Movie Description
Fleeing Nazi Germany, many Jewish families found that a new life was as difficult as any hardship they had previously known. This German drama, based on a book by Stephanie Zweig, tells of one family's struggle as Walter Redlich (Merab Ninidze), his wife Jettel (Juliane Kohler), and their young daughter Regina (Karoline Eckertz) flee Germany for British occupied Nairobi. Walter is hired as the bwana (caretaker) on a ranch, assisted by a native Owuor (Sidede Onyulo). Walter and Jettel's marriage becomes strained under the difficult conditions, and when the British Army assembles all Germans into camps, the couple barely communicate with one another. Jettel has an affair with a British officer that allows the family to be released to tend another farm, earning just enough to send Regina (now played by teenage Lea Kurka) to school. The end of World War II forces the family to make the difficult decision whether to return to their homeland or continue to live in their new African home where they have raised their daughter, learned tolerance, and most importantly, survived. Caroline Link's absorbing drama won five German film awards and was nominated for Oscar for Best Foreign Film.
| Credits | | Producer: | Peter Hermann | | Cast: | Lea Kurka, Matthias Habich, Merab Ninidze, Sidede Onyulo |
| Details | | Sound: | Stereo Sound |
Notes
Theatrical Release: MARCH 7, 2003 (NY)
MARCH 14, 2003 (LA)
Editorial Reviews
"...Gorgeous..."
Rolling Stone - p.110 - Peter Travers
"...[A] leisurely warmhearted chronicle....Its journey is consistently absorbing..."
New York Times - Stephen Holden (03/07/2003)
"...Compelling....This is one of the best films about a person coming to the viewpoint of another..."
USA Today - Mike Clark (03/07/2003)
"...A crowd pleaser..."
Entertainment Weekly - Lisa Schwarzbaum (03/14/2003)
"...It succeeds because the relationships all seem complex and truthful..."
Movieline - Stephen Farber (03/01/2003)
"...Bolstered by the cast's consistently fine performances, NOWHERE IN AFRICA packs a hefty emotional punch..."
Box Office - Lisa Schwarzbaum (04/01/2003)
"...Entertaining, accomplished..."
Sight and Sound - Richard Falcon (04/01/2003)
"...The strong narrative develops unforgettable characters..."
Chicago Sun-Times - Roger Ebert (03/23/2003)
"...An emotionally complex scenario laced with poignancy and conflict, urgency and compassion. This is an intelligent epic told without special pleading, a film able to cut deep enough to reveal a keen specificity of experience..."
Los Angeles Times - Kenneth Turan (03/14/2003)
Awards
2002Academy AwardsBest Foreign Language Film
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