Although the specifics are unique to the antiapartheid movement, the movie stresses the experience of living in a family that the. A world apart is said to parallel the childhood of its screenwriter, shawn slovo, whose parents, joe slovo, a lawyer, and ruth first, a journalist, were active in the south african freedom. Cinematographer chris menges first directorial effort, a world apart was inspired by the lives of south african journalist ruth first and her daughter shawn slovo who wrote the films screenplay. Honor bound to defend freedom, which was put on in theatres internationally. The film is based on the book of the same name by howard bingham and max wallace, with additional research by slovo. Barbara hershey plays the character based on ruth first. Based in, shawn slovo offer dedicated services to the production industry. A world apart looks anew at apartheid the new york times.
Set in johannesburg in 1963, a world apart is an utterly convincing, impeccably constructed indictment of apartheid, based on a semiautobiographical screenplay by shawn slovo. He represented cod on the national consultative committee of the congress alliance which drew up the freedom charter. The movie is all the more poignant because it is based on a true story. The film was a coproduction between companies from the uk and zimbabwe.
Nicolas gaster, graham bradstreet, sarah radclyffe, shawn slovo, tim bevan. Shawns account of her childhood a world apart was turned into a movie. The britishborn frears and slovo, a native of south africa, had to become familiar with details of the ali case. The story, however, is seen through the eyes of their yearold. Molly grew up to become shawn slovo, but her mother, ruth first, was assassinated in mozambique in 1982 by a parcel bomb.
Remembering joe slovo, 20 years on brand south africa. Gary soto, born april 12, 1952, was raised in fresno, california. Molly roth, years old, is the daughter of leftist parents, and she must piece together whats happening around her when her father disappears one night, barely evading arrest, and, not long after, her mother is detained by the authorities. Shawn slovo writer wrote her first screenplay, a world apart, in 1987. This interview is the first in a threepart dialogue with screenwriter shawn slovo, director chris menges, and actor linda mvusi. Shawn slovo is a screenwriter with over 25 years experience. An introduction to screenwriting guardian masterclasses. A world apart, about south africa the new york times.
May 25, 20 the script by shawn slovo a world apart is about judges, not about ali himself, who nonetheless comes through as a strong presence via many great film clips and interview snippets from the time. The film is based on the book of the same name by howard bingham and max. A world apart explores apartheid through the eyes of the young daughter of political activists in johannesburg in 1963. In the awardwinning 1988 movie a world apart, he is depicted as gus roth played by jeroen krabbe. Barbara hershey plays the fictional counterpart to ms. A world apart by shawn slovo and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. It is based loosely on the real life experiences of joe slovo and ruth first and their daughter, shawn slovo who wrote the script of a world apart. A world apart is an impressive drama about the effect on one family of south africas police crackdown on the outlawed african national congress, the political party that challenged the governments allwhite rule. The film won the jury prize and the ecumenical and best actress awards at. Bingham and max wallace, frears looks at the one battle muhammad ali won outside the ring, a victory. Joe slovo appears as a character in two films for which shawn slovo wrote the screenplay. The three films under discussion doubly refine south africa, as they are based on texts that span the range of print media. The film won the jury prize and the ecumenical and best actress awards at the 1987 cannes film festival and the 1988.
Barbara hershey, david suchet, jodhi may, jeroen krabbe, nadine. Working with south african scriptwriter shawn slovo a world apart from a book by howard l. A white enclave in johannesburg, south africa, in the 1960s. The script by shawn slovo a world apart is about judges, not about ali himself, who nonetheless comes through as a strong presence via many great film clips and interview snippets from the time. Film puts muhammad ali, us high court in the ring thegrio. At the time of his death he held the following positions. Christopher plummer stars in muhammad alis greatest. Bafta split its best screenplay category into original and adapted in 1983 and since then, shawn slovo a world apart 1988, nora ephron when harry met sally 1989 and diablo cody juno 2007 are the only female writers whove won best original. Oct 01, 20 stephen frears, an oscar nominee for the queen, directed, and the script is by shawn slovo a world apart. Married joe slovo in 1949, the same year their daughter, shawn was born. The film was a coproduction between companies from the uk and zimbabwe, where it was filmed. Bingham and max wallace, frears looks at the one battle muhammad ali won outside the ring, a. Shawns written account of her childhood, a world apart, has been produced as a film.
A world apart is a 1988 anti apartheid drama film and directed by chris menges and starring barbara hershey, david suchet, jeroen krabbe, paul freeman, tim roth, and jodhi may. For a full list of companies offering services related to scriptwriters, check out the knowledge. Director john madden shakespeare in love and screenwriter shawn slovo a world apart have hacked the book down into something. He is played by malcolm purkey in the 2006 film catch a fire. Best screenplay original a world apart 1988 aarp movies for grownups awards. Shawn slovo is the author of captain corellis mandolin 4.
Oct 03, 20 directed by academy award nominee stephen frears the queen and written by shawn slovo a world apart, muhammad alis greatest fight is executive produced by emmy winner frank doelger. Shawn slovo is a screenwriter who brought her moms life story into the film a world apart. Written by shawn slovo, it is based on the lives of slovos parents, ruth first and joe slovo. A family memoir in the form of a feature film, a world apart 1988, was written by her sister shawn slovo and starred barbara hershey. Based on the book by howard bingham and max wallace. Donald woods autobiographical, journalistic, book biko, shawn slovos semiautobiographical screenplay, a world apart, and andre brinks straightforward fictional novel, a dry white season. A world apart by chris menges barbara hershey, jodhi may.
