This year, The Woman King – starring Viola Davis of Fences in 2016 – looks to become an important addition to this ever-growing trend across entertainment. Not only does it star the 2017 Best Supporting Actress winner, but Woman King will also tell a story based on the Kingdom of Dahomey, which was located within what is now the nation of Benin. A theme that’s proving popular across entertainment Away from the world of acting, you can see African-themed entertainment products surging in popularity. The 9 Masks of Fire slot continues to feature on casino sites. In it, the core symbol is reminiscent of tribal African masks, while the free spins mode is triggered by the Zulu-like shield and spearssymbol. Important figures in the entertainment industry are also coming around to embracing Africa, with Beyoncé perhaps being the most prominent figure in music to do so. Once going by her alter-ego “Sasha Fierce,” the 28-time Grammy Award-winner is now incorporating imagery of the Yoruba deity Oshun, the goddess of beauty and love. With such prominence now, it’s inevitable that more will embrace a positive adoption of Africa as a theme. An examination of, rather than an embrace of Africa The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind, a 2019 release on Netflix, is based on a true story that tells of a Malawian boy who saves his community. The British film is also joined by the likes of Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (2013) and The First Grader (2011) as movies that have more positively-driven stories. It should also be recognized that filmmakers from Africa are increasingly adding top-class films to the scene. As shown in The Guardian’s top-20 list, Abouna(2002), I Am Not a Witch (2017), Atlantique (2019), and District 9 (2009) all received praise, tapped into African culture and cinema, and are made by creatives from Chad, Zambia, Senegal, and South Africa, respectively. Still, when the world’s largest movie money-maker is backing productions, the films have tended to veer more towards shock-and-awe rather than feel-good recently. The Woman King to be empowering and historic Given that King Ghezo (John Boyega) is to be in the film, it’ll likely be set somewhere between 1818 and 1858, with the story following Nanisca (Davis) as the leader of an all-female military unit that seeks to defeat those who threaten the Kingdom of Dahomey. So far, the cast of the historical epic has been padded by rising stars Jayme Lawson, MasaliBaduza, and Hero Fiennes Tiffin, as detailed in the October 2021 piece by Deadline. Coming to theatres on September 16, 2022, The Woman King looks to be another big step towards proving the viability of delving into the stories, history, and setting of Africa, particularly in a positive and empowering light. Contribute Hire me
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