A film by Caroline Link, Nowhere in Africa (2001) tells the tale of a Jewish family who flee to Kenya to escape persecution in 1938.
Prominent lawyer Walter Redlich, his beautiful and sophisticated wife Jettel, and their only daughter, Regina, leave their comfortable lives in Nazi Germany to seek refuge on harsh African soil.
A film by Caroline Link, Nowhere in Africa (2001) tells the tale of a Jewish family who flee to Kenya to escape persecution in 1938.
Prominent lawyer Walter Redlich, his beautiful and sophisticated wife Jettel, and their only daughter, Regina, leave their comfortable lives in Nazi Germany to seek refuge on harsh African soil.
Walter, the idealist, believes they can make it in Africa, whereas Jettel is not convinced. The only one who immediately embraces the new life is Regina, who finds a best friend in the enigmatic cook, Owuor, and her ironically- named stray dog, Rummler.
Conflict with the land manifests itself within the family, and soon Walter and Jettel lead separate lives. The initial language barrier is symbolic of the miscommunication between the couple.
As the film progresses we see Jettel yielding more and more to the wishes of Walter, who flings his family to and fro due to his deepening identity crisis.
The German refugees in Kenya are arrested by the British, regardless of them being Jewish and not allied with Hitler.
The Redlich family are taken to different camps, where Jettel’s true strength shines through as she negotiates a farm for her family after her release.
The Redlich family, but Walter especially, are confronted with the question of who they are. Everywhere they go they are treated as outsiders. Most poignant and beautiful is Regina’s relationship with her new environment.
The opening scene deliberately juxtaposes the cold, dark snowy mountains of Germany, where Regina hates dogs and fears the other children, with the warm, dynamic and fertile African world, with open spaces and the holy Mount Kenya shining like a mother over all.
As Regina takes her first step on foreign soil she blossoms, her face bursts into smiles, and the first person she meets, Owuor, becomes a significant person in her life. The character development in Jettel is amazing.
Once she stops feeling sorry for herself and loses her sense of entitlement she becomes a figure worthy of respect and forgiveness.
Nowhere in Africa is based on a true story. It is a tale about human relationships and the way we rearrange ourselves when confronted with change.
It is also the story about a family who drifts apart, but through strength and resilience manages to find their way to each other once again.
The New York Observer says the film is “strikingly evocative. A gentle fable of love and understanding.” Nowhere in Africa is the winner of five Lola awards including best film and best director at the German film awards.
It was nominated for best foreign film at the Golden Globe Awards.This movie was recently shown at the Rhodes University Filmfest and is now available on DVD.
