The Whistleblower (2010)

Director:

Larysa Kondracki

Writers (WGA):

Larysa Kondracki (written by) &
Eilis Kirwan (written by)

Release Date:

23 June 2011 (Denmark)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Nothing is more dangerous than the truth.

Plot:

A drama based on the experiences of Kathryn Bolkovac, a Nebraska cop who served as a peacekeeper in post-war Bosnia and outed the U.N. for covering up a sex scandal.

Plot Keywords:

Bosnia | Corruption | U.N. | Cover Up | Sarajevo

Awards:

6 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Rachel Weisz	...	Kathryn Bolkovac
Vanessa Redgrave	...	Madeleine Rees
Monica Bellucci	...	Laura Leviani
David Strathairn	...	Peter Ward
Nikolaj Lie Kaas	...	Jan Van Der Velde
Roxana Condurache	...	Raya
Paula Schramm	...	Luba
Alexandru Potocean	...	Viko
William Hope	...	John Blakely
Rayisa Kondracki	...	Irka
Jeanette Hain	...	Halyna
Benedict Cumberbatch	...	Nick Kaufman
David Hewlett	...	Fred Murray
Coca Bloos	...	Milena
Luke Treadaway	...	Jim Higgins
Liam Cunningham	...	Bill Hynes
Anna Anissimova	...	Zoe
Anca-Ioana Androne	...	Zenia (as Anca Androne)
Sergej Trifunovic	...	Ivan
Vlad Ivanov	...	Tanjo
Florin Busuioc	...	Danik
Alin Panc	...	Roman
Victoria Raileanu	...	Julia
Doroteea Petre	...	Mara
Rosabell Laurenti Sellers	...	Erin
Roxana Guttman	...	Zlata Sehik
Stuart Graham	...	McVeigh
Catherine McNally	...	Female Cop
Geoffrey Pounsett	...	UN Security Guard
Alexandra Radescu	...	Tanya
Radu Banzaru	...	Barman (as Radu Binzaru)
Zoltan Butuc	...	Man #1
Ciprian Dumitrascu	...	Man #2
Mihai Ghior	...	Intern
Sabrina Iaschievici	...	17-Year-Old Girl
Cristina Cristian	...	Fadila
Raluca Tataru	...	Girl #2
Bianca Neagu	...	Girl #3
Ion Sapdaru	...	Border Guard
Ionut Grama	...	Human Rights Worker
Paul Jerrico	...	Tim Sebastian
Demetri Goritsas	...	Kyle
Johan Philip Asbæk	...	Bas (as Pilou Asbaek)
Adriana Butoi	...	Marie
Danny John-Jules	...	Duke
Bryan Jardine	...	Judge Twiss
Erwin Simsensohn	...	Drunk IPTF Officer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Collin Jay Blair	...	IPTF Officer / Angry man (uncredited)
Daniel Park	...	Clerk (uncredited)
Trevor White	...	Carl (uncredited)
Samuel Whitten	...	IPTF Officer (uncredited)

Directed by
Larysa Kondracki

Writing credits (WGA)
Larysa Kondracki		(written by) &
Eilis Kirwan		(written by)

Produced by
Daniel Bekerman	....	line producer: Toronto
Robert Bernacchi	....	co-producer
Sergei Bespalov	....	executive producer
Nicolas Chartier	....	executive producer
Amy Kaufman	....	producer
Benito Mueller	....	co-producer
Wolfgang Müller	....	co-producer
Christina Piovesan	....	producer
Celine Rattray	....	producer
Peter Schafer	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Mychael Danna

Cinematography by
Kieran McGuigan

Film Editing by
Julian Clarke

Production Design by
Caroline Foellmer

Art Direction by
Vlad Vieru

Set Decoration by
Andreea Popa

Costume Design by
Gersha Phillips

Makeup Department
Gabi Cretan	....	makeup artist
Kristyan Mallett	....	prosthetic supplier
Adelina Popa	....	hair stylist
Jan Sewell	....	hair designer
Jan Sewell	....	makeup designer
Olimpia Stoicea	....	assistant makeup artist
Elena Tudor	....	additional hair stylist

