Welcome to the New South Africa. The old order has fallen and the in-coming majority has decided to deal with the excesses of the old order genteelly through a Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Anna Malan (Juliette Binoche) is one of the widely respected local reporters covering proceedings. And Anna is quite intent on celebrating South Africa's newly found freedom even though most other Afrikaaners either ignore the change-over or show polite disdain for Anna's exuberance. Anna is a bit too enthusiastic to take notice of the subtle expressions of displeasure.
The scenes with Anna and her Afrikaneer family and friends are magnificently staged, capturing the tension of the moment and Anna's blithe ignorance of the discomfort of all around her.
Anna is joined at the reporter's table by the American Langston Whitfield (Samuel L. Jackson) who finds great affection Afrikaaners and Africans have to their country very different from his ambivalent feelings toward his own. Yet while Whitfield is up to some serious work running a story on the notorious Colonel De Jager (Brendan Gleeson), does join the celebration.
The excesses that the high priests of the old order have to publicly own up to range from the brutal and macabre to the plain bizarre. "I have only one question," an old man asks, "before I forgive you. Why did you chop down my fruit trees?" Most incidents are far more serious. Certainly the propensity of the unlawful violence and brutality was on a scale Bush and Cheney could only envy.
The Commission, though it is exhuming bodies across the velt, cannot get a true grip on the organized violence of the former regime. Enter Colone De Jager. Though the Colonel reveals the secret torture camp, he is denied amnesty for having gone too far.
"Why," cries Anna after DeJager as he is being carted away, "did you do this?" The answer is as bizarre as the violence itself.
The movie is highly recommended though the end is probably a little too arty for an American audience.
The scenes with Anna and her Afrikaneer family and friends are magnificently staged, capturing the tension of the moment and Anna's blithe ignorance of the discomfort of all around her.
Anna is joined at the reporter's table by the American Langston Whitfield (Samuel L. Jackson) who finds great affection Afrikaaners and Africans have to their country very different from his ambivalent feelings toward his own. Yet while Whitfield is up to some serious work running a story on the notorious Colonel De Jager (Brendan Gleeson), does join the celebration.
The excesses that the high priests of the old order have to publicly own up to range from the brutal and macabre to the plain bizarre. "I have only one question," an old man asks, "before I forgive you. Why did you chop down my fruit trees?" Most incidents are far more serious. Certainly the propensity of the unlawful violence and brutality was on a scale Bush and Cheney could only envy.
The Commission, though it is exhuming bodies across the velt, cannot get a true grip on the organized violence of the former regime. Enter Colone De Jager. Though the Colonel reveals the secret torture camp, he is denied amnesty for having gone too far.
"Why," cries Anna after DeJager as he is being carted away, "did you do this?" The answer is as bizarre as the violence itself.
The movie is highly recommended though the end is probably a little too arty for an American audience.