The Whistleblower From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The Whistleblower Promotional poster Directed by Larysa Kondracki Produced by Christina Piovesan Amy Kaufman Celine Rattray Benito Mueller Wolfgang Mueller Written by Larysa Kondracki Eilis Kirwan Starring Rachel Weisz Vanessa Redgrave Benedict Cumberbatch David Strathairn Monica Bellucci Cinematography Kieran McGuigan Editing by Julian Clarke Distributed by Samuel Goldwyn Films September 13, 2010(Toronto) Release date(s) August 12, 2011 (Canada) Running time 112 minutes Country Canada Germany Language English The Whistleblower is a 2010 thriller film directed by Larysa Kondracki, written by Kondracki and Eilis Kirwan, starring Rachel Weisz.[1] Inspired by actual events, the film tells the story of Kathryn Bolkovac, and premiered at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival.[2] It was distributed theatrically in the United States by Samuel Goldwyn Films in August 2011.[3] Plot Kathryn Bolkovac (Rachel Weisz) is a police officer from Lincoln, Nebraska who accepts an offer to work with the U.N. International Police in post-war Bosnia at a U.K. company called Democra Security. Upon fighting for the trial for a Muslim woman suffering from domestic abuse and succeeding, Kathryn is made head of the department of gender affairs. She becomes involved in the case of a young Ukrainian woman named Raya, who had recently been sold by her uncle to a sex trafficking ring. She escapes and Kathryn sends her to a women's shelter specifically set up for the victims of sexual slavery. Through Raya's case, Kathryn is able to uncover a wide-scale sexual slavery and human-trafficking ring that various international personnel, including that of the U.S., have participated in. Furthermore, when she brings the scandal to the attention of the U.N., she discovers that they have covered it up in order to prevent any more war in the country. Kathryn finds allies in Madeleine Rees (Vanessa Redgrave) and Peter Ward (David Strathairn), authority figures who support her investigation. Kathryn is soon fired from her job due to her knowing too much about the scandal and her reluctance to stop the investigation. Meanwhile, Raya had been captured again and is later found dead, only pushing Kathryn even more to bring the scandal to light. She and Ward eventually capture evidence of an official admitting to the scandal, and she brings it to the BBC. It is said in the ending credits that following Kathryn's departure, a number of peacekeepers were sent home, though none faced criminal charges because of immunity laws. It is also noted that the U.S. continues to do business with private contractors like Democra Security, including ones worth billions of dollars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Cast . Rachel Weisz as Kathryn Bolkovac . Vanessa Redgrave as Madeleine Rees . Benedict Cumberbatch as Nick Kaufman . David Strathairn as Peter Ward . Roxana Condurache as Raya Kochan . Monica Bellucci as Laura Leviani . Nikolaj Lie Kaas as Jan . Anna Anissimova as Zoe . David Hewlett as Fred Murray . William Hope as John Blakely North Country (film) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia North Country Original poster Directed by Niki Caro Produced by Nick Wechsler Written by Michael Seitzman Based on Class Action by Clara Bingham andLaura Leedy Gansler Starring Charlize Theron Frances McDormand Richard Jenkins Sissy Spacek Woody Harrelson Sean Bean Michelle Monaghan Jeremy Renner Music by Gustavo Santaolalla Cinematography Chris Menges Editing by David Coulson Distributed by Warner Bros. September 12, 2005(TIFF) Release date(s) October 21, 2005 Running time 126 minutes Country United States Language English Budget $30 million Box office $23,624,242 North Country is a 2005 American drama film directed by Niki Caro. The screenplay byMichael Seitzman was inspired by the 2002 book Class Action: The Story of Lois Jenson and the Landmark Case That Changed Sexual Harassment Law by Clara Bingham and Laura Leedy Gansler, which chronicled the case of Jenson v. Eveleth Taconite Company. [edit]Plot In 1989, Josey (Charlize Theron) returns to her hometown in northern Minnesota with her children, Sam (Thomas Curtis) and Karen (Elle Peterson), after escaping from her abusive husband. She moves in with her parents, Alice (Sissy Spacek) and Hank (Richard Jenkins). Hank is ashamed of Josey, who became pregnant at the age of 16, and believes that this was the result of Josey being promiscuous. The townspeople believe the same, which causes them not to allow Josey to blend in. Her only friends are Glory (Frances McDormand) and Glory's boyfriend Kyle Dodge (Sean Bean). Glory, who works at the local iron mines (the