The time is the late '80s, a crucial period in the history of South Africa. President P.W. Botha is hanging on to power by a thread as the African National Congress (ANC) takes up arms against apartheid and the country tumbles toward insurrection. A British mining concern is convinced that their interests would be better served in a stable South Africa and they quietly dispatch Michael Young, their head of public affairs, to open an unofficial dialogue between the bitter rivals. Assembling a reluctant yet brilliant team to pave the way to reconciliation by confronting obstacles that initially seem insurmountable, Young places his trust in ANC leader Thabo Mbeki and Afrikaner philosophy professor Willie Esterhuyse. It is their empathy that will ultimately serve as the catalyst for change by proving more powerful than the terrorist bombs that threaten to disrupt the peaceful dialogue.
Cast
William Hurt
Professor Will Esterhuyse
Chiwetel Ejiofor
President Thabo Mbeki
Jonny Lee Miller
Michael Young
Mark Strong
Dr. Niel Barnard
Clarke Peters
Nelson Mandela
John Kani
Oliver Tambo
Derek Jacobi
Rudolph Agnew
Timothy West
P.W. Botha
Matthew Marsh
F.W. de Klerk
Michael Huff
Willem de Klerk
Stephen Jennings
Kobie Coetsee
Patrick Lyster
Sampie Terreblanche
Ramon Tikaram
Aziz Pahad
Danny Scheinmann
Albie Sachs
Porteus Xandau
Christo Brand
Amelia Bullmore
Gill
David Henry
Professor Marinus Wiechers
Trevor Sellers
Tony Trew
Moshidi Motshegwa
Sebolela
Bo Petersen
Esterhuyse's Wife
Gabi Scheibert
Esterhuyse's Daughter
Thomas Lockyer
Anthony Sampson
Langley Kirkwood
Anthony Sampson
Jacques Strydom
Roadblock Policeman
Faith Ndukwana
Winnie Mandela
Faniswa Yisa
Woman Pick-up Driver
Tshamano Sebe
Black Drinker
Marko van der Colff
Bizos
Unathi Dyantyi
Youth #1 Hate
Vicky Davis
White Newscaster
Batsile Ramasodi
Zambian Newscaster
Jonathan Dimbleby
English Newscaster
Violet Gonda
Zimbabwean Newscaster
Robert Timothy
South African Newscaster
Kas Graham
Protestor (uncredited)
Chumani Pan
Youth #1 - Shabeen (uncredited)
Grant Swanby
President's Agent Botha (uncredited)
David Tennant
Self - Host (uncredited)
Lizanne Tulip
High Profile Banker (uncredited)
Karl Thaning
F.W. de Klerk's Agent (uncredited)
Crew
Jenna Lange
Audio Post Coordinator
Matthew Benns
Digital Intermediate Data Wrangler
Pete Travis
Director
Paula Milne
Writer
Robert Harvey
Novel
Clive Barrett
Editor
Dominic Strevens
Editor
David Odd
Director of Photography
Paul Ensby
Digital Color Timer
Mark Goddard
First Assistant Director
Shamiel Soni
Second Assistant Director
Daryn Goldsbrough
Third Assistant Director
Steve Morphew
Third Assistant Director
Mark Risk
Storyboard Artist
Tina Caldeira
Production Coordinator
Craig Heathcote
Production Coordinator
Liza Marshall
Executive Producer
David Aukin
Executive Producer
Meryl Schutte
Production Supervisor
Hal Vogel
Producer
Lorraine Goodman
Line Producer
Nina Heyns
Line Producer
Chris Roope
Production Design
Peter Howard
First Assistant Camera
Jefri Meintjes
Additional Second Assistant Camera
Beisan Elias
Camera Trainee
Katura Jensen
Post Production Coordinator
Mark Harris
Post Production Supervisor
Chuck Douglas
Casting Assistant
Christa Schamberger
Casting
J.P. van der Merwe
Casting
Suzie Harman
Assistant Costume Designer
Darion Hing
Costume Supervisor
Dinah Collin
Costume Design
Cordell McQueen
Pyrotechnician
Sharon Martin
Hair Designer, Makeup Designer
Kelly Willis
Makeup & Hair
Kerry Skelton
Makeup Artist
Dirk Nel
Second Unit Director of Photography
Gaby Beyers
Art Department Coordinator
Nathan Victor Honey
Scenic Artist
Chris Richmond
Standby Art Director
Robert Brazier
Sound Effects Editor
Chris Ashworth
Sound Mixer
Jake Jackson
Sound Mixer
Sue Harding
Foley Artist
Rowena Wilkinson
Foley Artist
Matt Snedecor
ADR Recordist
Wesley Barnard
Special Effects Technician
Tyrell Kemlo
Special Effects Technician
Sithembiso Sontshaka
Special Effects Technician
Thomas M. Horton
Visual Effects Director
Natalie Stopford
Visual Effects Producer
Shanaullah Umerji
Visual Effects Producer
Martin Phipps
Original Music Composer
Ruth Barrett
Additional Music
Ben Brazier
Dialogue Editor
Majella Hurley
Dialect Coach
Jill McCullough
Dialect Coach
Fred Du Preez
Set Decoration
Neesh Ruben
Set Decoration
Sian Molloy
Assistant Set Decoration
Karl du Preez
Set Dresser
Brendan Smithers
Construction Coordinator
Brian Glaser
Construction Manager
Alex Giles
Props
Belinda Johnson
Props
Giles Keyte
Still Photographer
Anwen Bull
Script Supervisor
Katie Harlow
Script Supervisor
Robert Bentley
Location Manager
Pat Karam
Location Manager
Eduard Klarenbeek
Assistant Location Manager
Peter Currey
Location Scout
Tim Desbois
Aerial Coordinator
Adam Horton
Stunts
Shirley Kirchmann
Stunts
Paul Pieterse
Stunts
Craig Gordon Sobotker
Stunt Driver
Alison Lai
Clapper Loader
Phil Hurst
Best Boy Grip
Anna Valdez Hanks
Additional Photography
Neil Hdoge
Chef
Todd Kleparski
Digital Intermediate Producer
Allan Gray
Key Grip
Jeanne Watson
Production Manager
Rosanne Flynn
Researcher
Catherine Milne
Researcher
Pierre Buys
Unit Manager
Ian Thomson
Publicist
Birrie le Roux
Art Direction
Lance Peters
Armorer
Anke Andriessen
Production Secretary
Andrea Pienaar
Production Secretary
Stephanie C. Kelly
Compositor
Paula Jones
Graphic Designer
Cassie Leedham
Graphic Designer
Catherine Palmer
Graphic Designer
