Nirgendwo in Afrika (2001)

Director:

Caroline Link

Writers:

Caroline Link (writer)
Stefanie Zweig (novel)

Release Date:

27 December 2001 (Germany)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

Sometimes home is where you least expect it

Plot:

A German Jewish refugee family moves to and adjusts to a farm life in 1930's Kenya.

Plot Keywords:

Kenya | Farm | Africa | Jew | Nude Bathing

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 17 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Juliane Köhler	...	Jettel Redlich
Merab Ninidze	...	Walter Redlich
Sidede Onyulo	...	Owuor
Matthias Habich	...	Walter Süßkind
Lea Kurka	...	Regina Redlich (younger)
Karoline Eckertz	...	Regina Redlich - Older
Gerd Heinz	...	Max
Hildegard Schmahl	...	Ina
Maritta Horwarth	...	Liesel
Regine Zimmermann	...	Käthe
Gabrielle Odinis	...	Dienstmädchen Klara
Bettina Redlich	...	Mrs. Sadler
Julia Leidl	...	Inge
Mechthild Grossmann	...	Elsa Konrad
Joel Wajsberg	...	Hubert
Miriam Wajsberg	...	Ruth
Marian Lösch	...	Johannes
Bela Klentze	...	Boy with sledge (as Bela Klenze)
Peter Lenaeku	...	Jogona as a boy
Silas Kerati	...	Jogona as an adult
Kanyaman	...	Kimani
Andy Rashleigh	...	Captain Caruther (as Andrew Rashleigh)
Anthony Bate	...	Mr. Brindley
David Michaels	...	Robert Green
Steve Weston	...	Mr. Morrison
Diane Keen	...	Mrs. Rubens
Andrew Sachs	...	Mr. Rubens
Ken Brown	...	Bure
Levit Pereira	...	Daji Jiwan
Steven Price	...	British officer in Norfolk
M.M. Shah	...	Patel
Herbert Knaup	...	Walter Redlich (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Aline Sokar	...	Girl (uncredited)
Lion Sokar	...	Boy (uncredited)

Directed by
Caroline Link

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Caroline Link		writer
Stefanie Zweig		novel

Produced by
Andreas Bareiß	....	executive producer
Sven Ebeling	....	co-producer
Bernd Eichinger	....	co-producer
Peter Herrmann	....	producer
Thilo Kleine	....	co-producer
Jürgen Tröster	....	line producer
Michael Weber	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Niki Reiser

Cinematography by
Gernot Roll

Film Editing by
Patricia Rommel

Casting by
An Dorthe Braker
Uwe Bünker

Production Design by
Susann Bieling
Uwe Szielasko

Costume Design by
Barbara Grupp

Makeup Department
Renate Bauer	....	assistant makeup artist: Germany
Nanni Gebhardt-Seele	....	makeup department head
Stephanie Hilke	....	makeup artist
Jeannette Latzelsberger	....	key hair stylist
Elke Lebender	....	hair stylist
Uli Madej	....	assistant makeup artist: Germany
Dorota Martyn	....	assistant makeup artist: Kenya
Maria Seitle	....	assistant makeup artist: Germany
Kerstin Stattmann	....	assistant makeup artist: Kenya

Production Management
Chris Evert	....	production manager
Mark Nolting	....	unit manager
Jenny Pont	....	production supervisor: Kenya
Axel Vogelmann	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Scott Kirby	....	first assistant director
Tony Rimwa	....	assistant director
Nicolai Semjevski	....	assistant director
Sebastian Sorger	....	second assistant director: BRD

Art Department
Claudia Fuchs	....	model maker
Claudia Fuchs	....	set designer
Claudia Fuchs	....	storyboard artist
Simone Fust	....	art department junior
Bettina Glier	....	model maker
Anette Ingerl	....	property master
Sonja Möginger	....	assistant decorator
Stephanie Pedros	....	assistant property master
Babett Pönisch	....	props
Michael Schlegel	....	set constructor
John Silva	....	property master
Hayo Wolfram	....	assistant decorator

Sound Department
Murat Baskan	....	sound effects editor
Normann Büttner	....	foley recordist
Tschangis Chahrokh	....	sound re-recording mixer
Magda Habernickel	....	sound editor
Nigel Holland	....	original African backgrounds and FX
Mel Kutbay	....	sound effects editor
Einar Marell	....	sound: Cuxhaven
Georg Müller	....	assistant sound
Annette Prey	....	sound designer
Marcel Spisak	....	sound designer
Andreas Wölki	....	sound

