Oct 30, 2009 skin is a fictionalized retelling of the true and terrible story of sandra laing, a south african woman whose race was classified and reclassified by the government, then in the mad grip of. During the apartheid regime, ones identity is reduced to the colour of ones skin and this has shameful and souldestroying consequences for sandra. South african sandra laing was born and classified as coloured in the 1950s, but both parents were white. At a time when dna testing was not yet developed, the. Mar 16, 2003 sandra laing was born black, but to white parents. The black woman with white parents global the guardian. Sandra laing, a south african woman born to white parents, but classified as coloured in the apartheid era. It would have been strange anywhere but in apartheid south africa it was disastrous. Ive just seen the 2008 movie skin, based on the life of south african sandra laing.
She had darker skin than other members of her family, which seemed to become more obvious as she grew older. A dark skinned girl born to white south african parents attempts to explore her identity in the era of apartheid as her government, her parents, and society as a whole struggle with what it means to be a black child of caucasian descent in a nation deeply divided by race. With sophie okonedo, sam neill, alice krige, tony kgoroge. Sandra laing, the reallife figure at the center of anthony fabians social issue drama skin, made international headlines with an unusual and achingly sad personal story, which fabian uses as a. Even in the united states, where nonwhite blood is more negligible than amongst afrikaners, there are a some white americans with above negligible black ancestry. Okonedo plays sandra laing, born in the early 1960s to pillars of the white afrikaner community. Sandra laing is a black child born in the 1950s to white afrikaners, unaware of th. Jan 15, 2010 the movie is based on the true story of sandra laing, who was born with brown skin to white parents in south africa under apartheid and raised as white only to feel, in adulthood, more accepted by. Elysian films this film chronicles the true life experiences of sandra laing, a woman with dark skin and kinky hair, born to two seemingly white parents in 1955 south africa. Skin is the story of one womans experience with south african apartheid at its height. Although sandras mother bore a baby boy that came out to be dark like sandra, the movie stayed focused on sandra and the parents. Based on the true story of a black girl who was born to two white afrikaner parents in south africa during the apartheid era.
It caused her many troubles in a divided society, such as being expelled from her boarding schools at the age of 10, because other. Sandra laing was born to a white mother and father yet she had the skin color of a black person. The film tells the true story of sandra laing who was born in piet retief, a small conservative town in apartheid south africa. There would be nothing unusual about that, if she was not a black baby born to white parents. Sandra laing sophie okonedo has just been born to a pair of white afrikaner parents, her brown skin and curly hair the surprising result of genetic throwback. Skin the story of mixed outcast sandra laing sandra laing was a black baby born to white parents at the height of apartheid in south africa. Interview with sandra laing real life subject of skin. Based on a true story, skin follows sandra laing, a distinctly mixedrace south african woman born to white parents during the apartheid era. And without the aid of a smart script or a prevailing sense of delicacy, a movie about her or.
The story of sandra laing, snared in apartheids rules the. Skin tells the true story of black south african sandra laing played by sophie okonedo. You will not forget the story of sandra laing, and with that the film accomplishes something important. Skin is a britishsouth african 2008 biographical film about sandra laing, a south african woman born to white parents, who was classified as coloured during the apartheid era, presumably due to a genetic case of atavism. Born in 1950s south africa during the height of apartheid, sandra, who looks like a. Sandra laing talks about race and her film skin south africas sandra laings life story of colorism in the age of apartheid inspired the film skin. Read the skin movie synopsis, view the movie trailer, get cast and crew information, see movie photos, and more on. Evidently laings parents had african heritage they were unaware of, which resulted in them having a daughter who looks mixedrace rather than white. Sandras afrikaner parents, members of the racist national party, perhaps out of denial, viewed her as white.
