In an extraordinarily faithful adaptation of Nobel Prize winner J. M. Coetzee’s novel Disgrace we meet a towering John Malkovich as Professor of Literature David Lurie, a middle-aged man on an eternal quest to satisfy his sexual desires. The filmmakers primarily emphasise the second half of Coetzee’s masterpiece, where a disquieting and highly unpleasantly rendered event forces Lurie and his daughter Lucy to stare the full extent of human evil in the eyes.

Disgrace
doesn’t shirk in its treatment of the problem of evil, and the South African setting also brings controversies about that country’s racism into play. The primary theme of the work is the animal characteristics of human nature, and human beings’ treatment of animals is connected in a provoking and suggestive manner to questions of guilt, forgiveness, humiliation and - disgrace. lab


Seminar in connection with this film:
Sunday October 12th 18.00 Vika 1
DISGRACE FROM BOOK TO FILM
Panel: Reseacher and literate Tonje Vold (University of Oslo), film journalist Lars Audun Bråten and novel debutant Tania Michelet.
Organisers: Films from the South and Litteraturhuset

Original title Disgrace

Year 2008

Director Steve JACOBS

Screenplay Anna Maria MONTICELLI

Cinematography Steve ARNOLD

Producer Julio DEPIETRO, Marlow DE MARDT, Steve JACOBS, Anna Maria MONTICELLI, Brigid OLEN

Cast John MALKOVICH, Eriq EBOUANEY, Scott COOPER, Monroe REIMERS

Production Company Fortissimo Films, Sherman Films, Whitest Pouring Films, Wild Strawberries

Runtime 2h

Format 35mm

Links IMDb