Based on a true story, a little girl born with black skin into a white family, is forced to deal with complicated inequality in a very unforgiving 1955 South Africa. 

It’s difficult to believe society could ever be so cruel to alienate an innocent little girl into feeling inadequate and further, self loathing and dirty, because of the colour of her skin. Taken from a very unique perspective SKIN is based on the real life story of Sandra Laing (Sophie Okonedo) who through some rare genetic chance is born with dark skin and black features from white parents. The film begins with a political battle between Sandra’s father, protective yet typically close minded Afrikaner, and the asinine beuracratic government  over the status of little Sandra’s skin; white versus black; which would in turn cast her entire future. SKIN offers a distinct point of view that would offer a persuasive case to the most racist of individuals over the lunacy of inequality based on skin colour. Growing into a self aware young woman Sandra falls for a black man and is not only legally punished but ostracized from her family. Struggle for acceptance in the black community takes on another set of challenges. From 1955 to the first free elections in 1994, this film does a superb job at showing both sides of the story in this very dark and disgusting era of apartheid. A compelling and stomach churning journey told through the story of a girl who could never fit any mould and had to depend on her own tenacity to push through a world that would not accept her. JM