As a young girl she knew she looked different but her biggest problems began when she showed up to school. Sandra laing born 26 november 1955 is a south african woman who was classified as coloured by authorities during the apartheid era, due to her skin colour and hair texture, although she was the child of at least three generations of ancestors who had been regarded as white. She actually thinks shes white, explains the actress. Oct 30, 2009 sandra laing talks about race and her film skin south africas sandra laings life story of colorism in the age of apartheid inspired the film skin. The child of white afrikaner parents, sandra portrayed as an adult by sophie okonedo was. Abraham laing and his wife, sannie, could see from the moment she was born that her skin was.
Now 53, sandra is the daughter of shopkeepers from the eastern transvaal since renamed mpumalanga. Born in 1955 to two apparently caucasian parents in apartheid south africa, sandra has decidedly nonwhite features and a skin color several shades darker than her afrikaner parents. May 27, 2019 based on an incredible true story, skin follows sandra laing sophie okonedo, a distinctly mixedrace south african woman born to white parents sam neill and alice krige during the apartheid era. Even sandra who as a young girl, lived in a very isolated area, saw herself as white. This film chronicles the true life experiences of sandra laing, a woman with dark skin and kinky hair, born to two seemingly white parents in 1955 south africa. I lived in cape town during 1965, the year this film begins, and it was all over the south african newspapers. Sandra laing sophie okonedo is markedly different from her parents. In the case of sandra laings parents, the admixture had to come from both sides of the family too. Sandra laing on, how her story became a movie, how it felt.
The movie is based on the true story of sandra laing, who was born with brown skin to white parents in south africa under apartheid and raised as white only to feel, in adulthood, more accepted by. The film follows sandras thirtyyear journey from rejection to acceptance, betrayal to. The film follows sandra s thirtyyear journey from rejection to acceptance, betrayal to reconciliation, as she struggles to define her place in a changing world and triumphs against all odds. In sandra laing s case, her parents happened to be one of the latter. Sandra laing was born in 1955, in south africa, during the apartheid era. Oct 30, 2009 sandra laing, the reallife figure at the center of anthony fabians social issue drama skin, made international headlines with an unusual and achingly sad personal story, which fabian uses as a testament to the emotional, psychological, and sociological fallout of apartheid. Sandra laing, the reallife figure at the center of anthony fabians social issue drama skin, made international headlines with an unusual and achingly sad personal story, which fabian uses as a testament to the emotional, psychological, and sociological fallout of apartheid. Sandra laing 1955 was a black girl born to white afrikaner parents in south africa back in the days of white rule and apartheid, of keeping the races apart it seems that her white father was her true father. May, 2009 sandra laing 1955 was a black girl born to white afrikaner parents in south africa back in the days of white rule and apartheid, of keeping the races apart. Oct 30, 2009 skin is the heartbreaking true story of sandra laing played by sophie okonedo as a woman with black skin born to white parents in apartheid s.
On march 10 th, 1966, sandra laing, a 10yearold darkskinned afrikaner girl was removed from her allwhite school and escorted home by two police officers yes, two. Skin is a story of family, forgiveness and the triumph of the human spirit. The story of sandra laing, anthony fabian depicts sandra laings identity crisis as a coloured person born to white parents in south africa in 1955. Although sandra s mother bore a baby boy that came out to be dark like sandra, the movie stayed focused on sandra and the parents. Born in 1950s south africa during the height of apartheid, sandra, who looks like a lightskinned black girl, has been. Directed by anthony fabian and based on the book when she was white. Sandra laing on, how her story became a movie, how it felt seeing a film about her life, her brothers still not speaking to her, getting used to the media attention, what her children think of the film at the skin premiere at london england. Sandra laing talks about race and her film skin essence. Rentals include 30 days to start watching this video and 48 hours to finish once started. In sandra laings case, her parents happened to be one of the latter. May 25, 2011 the film looks at the life of sandra laing played by sophie okonedo as a teen and adult, ella ramangwane as a child, a blacklooking child born to white parents in south africa in the mid1950s.
