The Whistleblower
Encyclopedia
The Whistleblower is a 2010 thriller film directed by Larysa Kondracki, written by Kondracki and Eilis Kirwan, starring Rachel Weisz
. Inspired by actual events, the film tells the story of Kathryn Bolkovac
, and premiered at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival
. It was distributed theatrically in the United States by Samuel Goldwyn Films
in August 2011.
and human-trafficking
scandal involving a U.S. Private military company
, Democra Corp (a pseudonym for the real world DynCorp) and the United Nations
in post-war Bosnia.
Nominated
.
gave the film a 58 out of 100, with critics giving it both a positive and mixed review.
Rachel Weisz
Rachel Hannah Weisz born 7 March 1970)is an English-American film and theatre actress and former fashion model. She started her acting career at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where she co-founded the theatrical group Cambridge Talking Tongues...
. Inspired by actual events, the film tells the story of Kathryn Bolkovac
Kathryn Bolkovac
Kathryn Bolkovac is an American former police investigator from Nebraska. She worked as a U.N. International Police Force monitor.Originally hired by the U.S...
, and premiered at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival
2010 Toronto International Film Festival
The 35th annual Toronto International Film Festival, was held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada between September 9 and September 19, 2010. The opening night gala presented Score: A Hockey Musical, a Canadian comedy-drama musical film. Last Night closed the festival on September 19.2010 TIFF included...
. It was distributed theatrically in the United States by Samuel Goldwyn Films
Samuel Goldwyn Films
Samuel Goldwyn Films is an independent film company founded by Samuel Goldwyn, Jr., the son of the Hollywood business magnate/mogul, Samuel Goldwyn...
in August 2011.
Plot
A policewoman (Weisz) risks her job and her own safety to uncover and bring to light a wide-scale, child sex-slaveCommercial sexual exploitation of children
Commercial sexual exploitation of children constitutes a form of coercion and violence against children and amounts to forced labour and a contemporary form of slavery....
and human-trafficking
Human trafficking
Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery...
scandal involving a U.S. Private military company
Private military company
A private military company or provides military and security services. These combatants are commonly known as mercenaries, though modern-day PMCs refer to their staff as security contractors, private military contractors or private security contractors, and refer to themselves as private military...
, Democra Corp (a pseudonym for the real world DynCorp) and the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
in post-war Bosnia.
Cast
- Rachel WeiszRachel WeiszRachel Hannah Weisz born 7 March 1970)is an English-American film and theatre actress and former fashion model. She started her acting career at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where she co-founded the theatrical group Cambridge Talking Tongues...
as Kathryn BolkovacKathryn BolkovacKathryn Bolkovac is an American former police investigator from Nebraska. She worked as a U.N. International Police Force monitor.Originally hired by the U.S... - Vanessa RedgraveVanessa RedgraveVanessa Redgrave, CBE is an English actress of stage, screen and television, as well as a political activist.She rose to prominence in 1961 playing Rosalind in As You Like It with the Royal Shakespeare Company and has since made more than 35 appearances on London's West End and Broadway, winning...
as Madeleine Rees - Benedict CumberbatchBenedict CumberbatchBenedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch is an English film, television, and theatre actor. His most acclaimed roles include Stephen Hawking in the BBC drama Hawking ; William Pitt in the historical film Amazing Grace ; the protagonist Stephen Ezard in the miniseries thriller The Last Enemy ; Paul...
as Nick Philips - David StrathairnDavid StrathairnDavid Russell Strathairn is an American actor. He was nominated for an Academy Award for portraying journalist Edward R. Murrow in Good Night, and Good Luck...
as Peter Ward - Roxana Condurache as Raya Kochan
- Monica BellucciMonica BellucciMonica Anna Maria Bellucci is an Italian actress and fashion model.-Early life:Bellucci was born in Città di Castello, Umbria, Italy as the only child of Luigi Bellucci, who was born in the British protectorate of Zanzibar, East Pakistan...
as Laura Levin - Nikolaj Lie KaasNikolaj Lie KaasNikolaj Lie Kaas is a prominent Danish actor whose career rose in the 1990s and who is still actively working today. He is also the host of the annual Zulu Comedy Galla on Danish TV....
as Jan - Anna Anissimova as Zoe
- David HewlettDavid HewlettDavid Ian Hewlett is an English-born Canadian actor best known for his role as Dr. Meredith Rodney McKay on the science fiction television shows Stargate SG1 and Stargate Atlantis.-Early life:...
as Fred Murray - William HopeWilliam Hope (actor)William "Bill" Hope is a Canadian stage, film, television and voice actor.-Career:Most of Hope's stage work has been leading roles in a wide variety of regional, touring and West End theatres in England....
as John Blakely
Awards
Won- Whistler Film FestivalWhistler Film FestivalThe Whistler Film Festival is an annual film festival in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada. It was established in 2001. The festival, which is held the first weekend in December, includes six juried competitive sections and one audience award...
2010:- Audience Award - Best Narrative Feature
- Phillip Borsos Award - Best Film
- Palm Springs International Film FestivalPalm Springs International Film FestivalPalm Springs International Film Festival is a film festival held in Palm Springs, California. It was started in 1989 and is held annually in January...
2011:- Audience Award - Best Narrative Feature
- Seattle International Film FestivalSeattle International Film FestivalThe Seattle International Film Festival , held annually in Seattle, Washington since 1976, is among the top film festivals in North America. Audiences have grown steadily; the 2006 festival had 160,000 attendees...
2011:- Golden Space Needle Award - Best Director: Larysa Kondracki
Nominated
- Cinema for Peace Awards 2011:
- Cinema for Peace Award - Justice & Human Rights: Larysa Kondracki
- Seattle International Film FestivalSeattle International Film FestivalThe Seattle International Film Festival , held annually in Seattle, Washington since 1976, is among the top film festivals in North America. Audiences have grown steadily; the 2006 festival had 160,000 attendees...
- Golden Space Needle Award - Best Film
Production
The film is a Canada-Germany coproduction. Shooting began in February, 2010, it was shot mostly in RomaniaRomania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
.
Reception
Rottentomatoes.com gave the film a 71%, with a rating of 6.43/10. Out of 72 reviews, 51 gave it a positive review. MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
gave the film a 58 out of 100, with critics giving it both a positive and mixed review.