Production Management
Teo Bostanica	....	unit manager
Gregor Hutchison	....	post-production supervisor
Carmen Pepelea	....	unit production manager
Tudor Reu	....	unit manager: second unit
Giancarlo J. Sini	....	production supervisor
Philip Stilman	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
David Antoniuk	....	first assistant director
Andra Chiriac	....	second second assistant director
Oana Ene	....	second assistant director
Jennifer Haufler	....	trainee assistant director: Toronto unit
Peter Mishara	....	second unit director
Oana Morar	....	third assistant director
Pazz Neglia	....	first assistant director: Toronto
Maria Nita	....	second assistant director
Ovidiu Paunescu	....	first assistant director: second unit
Jordan Rozencwajg	....	trainee assistant director: Toronto unit
Brandon Tataryn	....	second assistant director: Toronto unit
Brad Wetherly	....	third assistant director: Toronto unit

Art Department
Oana Babes	....	art department coordinator
Greg Chown	....	storyboard artist
Peter Cosco	....	production designer: Toronto unit
Cornisor Cosmin	....	assistant property master
Mike Leandro	....	set decorator: Toronto unit
John Moran	....	graphics: Toronto unit
Vlad Panaitescu	....	set construction manager
Serban Rotariu	....	assistant art director
Laura Russu	....	set dresser
Victoria Rusu	....	head scenic artist
Marius Stanescu	....	property master
Dan Toma	....	on-set props
Laurentiu Zarnoianu	....	leadman
Phil Langone	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Andi Arsenie	....	boom operator
Alex Bullick	....	sound effects editor
Steph Carrier	....	sound re-recording mixer
Diana Eljabri	....	foley artist
Nelson Ferreira	....	dialogue editor
Magda Fulga	....	cable person
Mark Gingras	....	supervising sound editor
Katie Halliday	....	assistant sound editor
Adam Horley	....	adr recordist
Tim Lue	....	sound mixer (toronto unit )
Tim O'Connell	....	foley artist
Derek Oxley	....	second unit sound mixer (toronto unit )
Tom Ryan	....	adr mixer
Erika Schengili-Roberts	....	sound mixer
Kevin Schultz	....	foley mixer
Alexander Shapcott	....	boom operator (toronto unit )
Florian Stoica	....	boom operator: second unit
Orest Sushko	....	sound re-recording mixer
Marilee Yorston	....	foley artist
Sebastian Zsemlye	....	boom operator: second unit
Mark Zsifkovits	....	sound re-recording assistant

Special Effects by
Adrian Popescu	....	special effects supervisor

Visual Effects by
Jason Giberson	....	digital restoration artist
Noel Hooper	....	visual effects supervisor
Haydn Masuda	....	digital compositor
Christa Tazzeo	....	visual effects producer

Stunts
Ciprian Dumitrascu	....	stunt coordinator
Marius Florian	....	stunt performer

Camera and Electrical Department
Ian Bird	....	key grip
Laurentiu Bogatu	....	electrician
Radu Cioplea	....	camera loader
Radu Cioplea	....	film loader
Vlad Cioplea	....	camera loader: second unit
Cristian Cocoroiu	....	video assist operator
Calin Constantin	....	gaffer
Arthur E. Cooper	....	second unit cinematographer
Alex Cosma	....	electrician
Gyorgy Darvas	....	second assistant camera: Toronto unit
Tobias Datum	....	director of photography: second unit
Andreas Evdemon	....	camera operator: "b" camera, Toronto unit
Andreas Evdemon	....	steadicam operator: Toronto unit
Leonardo Fanone	....	electrician
Roger Finlay	....	camera operator "a" camera: Toronto unit
Titi Gavrila	....	focus puller
Sophie Giraud	....	still photographer: additional crew
Laurentiu Ivan	....	video assistant
Alan G. Kelly	....	camera loader: Toronto unit
Radu Marinescu	....	second unit: key grip
Razvan Paslaru	....	key grip
Doru Perneac	....	electrician
Nikola Predovic	....	still photographer
Ivan Giany Roberto	....	first assistant camera
Toni Salabasev	....	still photographer
Gabriel Sora	....	electrician
Octavian Sotir	....	assistant camera
Bogdan Stanciu	....	steadicam operator: "b" camera
Aurelian Stoica	....	grip
Adam Swica	....	director of photography: Toronto unit
Gheorghe Ursescu	....	best boy

