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IN
MY COUNTRY
review by
Terri Wall
The country
referred to in the title is South Africa, at the time right after apartheid.
Although it is a fictional story, it is based on true events. Nelson Mandela
had decreed that the white Afrikaan policemen and others who had committed
atrocities against the native black population, would be granted amnesty
under two conditions - they had to tell the truth and they had to state
they were under orders to do what they did. This created quite a controversy,
the two sides of which are represented by the fictional characters played
by Samuel L. Jackson and Juliette Binoche.
Juliette Binoche plays Anna Malan, an Afrikaan poet, whose own father
is violently against these hearings which she has been assigned to cover
and which he feels are only an excuse to blame all white Afrikaaners.
Samuel L. Jackson plays Langston Whitfield, an American black reporter,
who has been sent to South Africa by the Washington Post to cover the
hearings. He comes with his own agenda - he can't understand why the
white oppressors are being let off without any punishment and is convinced
it's because the victims were black so of course no one cares. Langston
is so unaware of what is going on in this country that at one point when
their vehicle is stopped by armed men, he can only conceive of it as a
carjacking not even considering that it may be something far worse.
What Anna understands and tries to explain to her family and to Langston
is that these hearings will offer the country a chance to heal so that
they can all (whites and blacks) move forward and live together. They
will teach people that what Nelson Mandela said is true, “If you
hurt any, you hurt us all including yourself.”
Despite the controversy the results were impressive. Over 1100 persecutors
applied for amnesty and to hear their cases the Truth and Reconciliation
Committee was formed. This gave the surviving victims and relatives of
the murdered victims a chance to confront the murderers and torturers
and show them what effect their actions have had. It also gave the offenders
a chance to deal with what they had done and cleanse their souls.
The testimony is both moving and difficult to hear. At one point Anna
is forced to leave the room because she is so overcome by the gruesome
details she is hearing. Langston asks why she, the white reporter, is
the only one crying. It is explained to him that she is learning of these
things for the first time while the black natives have known all along
what was happening.
Along the way truths are revealed: One white policeman when asked why
he did what he did answers, “so our people could sleep safe.”
Anna points out to Langston that the Afrikaaners share responsibility
for what was done by their government even if they did not participate
themselves or know what was happening because “even if the lie is
not known, the effect is still there”.
Although the fictional storyline is an unwelcome (and unnecessary) diversion
from the main theme of the film, the movie is still well worth seeing.
It raises questions about citizens' responsibilities about what their
government is doing in their name - a question that is extremely relevant
today.
In
My Country was Directed by John Boorman, with a Screenplay by Ann
Peacock based on the book “Country of My Skull” by Antjie
Krog.
The website is www.inmycountrymovie.com
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