Sandra Laing is one-of-a-kind. Born to white South African parents, her skin was dark. Some would say it was a genetic miracle, but for Sandra, her skin was a curse. She was born in the 1950s, in the midst of Apartheid in South Africa, a time when everything, from public bathrooms to the private homes, was segregated. The native Africans were shunned, deemed less-than-human and subjected to unthinkable treatment. And in the thick of it was Sandra Laing, a young girl simply looking to find her place in the world. Skin is the true story of one woman’s struggles and ultimate triumph in the face of adversity.
As a child, Sandra's parents love and support her, but her father Abraham (Sam Neill) has a deep-seated racism he cannot let go of. In order for him to accept his daughter, he must see her as white, in every sense of the word. While the world may view her as black, based on the color of her skin, Abraham takes his case to court, demanding that his daughter be classified as white. The court eventually rules in favor of the Laings, and Sandra is raised believing she is white, as is the rest of her family. It's not until she reaches her late teens that she begins to realize that she can no longer pretend to be something she's not.
This realization comes about when she falls for a local black worker, Petrus. When her parents learn of her tryst, they are horrified. Abraham threatens to kill Sandra and Petrus when he discovers that she is pregnant. Sandra is so hurt by her family that she leaves them and travels to Swaziland to make a home with Petrus.
Over time, Sandra grows accustomed to her new life, and even has herself reclassified as black. Because she was classified as white by the government, living under the same roof as her black husband and child was illegal, and she could have lost her son. Despite becoming legally black, she can never let go of her past or forget her family. This longing for something that once was drives Petrus to resent her, and ultimately brings about the demise of their relationship.
Sophie Okonedo brilliantly portrays the life of her character, from boarding school to present day. Young Sandra is played by Ella Ramangwane, whose innocence is made apparent in her kind spirit and inability to see a difference between herself and anyone else in her life. It's not until she is a teenager that she fully understands the distinct class delineations created by the South African government, and the repercussions this has on her own life. Okonedo's face is instantly likeable, and she has a sweetness about her that creates an immediate connection with the viewer. The film feels so real it's hard not to get emotional as Sandra is repeatedly punished for the color of her skin.
Sam Neill and Alice Krige are fantastic as Sandra’s parents, Abraham and Sannie Laing. They are struggling to bring up a black child in such a racially segregated society, all the time suppressing their innate hatred of those who are not deemed white. Sam Neill never fails to impress, and once again he delivers an unforgettable performance as a father so consumed by hate that he disowns his own daughter. His tumultuous relationship with his wife is almost painful to watch, as Abraham pushes Sandra farther and farther away despite Sannie's attempts to protect her and keep her close. We keep hoping he will come to his senses and accept his daughter for who she is, but racial equality was a non-existent mindset during Apartheid. Racism was so ingrained into the South African way of life that anything else was simply not an alternative.
The South African landscape is visually stunning, shot in stark contrast to the slums that sprung up as a result of segregation laws under Apartheid. The scenery in the film is beautifully depicted as Sandra's life unfolds across the African plains. Against all odds, Sandra made a life for herself and raised a family in South Africa. Today, the real Sandra Laing lives in Johannesburg and for a time ran Sandra's Rainbow Tuck Shop, a small grocery and food store, which she opened in 2003. She has overcome immense adversity, yet was lucky enough to survive to see the end of a system that changed her life forever. Skin is a tragic story of Apartheid, poignantly explored by director Anthony Fabian, a filmmaker set on bringing one woman’s story to the world and thus exposing new audiences to a time not so long ago.
DVD Bonus Features
The theatrical trailer can be found along with a Behind The Scenes Featurette, Deleted Scenes and Outtakes. The most intriguing extra is “Script Development Workshops,” where viewers get a sneak into the writing process. Actors were brought in to act out different versions of the script, and are taken on an emotional journey in the process. In the Featurette, we meet the real Sandra Laing today.
"Skin" is on sale February 1, 2011 and is rated PG13. Biopic, Drama. Directed by Anthony Fabian. Written by Anthony Fabian, Helen Crawley, Jessie Keyt, Helena Kriel. Starring Alice Krige, Sam Neill, Sophie Okonedo.