Special Effects by
Erwin Gschwind	....	special effects
Pit Rotter	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Andrea Geiger	....	compositing supervisor: CA Scanline Production GmbH
Jan Krupp	....	set supervisor: CA Scanline Production GmbH
Meike Pape	....	scanning and recording: scan&record35
Christian Pokorny	....	head of animation: CA Scanline Production GmbH
Martin Riedel	....	digital effects artist: CA Scanline Production GmbH
Stefanie Stalf	....	visual effects producer: CA Scanline Production GmbH
Ismat Zaidi	....	scanning and recording supervisor: scan&record35

Camera and Electrical Department
Paul Atoni	....	grip
Tim Bantien	....	lighting assistant: second unit
Mike Bartlett	....	Steadicam operator
Kurt Hannemann	....	electrician
Harald Hauschildt	....	gaffer
Ruben Killat	....	assistant camera
Sila Kimeu	....	electrician
Peter Kioko	....	grip
Martin Lippert	....	electrician
Benson Maingi	....	best boy electric
Wycliffe Makotsi	....	electrician
George Mbugua	....	generator operator
Kungu Ngan	....	generator operator
Stephen Obunde	....	best boy grip
Dimitri Opekine	....	electrician
Michael Praun	....	camera operator
Walter Wehner	....	still photographer
Aurel Wunderer	....	assistant camera

Casting Department
Beth Charkham	....	casting: UK
Marek Juracek	....	casting: Kenya
Heike Ulrich	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Senay Ay	....	wardrobe
Suzanne Belcher	....	wardrobe (as Suzy Belcher)
Dorothee Claes	....	assistant costume designer
Christopher Kariuki	....	wardrobe: Kenya
William Kirui	....	wardrobe: Kenya

Editorial Department
Mischa Leinkauf	....	second assistant editor
Simone Lo Chiatto	....	first assistant editor
Anouchka Malnovisch	....	first assistant editor (as Anouchka Malnovic)
Traudl Nicholson	....	color timer
Renate Siegl	....	negative cutter
Margit Wiltschko	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Rainer Bartesch	....	conductor
Jael Bertschinger	....	musician: harp
Karin Gatzke	....	music consultant
Karin Gatzke	....	music coordinator
Michaela Kaune	....	musician
Rolf Moser	....	music coordinator
Magatte Ndiaye	....	musician: percussion
Kiku Pedroso	....	musician: harp
Lutz Schilling	....	musician: percussions
Jochen Schmidt-Hambrock	....	composer: additional music
Sinfonieorchester Basel	....	musician
Bernd Strasser	....	music coordinator

Transportation Department
Martin Burkert	....	production driver
Han van Schooneveld	....	transportation manager: Kenya

Other crew
Yahya Chavanga	....	location manager: Kenya
Anja Giessing	....	location manager: Germany (as Anja Gießing)
Anne Helmer	....	production coordinator
Heike Käbisch	....	set manager: Germany
Karl Kresling	....	title designer
Heike Kresse	....	production trainee
Martin Kunze	....	assistant: Caroline Link
Frank Kusche	....	set manager: Kenya
Britta Lauber	....	production coordinator
Susanne Liebetrau	....	continuity
Warigia Macharia	....	production secretary
Benedict Mirow	....	ethnological consultant
Ali Mwangola	....	location assistant
Natasha Nilson	....	set manager assistant
Bob Nyanja	....	location assistant
Michael Otto	....	title designer
Christiane Plum	....	assistant to producer
Ben Pont	....	armorer
Sepp Reidinger	....	laboratory contact: ARRI
Gottfried Reisecker	....	laboratory contact: ARRI
Axel Rottmann	....	location manager: Cuxhaven
Jule Schulze	....	production coordinator
Andreas Schumann	....	film crew
Sally Steele	....	publicist
Eva Weber	....	laboratory contact: ARRI
Georg Wittermann	....	title designer
Thomas Schlesinger	....	script consultant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• BKM (support)
• Bavaria Film
• Bavaria Filmverleih- und Produktions GmbH (co-production)
• Bayerischer Banken-Fonds (support)
• Constantin Film Produktion (co-production)
• FilmFernsehFonds Bayern (support)
• Filmförderungsanstalt (FFA) (support)
• MTM Cineteve
• Media Cooperation One (in association with)

