The Whistleblower (Larysa Kondraki, 2009): USA

Reviewed by Dorothy Littlejohn at the Santa Barbara Interational Film Festival
When UN guard Kathryn Bolkovac, played by Rachel Weisz, discovers abuses of women in the sex trade, she begins an investigation. When she finds out that four of her very own co-workers are actually buying and trading these women, she becomes outraged and ever more determined to get two of the young women out of the entrapment.

Dark and concealing, the images give the viewer only glimpses of what might be. The imagination goes wild with the tiny clues as they are revealed, little by little. Almost the entire film was shot at night or in the dark. Most of the screen is dark about 75% of the time. There are some office shots and a few outdoor scenes in the daylight, but very little of it. The darkness sets the tone as secretive, clandestine, bad omens.

In many respects the story looks like Sarah’s Key. The setting of Sarah’s family is dark and secretive because the Jews are hiding, keeping a low profile, with the children playing indoors. The women in The Whistleblower are kept hidden and indoors as their captors are hiding them in dark places.

In the same way that Kathryn Bolkovac, the UN guard has put her life at risk to rescue two of the enslaved women and to report the abuses of others, director Larysa Kondraki has made a courageous effort to get this film completed. It took 8 years start to finish and well worth the wonderful success.

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Published:
02.03.11 / 7am
Category:
Films, Santa Barbara Film Festival 2011