town's main source of income), aids Josey in getting a job there. Glory and Kyle also allow Josey to stay at their place with her children, due to Josey's bad relationship with her father. Josey quickly befriends the other female workers at the mine, which include Glory, Sherry (Michelle Monaghan) and Big Betty (Rusty Schwimmer), and becomes the target of provocations spearheaded by Bobby Sharp (Jeremy Renner), Josey's high school boyfriend who also works at the mine. Her attempts to stop the provocations by reporting it to the mine's higher-up only worsen it, and soon all the women are being verbally and physically abused by men at the factory. Josey is also sexually harassed by many of them, including Bobby. Josey's refusal in giving in on her male co-workers' demands causes them to spread lies about her being promiscuous and trying to seduce them, which cause Josey to be further segregated not only by her father and the men's wives, but also by Sam, who starts believing that his mother is indeed promiscuous after discovering that he was the result of her teenage pregnancy. After even the mine's board of directors refuses to hear Josey's complaints about the way women are treated at the mine, she quits and asks Bill White (Woody Harrelson), a friend of Kyle and Glory and also a lawyer – to help her file a lawsuit against the company. Bill tells her that the best way to win a case like this is by convincing the other women to back up her statements in court. The women, however, are hesitant, as this would mean risking their jobs, and refuse. Josey also discovers that Glory has ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease.) Hank is disappointed by Josey's decision, and Alice leaves him, tired of hearing him criticizing their daughter for something that was not her fault. Hank later attends a union meeting. Josey appears, hoping to address the miners and explain her reasons for suing the mine. When they refuse to hear her and start verbally abusing her, Hank stands up for his daughter and reprimands his co-workers for their rude treatment of Josey and all the women at the factory. At the court, the mine's lawyers attempt to hold Josey's so-called "promiscuous" past against her, and have Bobby Sharp testify on how Sam is the fruit of a consensual sexual relationship between Josey and one of her teachers. Josey then reveals the truth: When she and Bobby were 16, they were caught skipping class and kissing by their teacher and were forced to stay after class as punishment. When detention ended, Bobby left first to start up his car, intending to give Josey a ride. While he was away, Josey was attacked and raped by her teacher. Bobby witnessed the rape and not knowing what to do, he left the school quickly. Josey got pregnant from the rape, but refused to abort the baby or give it away, and had Sam. Josey's lawyer Bill gets Bobby to admit he is lying about the sex being consensual. Glory has come to the court in her wheel chair and from the back of the room her husband reads a letter saying she stands with Josey. Other women then stand up to support Josey's complaint. They are followed by more women, family members, and miners. With this, the mining company loses the case and is forced to pay the women for what they suffered, in addition to establishing a sexual harassment policy at the workplace. Josey, vindicated, thanks Bill for all that he has done for her and her family and departs to teach Sam how to drive, telling him that she intends to buy him a car on his 18th birthday. [edit]Production notes Lois Jenson, on whom the character of Josey is based, actually began working at the EVTAC mine in Eveleth, Minnesota in 1975 and initiated her lawsuit in 1984, four years before the year in which the film begins. Its time line was condensed, but in reality it took fourteen years for the case to be settled. Jenson declined to sell the rights to her story or act as the film's consultant.[1] The film was shot in the towns of Eveleth, Virginia, and Chisholm in northern Minnesota; Minneapolis; and Silver City and Santa Fe inNew Mexico. The film premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and was shown at the Chicago International Film Festival before going into theatrical release in the US, where it grossed $6,422,455 in its opening weekend, ranking 5th at the box office.[2] Budgeted at $30 million, it eventually grossed $18,324,242 in the US and $5,300,000 in foreign markets for a total worldwide box office of $23,624,242.[3] Principal cast . Charlize Theron as Josey Aimes . Frances McDormand as Glory Dodge . Woody Harrelson as Bill White . Sissy Spacek as Alice Aimes . Richard Jenkins as Hank Aimes . Jeremy Renner as Bobby Sharp . Sean Bean as Kyle Dodge .