THE TRIBUNAL Review
THE TRIBUNAL (also known as STORM in some countries) is a superb legal and political thriller that highlights the influence that politics could have on legal proceedings. The film focuses on the atrocities of the Bosnian War, and has a truly intriguing story to tell.
New Zealand actress Kerry Fox (recently on the jury panel for the Sydney Film Festival official competition) gives a remarkable performance as Hannah Maynard, a determined and uncompromising prosecutor at the International War Crime Tribunal in The Hague. Anamaria Marinca (4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS AND 2 DAYS) impresses as Mira Arendt, a Bosnian woman with a very tragic past that she wants to put behind her. The two characters meet and develop a strong bond in the fight to bring a former Serbian general and alleged war criminal Goran Duric to justice.
What makes the film work so well is how real and believable the characters and events feel. In the hands of other filmmakers, this story could easily have been turned into an action blockbuster. However, to the credit of the makers of THE TRIBUNAL, they have decided to stick to reality. The strong sense of authenticity, achieved through the combination of a good script that allows insight into the personal / family lives of the characters and the superb acting especially by the two female leads, is one of the greatest strengths of the film.
Director Hans Christian Schmid has made THE TRIBUNAL with passion, and the very serious subject matter must feel very close to his heart. The courage the main characters display in pursuing the truth and fighting for justice is admirable. The film deservedly won the Amnesty International Film Prize, and was nominated for the Golden Bear, at the 2009 Berlin International Film Festival. It is gripping drama at its best.
THE TRIBUNAL is distributed in Australia by Pinnacle Films and New Zealand by Vendetta Films, and will be available on DVD from August 2011.
RELATED LINK