Casting Department
Jane Anderson	....	casting: uk
Mihai Ghior	....	casting director: Romania
Laura Grosu	....	extras casting
Morgyn Johnston	....	casting assistant: Toronto
Sara Kay	....	casting: Toronto
Jenny Lewis	....	casting: Toronto
Stefany Pohlmann	....	casting germany
Liliana Toma	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Eli Calin	....	costume supervisor
Michelle Lyte	....	assistant costume designer: Toronto
Bujoi Mariana	....	key costume breakdown artist
Claudia Sarbu	....	assistant costume designer
Diana Sav	....	wardrobe assistant
Carmen Stefan	....	costume assistant
Rashmi Varma	....	costume assistant: Toronto

Editorial Department
Geoff Ashenhurst	....	co-editor
Louis Casado	....	color timer
Jim Fleming	....	digital intermediate colorist
Chad Glastonbury	....	first assistant editor
Lara Johnston	....	additional editing
Craig McKay	....	consulting editor

Music Department
Heather Adamo	....	music coordinator
Kevin Banks	....	music editor
Fletcher Beasley	....	composer: additional music
Mitch Bederman	....	music assistant
David Hayman	....	music supervisor
Annelise Noronha	....	music recordist
Dan Parr	....	orchestrator

Transportation Department
Relu Cojanu	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Andrei Alexandru	....	location manager
Monica Anastase	....	asisstant: Rachel Weisz
Ioana Bernacchi	....	production coordinator
Brianna Brown	....	business affairs associate
Gero Brugmann	....	legal counsel
Christina Buchli	....	production legal
Mihai Busuioc	....	production accountant
Paul Chodirker	....	legal services
Bernadette Couture	....	stand-in: Rachel Weisz
Christian de Gallegos	....	international distribution
Ken Dhaliwal	....	production legal counsel
Marius Dobrean	....	assistant location manager
Marius Florescu	....	supervising location manager
Laura Forrest	....	travel services provided by
Jenny Halper	....	development executive
Susan Hegarty	....	dialect coach: Rachel Weisz
Steffi Hiller	....	consulting accountant
Dominic Ianno	....	executive/production consultant
Josh Jensen	....	office production assistant
Susan R. Jones	....	production coordinator: re-shoots
Alexandra Marinescu	....	production coordinator
Nic Marshall	....	executive in charge of production: Mandalay Vision
Mihai Mitrea	....	second unit: location manager
Elena Neascu	....	assistant production manager
Anne O'Shea	....	production consultant
Ashley Patterson	....	script supervisor
Dorina Popa	....	assistant accountant
Irina Raducanu	....	extras coordinator
Marius Serban	....	location scout
Giancarlo J. Sini	....	financial controller
Lindsay Somers	....	key set medic
Sarah Timmins	....	business affairs
Iulian Timofte	....	key set production assistant
Iulian Timofte	....	p.a.

Thanks
Anne Frank	....	special thanks
Dan Lyon	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Samuel Goldwyn Films (presents)
• Whistleblower (Gen One) (co-production)
• Barry Films (co-production)
• Sunrise Films (II) (as Sunrise Pictures) (in association with)
• Primary Productions (in association with)
• First Generation Films (in association with)
• Mandalay Vision (in association with)
• Indomitable Entertainment (in association with)
• Raza Studio (sound recording)
• Voltage Pictures

Distributors

• Alfa Films (2011) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Entertainment One (2011) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Rialto Film AG (2011) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Samuel Goldwyn Films (2011) (USA) (theatrical)
• Wild Bunch Benelux (2011) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2012) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2012) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• CN Entertainment (2011) (Hong Kong) (DVD)
• CN Entertainment (2011) (Hong Kong) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• DNC Entertainment (2011) (Italy) (all media)
• High Fliers Distribution (2011) (UK) (DVD)
• Midship (2012) (Japan) (DVD)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2011) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Twin Co. Ltd. (2012) (Japan) (DVD)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2012) (Germany) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Invisible Pictures (visual effects by)
• Kristyan Mallett Fx (prosthetic supply)

