| Shepherds and Butchers | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Oliver Schmitz |
| Written by | Oliver Schmitz |
| Screenplay by | Brian Cox |
| Starring | Andrea Riseborough |
Release date |
|
Running time | 103 minutes |
| Country | South Africa |
| Language | English |
Shepherds and Butchers is a 2016 South African drama film directed by Oliver Schmitz. It was shown in the Panorama section at the 66th Berlin International Film Festival.[1] It is an adaptation of the debut novel of the same name by Chris Marnewick, a New Zealand-based author and former South African High Court barrister and judge.[2]
Plot
Nearing the end of apartheid in South Africa, a young white prison guard (Garion Dowds) embarks on a seemingly motiveless shooting that sees to the death of seven unarmed black men. A British-born lawyer assigned to his case (Steve Coogan) sets out to prove his actions were a direct result of psychological trauma from his volatile work environment. The defense attorney is an ardent opponent of the death penalty.
Cast
- Steve Coogan as John Weber - Defence attorney
- Andrea Riseborough as Kathleen Marais - Prosecutor
- Garion Dowds as Leon Labuschagne - Defendant
- Deon Lotz as Warrant Officer Rautenbach - Prison officer
- Marcel van Heerden as Justice J. P. van Zyl - Chief Judge
- Robert Hobbs as Pierre De Villiers - John's Brother-in-law
Awards
The film received third place in the Panorama Audience Award at the 66th Berlin International Film Festival.[3]
References
- ↑ "Berlinale 2016: Panorama 2016 Complete". Berlinale. Archived from the original on 24 January 2016. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
- ↑ "The dark shadow of the death penalty". The New Zealand Herald. 28 February 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
- ↑ "The Awards Of The 66th Berlin International Film Festival" (PDF). Berlinale.