Apartheid films Films based on South African novels Films directed by Tom Hooper Films with screenplays by Troy Kennedy Martin BBC Film films Films set in South Africa Films shot in the Eastern Cape Truth and Reconciliation Commission (South Africa) Works about apartheid in South Africa English-language drama films 2000s South African films {{2000s-drama-film-stub