Nowhere in Africa

R

Released Mar 7, 2003

2h 18m

Drama

History

List

85%

Tomatometer

100 Reviews

88%

Audience Score

5,000+ Ratings

Sensing the threat posed by Hitler, Jewish lawyer Walter Redlich (Merab Ninidze) relocates with his wife, Jettel (Juliane Köhler), and daughter, Regina (Lea Kurka), to a farm in Kenya. Regina adapts quickly, forming a bond with Owuor (Sidede Onyulo), the cook, but Jettel is unhappy. Things worsen when the family is made to move again, this time to Nairobi by order of the ruling British authorities. Dispirited, Walter decides to join the Allied army -- and Jettel finds comfort with other men.

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Critics Consensus

A visually lovely epic with compelling, three-dimensional characters.

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David Ansen

Newsweek

Link's movie is an absorbing tale of cultural displacement and adjustment. It's also a remarkably complex examination of a marriage.

Mar 9, 2018

Full Review

Empire Magazine

Rated: 4/5

Dec 30, 2006

Full Review

Richard Nilsen

Arizona Republic

Everything in the film rings true, is deeply moving, richly photographed, and wonderfully acted.

Rated: 5/5

Jun 26, 2003

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

This Academy Award winner for Best Foreign Language Film expertly blends two popular types of movies to create one seamless motion picture experience.

Rated: 3.5/4

Aug 31, 2021

Full Review

John A. Nesbit

Old School Reviews

plods through new terrain in Holocaust related subject matter with a shotgun mentality

Rated: C

Apr 5, 2012

Full Review

Mark Halverson

Sacramento News & Review

Rated: 5/5

Aug 7, 2008

Full Review

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Audience Member

Though this film can classify as a Holocaust film, portraying pain as a result of the Nazi regime much like the others, it is radically different since it instead captures what is felt by those who were separated from the tragedy back home, and how their upheaval affected their sense of belonging in Germany. The readjustment is very difficult for every member of the family, since the Kenyan culture not only shifted their customs but also their values. A great exploration into culture shock and universal human emotions.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

Full Review

david l

Nowhere in Africa is uneven in quality and long, but this is actually a surprisingly strong historical drama which gives us a different kind of WWII story that was quite interesting while also dealing with the central tumultuous marriage really potently. The dialogue and emotional investment are the highlights along with the acting and the characterization of the main duo.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Rather than survival from the Holocaust or experiencing the exotic life in Kenya, Nowhere in Africa is a humanistic tale on pluralism.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/25/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This one is based on a diary from the daughter in a real-life version of such a story. The mother is not so selfish early on in the real life story. The drama among the family members is as important as the challenge of adapting to another culture. The main servant, Owuor, stands as the link between those two competing plots. The dialogue and acting are both very strong. Overall, it is a very compelling story.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/01/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Beautiful and touching! Loved it <3

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/20/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A wonderful movie. The characters will be with you long after the end.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/26/23

Full Review

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Caroline Link

Director

Juliane Köhler

Jettel Redlich

Merab Ninidze

Walter Redlich

Matthias Habich

Suskind

Sidede Onyulo

Owuor

Lea Kurka

Regina (young)

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Synopsis

Sensing the threat posed by Hitler, Jewish lawyer Walter Redlich (Merab Ninidze) relocates with his wife, Jettel (Juliane Köhler), and daughter, Regina (Lea Kurka), to a farm in Kenya. Regina adapts quickly, forming a bond with Owuor (Sidede Onyulo), the cook, but Jettel is unhappy. Things worsen when the family is made to move again, this time to Nairobi by order of the ruling British authorities. Dispirited, Walter decides to join the Allied army -- and Jettel finds comfort with other men.

Director: Caroline Link
Producer: Bernd Eichinger, Peter Herrmann, Michael Weber
Screenwriter: Caroline Link, Stefanie Zweig
Distributor: Zeitgeist Films
Production Co: Bavaria Film, Constantin Film, MTM Cineteve
Rating: R (Some Sexual Content)
Genre: Drama, History
Original Language: German
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 7, 2003, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 25, 2020
Box Office (Gross USA): $6.2M
Runtime: 2h 18m
Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Surround, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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