Although the specifics are unique to the antiapartheid movement, the movie stresses the experience of living in a family that the majority. Slovos parents were among a handful of white antiapartheid activists in the early 1960s. With victoria brittain, slovo compiled the play guantanamo. Both ruth and joe were banned in 1950 under the suppression of communism act as a result of their political activism.
Written by shawn slovo, the film is strongly autobiographical. Film puts muhammad ali, us high court in the ring by. The unfinished autobiography of anc leader joe slovo. Shawn slovo wrote the screenplay, basing the role of molly on her own life. A world apart is a film based on the writers shawn slovo own memoirs and is about the antiapartheid movement in johannesburg, south africa in 1963. Shawn slovo born 1950 is a screenwriter, best known for the film a world apart, based on her childhood in south africa under apartheid. Christopher plummer stars in muhammad alis greatest fight. Shawn wrote a world apart, catch a fire, captain corellis mandolin and stephen frearss upcoming film muhammad alis greatest fight. Shawn s written account of her childhood, a world apart, has been produced as a film. A world apart is a 1988 antiapartheid drama film and directed by chris menges and starring barbara hershey, david suchet, jeroen krabbe, paul freeman, tim roth, and jodhi may. While the events focus on her mothers political activities and her time in prison, the film is just as much. Mar 05, 2004 shawn became a scriptwriter an account of the familys last year in south africa, a world apart. Stephen frears, an oscar nominee for the queen, directed, and the script is by shawn slovo a world apart. Jun 30, 1997 some years ago, shawn slovo asked the same questions in her screenplay for a world apart, in which barbara hershey played ruth first.
The story is focused on a white year old girl, molly, whose antigovernment parents find themselves in serious trouble with the brutal authorities. Hes faced off against many movie characters over the years, including an army of orcs and james bond, and soon prolific actor sean bean will face another formidable foe in the frankenstein chronicles, a sixpart miniseries set to air on itv encore. Each author writes from memories of living in south africa, drawing upon the authority of having been there, having felt apartheid at work. Slovo was a founder member of the congress of democrats. A world apart 1988 aarp movies for grownups awards. The first books slovo wrote were the kind she enjoyed hardboiled. One of the questions that i started the book with, says slovo, is, what do you do when you.
While the events focus on her mothers political activities and her time in prison, the film is just as much about her own. Her father, joe slovo, fled from south africa in 1962 and now lives in zambia, where he is the only white executive of the african national congress. Jun 19, 1988 molly grew up to become shawn slovo, but her mother, ruth first, was assassinated in mozambique in 1982 by a parcel bomb. Written by shawn slovo, it is based on the lives of slovo s parents, ruth first and joe slovo. Gus and diana roth, middleclass whites, are involved in the struggle against apartheid. Jun 18, 2018 ruth first and joe slovo had three daughters. This is a riveting movie concerning a family of communists who unwittingly did incredible damage in south africa during the early 1960s. At the time her mother was arrested by south african government forces, shawn slovo was, eldest of three sisters.
A world apart a coproduction between britain and zimbabwe and filmed entirely on location in the republic of zimbabwe, a world apart 1988 is the story of real life antiapartheid protester ruth first renamed diana roth for the film as told by her daughter, screenwriter shawn slovo. A world apart is said to parallel the childhood of its screenwriter, shawn slovo, whose parents, joe slovo, a lawyer, and ruth first. The film a world apart 1988, which has a screenplay by her daughter shawn slovo and was directed by chris menges, is a biographical story about a young white girl living in south africa with antiapartheid activist parents, although the family is called roth in the film. Christopher plummer, frank langella and more star in hbos. One of the questions that i started the book with, says slovo, is, what do. Captain corellis mandolin by shawn slovo goodreads. Now gillians book goes over the same painful ground.
Movies rarely deal with openly political subjects, and when they do, its rarely with as much dramatic power as filmmakers chris menges and shawn. Shes called molly in the film, and played by an uncannily fine newcomer. A coproduction between britain and zimbabwe and filmed entirely on location in the republic of zimbabwe, a world apart 1988 is the story of real life antiapartheid protester ruth first renamed diana roth for the film as told by her daughter, screenwriter shawn slovo. Biography of martin thembisile chris hani, south african activist.
Aug 17, 2001 director john madden shakespeare in love and screenwriter shawn slovo a world apart have hacked the book down into something picturesque, respectful and emotionally flat. Central committee and politburo member, sacp national executive committee member, anc national working committee member, anc minister of housing, government of national unity. Some years ago, shawn slovo asked the same questions in her screenplay for a world apart, in which barbara hershey played ruth first. Jan 07, 2015 slovo and first had three daughters shawn, gillian and robyn. With barbara hershey, david suchet, jodhi may, jeroen krabbe. Shawn became a scriptwriter an account of the familys last year in south africa, a world apart. Opening sequence featuring barbara hershey, jeroen krabbe and young jodhi may as molly who, as shawn slovo, grew up to write the autobiographical screenplay, from director chris menges a world apart, 1988. Bean will play inspector john marlott in the 1800sset show, a man. Slovo based her script on her mothers book, one hundred and.
1384 1306 542 702 938 497 1471 1232 1390 745 481 713 1293 1024 679 322 575 347 1117 1351 1103 952 523 1210 390 476 732 1403 239 1314 1322 1171 1104 205 724 348 18 187 1382 1087 130 1235 560 434 1489 147 1493