Sometimes we need to watch a film, not because of its 10/10 star quality, scintillating script or breath-taking cinematography, but because of what we might learn. Red Dust tells the story of South African lawyer Sarah Barcant, who travels from New York back to her hometown to represent Alex Mpondo in the country’s Truth and Reconciliation proceedings. Mpondo’s torturer during the apartheid years has made an application for amnesty. The viewer swings between admiration for such a bold reconciliation policy designed to heal a nation and revulsion at how unjust that process can be.
This is a UK/South African production and it is great to watch something with a different feel and look of the usual Hollywood fayre. However, producers still saw the need for a big American name (Hilary Swank), presumably because they felt it needed a big star to persuade investors or potential cinema-goers that this would be worth the ticket price. Swank is a good actor (two Oscars back this up) but a bit more effort with a South African accent would have helped her cause. Also, Ejiofor is English. Where was the big South African talent?
There is a wealth of African film out there. FF would recommend doing a bit of research and finding good films set in that continent and also ones actually produced there. Not all great films are made in the good ole US of A.
Certificate: 15
1 hour 50 min
BBC (Free) Prime (£1.99)
Director: Tom Hooper
Cast: Hilary Swank, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jamie Bartlett
