Nowhere In Africa

Nirgendwo In Afrika

Germany

Synopsis

The Jewish family Redlich emigrates to Kenya in 1938, where Walter Redlich, a lawyer, works on a farm as a caretaker. While his wife Jettel , a daughter from a bourgeois home, finds it difficult to adjust to their new life, their shy daughter Regina blossoms. She learns the local language and customs and finds a good friend in the cook Owuor. The loss of their home and relatives, as well as their inability to talk about this endangers the marriage of Jettel and Walter. Only slowly do they find back to each other. When the war is finally over, Walter is offered a position as a judge in Frankfurt. But after all those years where they learned to cherish their life in Kenya, it is doubtful whether Jettel and Regina will accompany him back to Germany...

Nominations & Awards

Cast & Crew

  • Directed by: Caroline Link
  • Written by: Caroline Link
  • Cast: Juliane Köhler, Merab Ninidze, Matthias Habich, Lea Kurka, Karoline Eckertz, Sidede Onyulo, Gerd Heinz, Hildegard Schmahl
  • Produced by: Peter Herrmann
  • Cinematography: Gernot Roll
  • Original Score: Niki Reiser
  • Editing: Patricia Rommel
  • Production Design: Susann Bieling, Uwe Szielasko
  • Costume Design: Barbara Grupp
  • Make-Up Artist: Nanni Gebhardt-Seele, Stephanie Hilke
  • Sound Design: Andreas Wölki

Director's Statement

In my version of the story I concentrate very much on the relationship of the parents, their love for each other. They suddenly find themselves in difficult circumstances; their love falters and must be re-found. Stefanie Zweig tells the story from the perspective of a child. She describes her own experiences and memories. But for me, Regina's mother Jettel is the most exciting character. What is most fascinating, is her development to an independent and mature woman, who not only has to rethink her own position and priorities in life but also her relationship towards her family.

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