Distributors

• A-Film Distribution (2003) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Constantin Film (2001-2002) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Filmcoopi Zürich (2002) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Kamras Film Group (2003) (Finland) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (video)
• Alfa Films (Argentina)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (VHS)
• Ascot Elite Home Entertainment (2002) (Germany) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Ekaterinburg Art (EA) (Russia)
• GAGA
• Kamras Film Group (2004) (Finland) (DVD)
• Madman Entertainment (2003) (Australia) (DVD)
• Media Cooperation One (MC-One) (2002) (Germany) (DVD)
• Mongrel Media (Canada)
• Optimum Home Entertainment (2003) (UK) (DVD)
• Optimum Releasing (UK)
• Sony Pictures (2003)) (USA) (VHS) (subtitled)
• TFM Distribution (France)
• With Cinema (2003) (Korea)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2006) (Finland) (TV)
• Zeitgeist Films (2003) (USA) (subtitled)

Special Effects

• CA Scanline Production (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Blow up Filmtechnik Karl Kresling GmbH  opticals and titles
• Sonoton Musik-Verlag  music

Also Known As:

Nowhere in Africa (International: English title)

MPAA:

Rated R for some sexual content.

Runtime:

141 min

Country:

Germany

Language:

English | Swahili | German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | Malaysia:18SX (uncut version) | Malaysia:U (cut) | South Korea:15 | Philippines:R-18 | Argentina:13 | Australia:MA | Brazil:12 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-7 | Germany:6 (bw) | Hong Kong:IIB | Netherlands:AL | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Africa

Company:

BKM

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: After giving the radio to Walter, Susskind wishes him good luck with the well; as he drives away, the reflection of the camera truck can be seen on the door of his truck, and the tire tracks from the camera truck are visible as the camera backs up.

Quotes:

Walter Redlich: Everything I love is on this bed.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 79th Annual Academy Awards (2007) (TV)

First Epic in a Long Time

Here is a grand epic in the scale of "Gone With the Wind", "Lawrence of Arabia", and "Fitzcarraldo". It is the best movie I've seen this year, and more than that, it was one of the most amazing film experiences of my life.

It is Caroline Link's "Nowhere in Africa", which won the Best Foreign Film Award when, in actuality, it was far better than the Best Picture of the Year. To call it a great or brilliant or majestic film is an understatement; in fact, I'm at a loss for adjectives to describe it.

The film tells the story of a German Jewish woman and her young daughter summoned to Kenya by her husband, circa. 1938. Adolf Hitler is on the brink of declaring his "final solution" of the Jews, and it is with great luck that Jettel and young Regina escape.

In Africa, they adapt slowly to their new rural life. While Regina befriends cook Owuor, Walter and Jettel's relationship threatens to destroy itself because of the hardships the family encounters.

I will not spend too much time going into detail, for watching this masterful story unfold is a treasure in itself. This film is based on an autobiography by Stephanie Zweig, and when it is available in English, I will certainly read it.

Also, the language in this movie is truly beautiful. I saw "Nowhere in Africa" again, just days after watching it for the first time, and spent more time ignoring the subtitles and listening to the beautiful spoken German.

And then there is one scene toward the end that I simply could not believe. It involves a locust invasion, and, quite simply, it was the first time I've ever seen something on the screen and asked myself aloud (as I did the first viewing), "How did they do that?"

The performances here are first-rate, too. Julianne Kohler, who was wonderful in the ultra-weird "Aimee & Junger" is perfect; we understand this woman fully, even when she doesn't speak. Merab Ninidze has some great scenes with Walter, the father; and Sidede Onyulo is simply magical as Owuor.

But the movie belongs to the two girls who play Regina. They look amazingly similar, and they are both stellar. Lea Kurka brings much hope as the adorable young Regina, and Karoline Eckertz is subtle and remarkable as the older Regina, particularly in a heartbreaking exchange with her father at her school.

It would be a shame to miss this film. No, it would be more than a shame. It would be downright wrong and discouraging. This film, along with the wonderful "Whale Rider" are two remarkable international films that bring beauty, grace, and majesty to the screen, and are perfect for adults and older children.