The Woman King

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The Woman King
The Woman King (film).jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood
Screenplay by Dana Stevens
Story by
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography Polly Morgan
Edited by Terilyn A. Shropshire
Music by Terence Blanchard
Production
companies
Distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing
Release dates
  • September 9, 2022 (2022-09-09)(TIFF)
  • September 16, 2022 (2022-09-16)(United States)
Running time
135 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$50 million [2]
Box office$97.6 million [3] [4]

The Woman King is a 2022 American historical action-adventure film about the Agojie, the all-female warrior unit that protected the West African kingdom of Dahomey during the 17th to 19th centuries. Set in the 1820s, the film stars Viola Davis as a general who trains the next generation of warriors to fight their enemies. It is directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood and written by Dana Stevens, based on a story she wrote with Maria Bello. The film also stars Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, Sheila Atim, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, and John Boyega.

Contents

Bello conceived the idea for The Woman King in 2015 after visiting Benin, where the kingdom used to be located, and learning the history of the Agojie. She recruited Cathy Schulman to develop it into a feature film, pitching it to several studios, who turned it down due to financial concerns. After they met with TriStar Pictures in 2017, the film was greenlit in 2020. Production began in South Africa in November 2021, shut down due to the COVID-19 Omicron variant a few weeks later, and resumed in early 2022. Polly Morgan was the cinematographer. During post-production, the musical score was composed by Terence Blanchard, and the editing was completed by Terilyn A. Shropshire.

The Woman King had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2022, and Sony Pictures Releasing released the film in theaters in the United States on September 16, 2022. Following the festival screening, the film received generally positive reviews from critics, [5] [6] with praise directed towards Davis's performance and the action choreography. However, it underperformed at the box office, especially outside of America, and received criticism for historical distortion of slavery. [7] At the 28th Critics' Choice Awards the film received nominations for Best Costume Design, Best Acting Ensemble, Best Director, and Best Actress for Davis. Furthermore, Davis also earned Best Actress nominations at the Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild, BAFTA Film Awards, and NAACP Image Awards.

It was the last film to be distributed by Entertainment One in Canada before the distributor's Canadian division was shut down on June 29, 2022, along with its Spanish distribution shortly before its release.

Plot

In the West African kingdom of Dahomey in 1823, [8] General Nanisca, leader of the all-female regiment of warriors, the Agojie, liberates Dahomean women who were abducted by slavers from the Oyo Empire. This provokes King Ghezo of Dahomey to prepare for an all-out war with the Oyo.

Nanisca begins to train a new generation of warriors to join the Agojie to protect the kingdom. Among these warriors is Nawi, a strong-willed girl who was offered by her father to the king when she refused to marry men who would beat her. Nawi befriends Izogie, a veteran Agojie. She also reveals to Nanisca that she is adopted and shows a scar on her left shoulder, shocking her.

Portuguese slave traders led by Santo Ferreira and accompanied by the half-Dahomean Malik arrive as part of an alliance with the Oyo, led by General Oba Ade. Nawi encounters Malik while the latter is bathing, and the two become friends.

Shortly after graduating from training to become a full-fledged Agojie, Nawi sneaks off to speak with Malik and learns that the Oyo are planning to attack. She reports this to Nanisca, who tells her off for her recklessness. Amidst a heated argument between the two, Nanisca reveals that in her youth, she was captured by Oba, raped, and impregnated. After giving birth to a daughter, Nanisca embedded a shark tooth in her left shoulder before giving her away. Nanisca helps Nawi extract the tooth, confirming that she is her biological daughter.

Nanisca leads the Agojie in an attack on the Oyo. The attack is successful, but Oba escapes and Nawi, Fumbe and Izogie are captured. With Nawi's advice, Fumbe escapes and reports the others' fate to Nanisca. Ghezo prepares to bestow the title of Woman King, his partner and equal in ruling Dahomey, upon Nanisca, but refuses to authorise a rescue mission for the captive Agojie.

Meanwhile, Izogie is killed in an escape attempt and Malik buys Nawi to protect her. Nanisca defies orders and sets out with a group of like-minded warriors to rescue the captives. The chaos allows Nawi to escape and rejoin Nanisca. Malik frees several other slaves who drown Ferreira, and Nanisca kills Oba in single combat.

The triumphant Agojie return to Dahomey, where Ghezo privately and briefly admonishes Nanisca for disobeying him, before crowning her the Woman King. After the festivities, Nanisca and Nawi privately acknowledge their familial relationship.

