SHEPHERDS AND BUTCHERS

Credits

Name: SHEPHERDS AND BUTCHERS

Country: Südafrika, USA, Deutschland

Year of publication: 2016

Format: DCP

Color: color

Language : OF m. dt. UT

Duration: 106 Minuten

Direction: Schmitz, Oliver

Screenplay: Marnewick, Chris; Cox, Brian

Camera: Striker, Leah

Editing: Gill, Megan; Meier, Isabel

Actor: Riseborough, Andrea; Coogan, Steve; Hobbs, Robert; Dowds, Garion

Guest: Schmitz, Oliver

Abstract

South Africa, 1987: 19-year-old white man Leon Labuschagne is driving along a country road close to Pretoria one rainy night, when he is harassed by a minibus. A wild car chase ensues, before both vehicles come to a standstill in a remote area. When the door to the bus opens, the young white man starts shooting at those inside without warning. Seven black members of a football team are killed. The young white man is arrested and stands trial. It seems inevitable that he will be sentenced to death and his defence counsel appears to be fighting a losing battle until he finds out that the young white man once worked as an executioner of black resistance fighters on death row in a high-security prison. Director Oliver Schmitz based his courtroom drama SHEPHERDS AND BUTCHERS on real events and puts forward an intense and compelling plea to end the death penalty. The WDR television and arte co-produced the film.