Other Companies

• Audiolink Radio Communications  walkie talkies
• Central Casting Romania  extras casting
• Dolby Laboratories  sound mix
• Film Capital Europe Funds (FCEF )  funding
• Harold Greenberg Fund, The  funding
• Indomitable Entertainment  in association with
• Mediapro Studios  production services
• Movie Central  funding
• Movie Network, The (TMN)  funding
• Ontario Media Development Corporation (OMDC)  funding
• Téléfilm Canada  funding

Also Known As:

"La verdad oculta" - Argentina (imdb display title), Uruguay (imdb display title)
"A Informante" - Brazil (imdb display title)
"Delatora" - Portugal (imdb display title)
"Epikindyni siopi" - Greece (imdb display title)
"Hasufot" - Israel (Hebrew title) (imdb display title)
"Ryzykantka" - Poland (imdb display title)
"Secretos peligrosos" - Peru (imdb display title)
"Seule Contre Tous" - France (TV title)
"Seule contre tous" - France (imdb display title)

MPAA:

Rated R for disturbing violent content including a brutal sexual assault, graphic nudity and language

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

Germany | Canada

Language:

English | Romanian | Russian | Serbian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:14A (British Columbia/Ontario) | USA:R | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Australia:MA15+ | UK:15 | Germany:16 | Argentina:16 | India:A | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R16 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Singapore:M18

Filming Locations:

Bucharest, Romania

Company:

Samuel Goldwyn Films

Trivia:

Rachel Weisz first read the script in 2005 when she was pregnant, but turned it down because she didn't think she could play the harsh role of Bolkovac at that time. In 2009, after learning that the film never went ahead, she accepted the role and the film entered into production.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Raya:[in Ukrainian] I have to get home. Mama's gonna kill me.
Luba:No. You are staying with me tonight. Roman wants us there at nine in the morning. Raya, we've been over this. It's just a few months working in a hotel.
Raya:Yes, but...
Luba:You want to work at a Copyshack like your mother? He said it was both of us or nothing!
Raya:...No.
[walks away]

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Maltin on Movies: Man on a Ledge (#1.60)" (2012)

Riveting performance by Weisz

The Whistleblower (2010) is a movie based on the sad but true story of human trafficking by the employees of a firm contracted by the UN to provide security in Bosnia after the Dayton peace accord that put an end to the bloody conflict in the Balkans. Rachel Weisz plays Kathryn Bolkovac, a cop from Nebraska, who arrives in Bosnia to work for this firm and is seconded to the gender-affairs department. Weisz sees the stint as a much needed change of scene leaving behind a broken marriage, plus as an opportunity to improve her financial position given the compensation that comes with such a hardship-posting.

The times are tough and the residues of communal hatred still linger - one situation shows the apathy of the local policemen towards a victim of domestic-abuse given that she is from the "other side". Weisz stumbles upon a racket of human trafficking that lures young girls into slavery who are abused by ruthless sadists -- all with the active connivance and involvement of some employees of the firm. Wiesz lone voice is silenced by the firm -- despite the support she receives from a plucky UN officer for gender-affairs, played by Vanessa Redgrave.

Eventually, Rachel takes the sordid story, of protectors who have turned predators, to the media in the UK, where the firm is registered.

Fighting workplace conspiracy that is fueled by apathy and greed can be lonesome and Wiesz portrayal of a gritty professional is engrossing. One is reminded of the roles of Julia Roberts in Erin Brokovich (2000) and Laura Dern in Damaged Care (TV 2002), standing up for what is right despite being stymied by the perpetrators whose acts have the undertones of gender-bias, and suffering the indignation while staying the course with deep conviction.

The movie is spartan in production-value, driving home the truth that a good script and great performances are more than enough to tell a story.

The story makes one wonder of the risks that arise out of the involvement of private enterprises in security and policing, notwithstanding the mandates under which they operate.