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How to Steal a Country
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How to Steal a Country
IDFA 2019

How to Steal a Country

Rehad Desai
South Africa
2019
87 min
World Premiere
Festival history

When a group of investigative journalists discovered far-reaching corruption involving Jacob Zuma, then President of South Africa, a pernicious disinformation campaign was mounted against the integrity of the newsroom. Then one day the journalists receive the smoking gun—a huge data leak that lays bare the entire modus operandi behind the capture of the South African state by private individuals with the help of politicians.

Thanks to their good friend Zuma, members of the Indian Gupta family were able to use the proceeds of an entire nation for their own gain, acquiring holdings in coal mines, media and IT companies, and even government positions. When a Judicial Commission of Inquiry is finally installed, Zuma also comes to testify. His defense: it’s all lies and fake news.

In interviews, investigative journalists express their concerns about the global drift towards ever-increasing entanglement between business and government, and the polarization it brings: presidents and multinationals live unassailably in their own bubble. As a journalist, all you can do is make life in the bubble a little less comfortable. Is there still room for justice in South Africa’s hard-won fledgling democracy?

Credits
Director
Production
    Rehad Desai for Uhuru Pictures,
    Zivia Desai Keiper,
    Anita Khanna for Uhuru Productions
Co-production
    Ma.ja.de Filmproduktions GmbH,
    Hummelfilm,
    Storyhouse,
    Faction North
    Ma.ja.de Filmproduktions GmbH,
    Hummelfilm,
    Storyhouse,
    Faction North
Executive producer
Cinematography
Animation
    Thomas Blatcher,
    Gordon Bakkes
    Thomas Blatcher,
    Gordon Bakkes
Editing
Sound
Music
    Jannous Aukema
    Jannous Aukema
Involved TV Channel
    EOdocs,
    ZDF/ARTE,
    DR TV,
    MNET,
    SVT
    EOdocs,
    ZDF/ARTE,
    DR TV,
    MNET,
    SVT
World Sales
    Deckert Distribution GmbH
    Deckert Distribution GmbH
Screening copy
    Uhuru Productions,
    Deckert Distribution GmbH
    Uhuru Productions,
    Deckert Distribution GmbH

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