In My Country
—Overview
—Photos
—About this Film pdf
In My Country depicts the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings, and it’s DVD version is released hot on the heals of Hotel Rwanda. The two movies share much in common: the central thread revolves around the brutality of those in a position of authority against the helpless. This movie is driven by the characters played by Samuel L. Jackson and Juliette Binoche, as the two experience the hearings first hand and explore their feelings.
Langston Whitfield (Jackson) shows up at the hearings, sent by the Washington Post to report back to a country that seems less interested in the reconciliation process than one would hope. Whitfield’s own latent anger bleeds out in his reports back to the U.S. and in his discussion of the proceedings with Anna Malan (Juliette Binoche). Anna’s own feelings are complicated as she reports on the proceedings by radio, as her beloved country shows signs of cracking.
Anna admits that she knew what was happening to people during apartheid, but struggles with an “everyone was doing it mentality.� Her guilt covers her like a fog and Langston has no sympathy at first. As they watch the proceedings, they learn important lessons from an orphaned boy’s response to the murderous cop who confesses and from an old man who tells them that ‘what hurts me, hurts us all.’ Here are key ingredients of Jesus’ teachings to us: to turn the other cheek, to repent for our mistakes, and to treat others as we would be treated. Unfortunately, the two reporters also slide into an adulterous affair at the same time.
While trying to deal with his rage over the stories that he hears, Langston is told by Anna’s assistant, Dumi Mkhalipi (Menzi Ngubane) that not everything is black and white, but that sometimes there is grey. How we define our worldview can determine our understanding of black, white, and grey, but in the movie’s depiction of apartheid and the aftermath, everyone shoulders blame because no one is innocent. Rather than being judgmental, Langston is forced to recognize his own faults—only Anna gets this more clearly.
Langston stops from killing Colonel Henry De Jager (Brendan Gleason) during one of their interviews because of the model presented to him by two people: the old man who shared his story and Anna who takes the shame of the whole country on herself. Once again, the gospel of Jesus Christ shines through. Sharing truth in the form of the story makes for easier understanding and provides those who were not present to learn from the mistakes of the past. (Now, if we could only remember the Holocaust and be changed…maybe we could avoid our continual perpetuation of these annihilations.) And Anna’s ‘wearing’ of the shame is Christlike, as He bore our sins upon Himself, dying the death on the cross. Anna’s ability to move on and see the hope that awaits Africa is also Christlike, because in His resurrection, we can believe in hope and a future.
Before Anna gets to hope, she is forced to recognize her own mistakes—and once again, a story (from her mother) teaches her that any lie concealed will ultimately betray the whole truth. The scene depicting Anna’s reconciliation with her husband is painful but is necessary to show yet again the microcosm that the truth hearings depict in the thousands. Unfortunately for Langston and Dumi experience the perpetuation of violence, this time black on black. No one is safe from guilt when bad decisions are made. Now if only we could learn from stories like this and live in peace with one another…In My Country, a mansion, a Kingdom, a real place?
—Overview
—Photos
—About this Film pdf
—Photos
—About this Film pdf
In My Country depicts the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings, and it’s DVD version is released hot on the heals of Hotel Rwanda. The two movies share much in common: the central thread revolves around the brutality of those in a position of authority against the helpless. This movie is driven by the characters played by Samuel L. Jackson and Juliette Binoche, as the two experience the hearings first hand and explore their feelings.Langston Whitfield (Jackson) shows up at the hearings, sent by the Washington Post to report back to a country that seems less interested in the reconciliation process than one would hope. Whitfield’s own latent anger bleeds out in his reports back to the U.S. and in his discussion of the proceedings with Anna Malan (Juliette Binoche). Anna’s own feelings are complicated as she reports on the proceedings by radio, as her beloved country shows signs of cracking.
Anna admits that she knew what was happening to people during apartheid, but struggles with an “everyone was doing it mentality.� Her guilt covers her like a fog and Langston has no sympathy at first. As they watch the proceedings, they learn important lessons from an orphaned boy’s response to the murderous cop who confesses and from an old man who tells them that ‘what hurts me, hurts us all.’ Here are key ingredients of Jesus’ teachings to us: to turn the other cheek, to repent for our mistakes, and to treat others as we would be treated. Unfortunately, the two reporters also slide into an adulterous affair at the same time.
While trying to deal with his rage over the stories that he hears, Langston is told by Anna’s assistant, Dumi Mkhalipi (Menzi Ngubane) that not everything is black and white, but that sometimes there is grey. How we define our worldview can determine our understanding of black, white, and grey, but in the movie’s depiction of apartheid and the aftermath, everyone shoulders blame because no one is innocent. Rather than being judgmental, Langston is forced to recognize his own faults—only Anna gets this more clearly.Langston stops from killing Colonel Henry De Jager (Brendan Gleason) during one of their interviews because of the model presented to him by two people: the old man who shared his story and Anna who takes the shame of the whole country on herself. Once again, the gospel of Jesus Christ shines through. Sharing truth in the form of the story makes for easier understanding and provides those who were not present to learn from the mistakes of the past. (Now, if we could only remember the Holocaust and be changed…maybe we could avoid our continual perpetuation of these annihilations.) And Anna’s ‘wearing’ of the shame is Christlike, as He bore our sins upon Himself, dying the death on the cross. Anna’s ability to move on and see the hope that awaits Africa is also Christlike, because in His resurrection, we can believe in hope and a future.
Before Anna gets to hope, she is forced to recognize her own mistakes—and once again, a story (from her mother) teaches her that any lie concealed will ultimately betray the whole truth. The scene depicting Anna’s reconciliation with her husband is painful but is necessary to show yet again the microcosm that the truth hearings depict in the thousands. Unfortunately for Langston and Dumi experience the perpetuation of violence, this time black on black. No one is safe from guilt when bad decisions are made. Now if only we could learn from stories like this and live in peace with one another…In My Country, a mansion, a Kingdom, a real place?—Overview
—Photos
—About this Film pdf
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home