the epic of the Amazons of Benin revisited by Hollywood

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The Woman King, the fiction on the famous Beninese Amazons directed by the American Gina Prince-Bythewood and carried by her Oscar-winning compatriot Viola Davis, will be released in theaters on September 16 and 28, respectively in the United States and France. The action takes place in 1823 in Dahomey, present-day Benin, in West Africa.

The young Nawi, played by actress Thuso Mbedu, is an orphan raised by a greedy uncle. She then decided to join the regiment of Agodjies (“Agoodjies“) Where “Let’s mine”. At their head, General Nanisca (Viola Davis). Subjected to harsh training and marginalized by society, these soldiers are trained to protect King Guezo, played by the British John Boyega, and defend the kingdom. Especially against the Portuguese slave traders.

Screened in world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival (TIFF), in Canada, The Woman King is already dubbed by the critics: on the site Rotten Tomatoes, it obtained a score higher than 90%. Something to reassure some Beninese, who on discovering the first images of the film, have expressed reservations. The trailer of The Woman Kingbroadcast in early July, immediately fueled controversy in the native country of the famous fighters.

“The trailer got mixed reactions, explained to franceinfo Africa the Beninese journalist Maurice Thantan. “Some have expressed pride in the fact that a typically Beninese story, that of the Agodjiés be brought to the screen”. These latter formed “an all-female military regiment that existed until the end of the 19th century in the kingdom of Danxomè (or Dahomey)“, can we read on the official website of the Beninese government. This unprecedented army is the work of an equally exceptional woman, Tassi Hangbé, who reigned from 1708 to 1711 pretending to be her twin brother killed in the war, King Akaba.

“Others denounce a ‘cultural appropriation’, continues Maurice Thantan. They fear that the story will be distorted in the cinematic narrative. A young Beninese filmmaker, Sèdo Tossou, regretted that there were no Beninese actors in the cast”. On social networks, the latter pleads for “authenticity“and denounces a film”which uses our history but does not involve any Beninese in the production”. “Yet African-Americans are used to complaining about cultural appropriation”. Sèdo Tossou also scratches the accent of the actors and says to himself “tired of seeing movies where the actors imitate a grotesque Nigerian accent (some) either the African country where the action is (supposed) happen”. A debate which will escape the moviegoers who will see the film in French since the effort made in the original version, as in the film Black Panther (2018) by Ryan Coogler, is no longer noticeable.

Beninese writer Florent Couao-Zotti reacted in a post on Facebook by calling“heresy” a controversy around a trailer which, generally, “show all (and) at the same time almost nothing. As for the question of “cultural appropriation”the author notes that Americans have always drawn from the cultures of the world “to nourish their inspirations”. Especially sincefor the technical advisor for culture at the Benin Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts, The Woman King “is the most rooted film in the African era and history” that Hollywood has ever produced, “Black Africa (not having) not aroused much in (this) industry”.

For its performers and its director, all black, The Woman King has a symbolic dimension. “It’s a movie worn by dark-skinned black women.”insisted Viola Davis on the set of Good Morning America where she was invited on September 13, 2022. “When did you see that? Never!”, continued the co-producer of the film. Women who have often been told they are “invisible”. “It’s my gift to the 6-year-old Viola who has always been called black and ugly” to tell him “that she counts”, said the actress again.

In promotion across the Atlantic, the team of The Woman King pours out and evokes an almost mystical experience to which this feature film shot in South Africa refers. During a moving 100% female round table, organized by the American magazine Essencethe artists said they found strength in the idea of ​​telling “the story of (their) ancestors”. That’s why Prince-Bythewood was keen to bring together “the Diaspora” : in addition to the South African Thuso Mbedu and the American Viola Davis, we find on the poster of the feature film the British Lashana Lynch (the new 007 in the franchise james bond) and Sheila Atim who is Ugandan and British. In the most difficult times, Lashana Lynch thus explains that she was motivated by the fact that the Agodjies can be “proud” of his interpretation.

Because The Woman King, this portrait of warriors is also a physical feat for the actresses whom the director asked to perform their own stunts and fight scenes. Viola Davis recounts, in a burst of laughter, that she did not fail to remind Gina Prince-Bythewood that she was 56 and that all this effort could cause her “a heart attack” and kill her, unlike her thirty-something colleagues. “My body has been through hell”already confided Viola Davis, like her partners, in a pellet made by the production of the film.

(The best action movie is story and character driven. For #TheWomanKing, that meant our actors did their own fights and stunts. They gave EVERYTHING to fully embody these warriors)

All these efforts to give life to The Woman King will have to be validated by the public and therefore a success at the box office. According to Viola Davis, this is essential to demonstrate to Hollywood that a film whose headliners are black women is profitable. “VShe movie has to make money, otherwise this conversation (on diversity in cinema) is null and void”, threw Viola Davis in Toronto.

The Woman King cost 50 million dollars (more than 50 million euros), indicates The Hollywood Reporter. And the production called on Beninese, just as scouting was done in Benin, assures Maurice Thantan. In addition, the American actress and producer Maria Bello, who submitted the idea for this film to Viola Davis in 2015, discovered the Agodjies by going to the country.

“On debates on edge when all this is very commercial”, analyzes Maurice Thantan. One certainty: this controversy reflects the growing interest of Beninese themselves for their illustrious compatriots. “Most (of us), a priori those who have finished primary school, have at least once heard of the Amazons, notes the journalist. However, we were not aware of their greatness and uniqueness on the continent. The fact that Hollywood is interested in the subject gives more reasons to Beninese to go and appropriate this story which is already part of our identity.

An approach that also results “of political will”. “The government is making big investments in the area of ​​culture and tourism,” recalls Maurice Thantan. Inaugurated on July 31, on the eve of the celebration of Benin’s independence, a giant Amazon of 30 m now sits in Cotonou, the economic capital. The monument attracts “a huge crowd”, according to the Beninese journalist. A museum will soon be dedicated to Agodjies.

Since the success of Black Panther and its Dora Milaje which are inspired by the Amazons, Hollywood seems to have become infatuated with the Beninese warriors. Kenyan actress Lupita Nyongo’o, who played Dora Milaje in Ryan Coogler’s film and is expected to play Nawi in The Woman Kingmade a documentary about female soldiers, Warrior Women, broadcast in March 2022 in the United States.

Furthermore, the planned sequel to Black Panther should further highlight this female regiment that protects the throne of the imaginary African kingdom of Wakanda. For the most impatient, The Woman King promises action and emotion. Enough to convince the most skeptical Beninese? Answer in a few months when the fiction will arrive in the few cinemas available to the country and it will perhaps be dubbed in Fon, the language of the Amazons and one of those most spoken in Benin.

The Woman King by Gina Prince-Bythewood
With Viola Davis, Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, Sheila Atim, Hero Fiennes Tiffin and John Boyega
French release: September 28


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