But at the age of ten, sandra is driven out of white society. Laings life, despite its inherent melodrama, does not automatically lend itself to the screen. Sandra laing, sophie okonedo, has just been born to a pair of white afrikaner parents, her brown skin and. Jul 23, 2009 okonedo plays sandra laing, born in the early 1960s to pillars of the white afrikaner community.
Reclassified as caucasian after her whitelooking parents instigate a national protest, laing later becomes estranged from her family when she marries a black man. Skin is the heartbreaking true story of sandra laing played by sophie okonedo as a woman with black skin born to white parents in apartheid s. Dec 07, 2009 sandra laing is a black child born in the 1950s to white afrikaners, unaware of their black ancestry. The movie showed that great perseverance can make just as much difference as the obstacles. At the age of 10, she was expelled from her allwhite school, and the authorities decisions based on her appearance. Fabian acquired rights to laings life story after hearing her interviewed on the radio. Sandra and petrus slept together before marriage and moved in together after sandra decided to cut ties with her family all while not being legally married. In the case of sandra laing s parents, the admixture had to come from both sides of the family too. Sandra laing was born in 1955 to sannie and abraham laing, afrikaners in piet retief, a small conservative town in south africa during the apartheid era, when laws governed officially established social castes of racial classification. Sandra laing is a black child born in the 1950s to white afrikaners, unaware of their black ancestry. Sep 11, 2009 skin the story of mixed outcast sandra laing sandra laing was a black baby born to white parents at the height of apartheid in south africa.
Sandra also looked too much like her brother adriaan, who was white. This is a top notch film, as it explores issues of identity within the dutch skin scene in the late 70s, at a time when the movement was enjoying a revival thanks to the oi. Although not shirking in displaying violence, the movie as a whole is quite understated, with subtle points made, such as the main character shaving his head as his mother looses her hair in hospital after chemo treatment. It is your job to decide which you feel describes the worst abuse of human. The story of sandra laing, snared in apartheids rules. The hatred, rejection and heartache she suffered at the hands of the authorities, her teachers and her family sent shock waves across the world. While some of them to not refer to an injustice that sandra suffered directly, they may underline what the general black population had to put up with. At the age of 10, she was expelled from her allwhite school, and the. Based on an incredible true story, skin follows sandra laing sophie okonedo, a distinctly mixedrace south african woman born to white parents sam neill and alice krige during the apartheid era. The film looks at the life of sandra laing played by sophie okonedo as a teen and adult, ella ramangwane as a child, a blacklooking child born to white parents in south africa in the mid1950s. Skin is a fictionalized retelling of the true and terrible story of sandra laing, a south african woman whose race was classified and reclassified by. Watch trailer skin the movie if you want to learn a lot more about the real sandra laing go here to this youtube clip 25mins long and watch this so so sad makes me angry bout the whole apatheid regime all over again.
We came away from this movie as a family by praying for sandra laing, because at the end the dvd shows you the real life sandra and where she is today and how she is doing. Sandra laing sophie okonedo has just been born to a pair of white afrikaner parents, her brown skin and curly hair the surprising result of genetic. Her parents are rural shopkeepers serving the local black community, who lovingly bring her up as their white little girl. The story has been circulating from quite some time. At the age of 10, she was expelled from her allwhite school, and the authorities decisions based on her.
End of the apartheid regime apartheid is the policy of strict racial segregation, political and economic discrimination against nonwhites in the republic of south africa. Skin is one of the most moving stories to emerge from apartheid south africa. On march 10 th, 1966, sandra laing, a 10yearold darkskinned afrikaner girl was removed from her allwhite school and escorted home by two police officers yes, two of them. Sandra laing, sophie okonedo, has just been born to a pair of white afrikaner parents, her. Skin and human rights consider the following statements that were true of life under apartheid for sandra laing. It seems that her white father was her true father. Sandra was the daughter of white afrikaners, the descendents of the countrys original dutch settlers.