Cast

Production

Development

Producer Maria Bello in 2016 Maria Bello (31621213980).jpg
Producer Maria Bello in 2016

The Woman King was produced by Maria Bello and Cathy Schulman, written by Dana Stevens with contributions by Gina Prince-Bythewood, and directed by Prince-Bythewood. [20] It is a co-production between TriStar Pictures and Entertainment One. [1]

In 2015, Bello went to the West African nation of Benin to learn the history of the Agojie. Convinced she had found a story worth telling, she returned to Los Angeles and recruited Schulman, then head of organization Women in Film, to help her make the film. [2] On September 19, 2015, [21] [22] Bello used a moment when she was presenting actress Viola Davis with an award at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles to pitch her idea for the movie in front of the crowd, who cheered at the notion of seeing Davis in the lead role. [2] [20]

Schulman first tried to set up the film at STXfilms, where she was the head of the production, but the studio was only willing to offer an unsatisfactory $5 million. [23] After leaving STX in 2016, Schulman worked with Bello, Davis, and Julius Tennon, Davis's husband and producing partner at JuVee Productions, to take the idea elsewhere.

Studios who turned it down cited an unlikely chance for the film to turn a profit; others, according to Davis, wanted to cast light-skinned, well-known actresses, which they refused to do for historical accuracy and the audience's sake. Prince-Bythewood, also in 2016, was approached to write the screenplay but could not commit due to a scheduling conflict with Silver & Black . [23] [24] In 2017, without a script or director, the producers met with TriStar's then-chief Hannah Minghella and then-senior vice president Nicole Brown. Within two years, Brown had taken over Minghella's position and made The Woman King one of TriStar's top priorities. [2]

In early 2018, the commercial success of the superhero movie Black Panther , which featured a fictionalized version of the Agojie, further motivated the crew to move forward with the project. In March 2018, Davis and Lupita Nyong'o were announced to star; [9] Nyong'o's role was ultimately played by Thuso Mbedu. Lupita dropped out after learning about Dahomey's "legacy of violence." [25] Prince-Bythewood read the screenplay once it was completed and came on board to direct, and in 2020, The Woman King was greenlit with a $50 million budget. [2] [24]

Prince-Bythewood referenced epic films like The Last of the Mohicans (1992), Braveheart (1995), and Gladiator (2000) as influences. Her background in sports gave her a perspective on the realism of fight scenes. [2] In crafting the story, she sought for the women to be multi-faceted in both their fighting ability and their emotional reactions. [20] She worked with production designer Akin McKenzie to learn about the Agojie. Their research included books, out-of-print texts, photographs, and writings by Princeton professor Leonard Wantchekon. "The biggest eye-opener," she said, "was how much misinformation there is about these women and this culture, given that so much of their history was written from the colonizer's point of view. So it was really about separating the texts that were from that point of view, which were so disparaging and disrespectful, from the truth." [23]

For four months before the shoot, the cast performed 90 minutes a day of weight lifting with trainer Gabriela Mclain, followed by three and a half hours of fight training with stunt coordinator Danny Hernandez, which included running, martial arts, and working with swords and spears. Davis was inspired by pro boxer Claressa Shields. [2]

Filming

Director Gina Prince-Bythewood in 2018 Gina Prince-Bythewood by Gage Skidmore.jpg
Director Gina Prince-Bythewood in 2018

In November 2021, the cast and crew flew to South Africa for a five-month shoot. Prince-Bythewood prioritized department heads who were women and people of color, [2] including cinematographer Polly Morgan, [26] production designer Akin McKenzie, costume designer Gersha Phillips, hairstylist Louisa Anthony, visual effects supervisor Sara Bennett, and editor Terilyn Shropshire. Makeup was handled by a local, South African artist, Babalwa Mtshiselwa. "The thing is for women and people of color," Prince-Bythewood said, "often the résumés are not long because it's about lack of opportunity, not lack of talent. So when you’re in my position, it's important to look past that résumé." [2]

For a sequence in which a character is remembering a sexual assault, Prince-Bythewood referenced Christine Blasey Ford's testimony at Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination hearing and asked the actress to read the Roxane Gay book Hunger , a memoir about Gay's rape. [2] Filming for the first two weeks took place in the coastal province of KwaZulu-Natal for the shooting of jungle scenes. They then moved to the coastal city of Cape Town, where the majority of filming would take place. [24] In their third week in South Africa, the COVID-19 omicron variant hit the production; Davis and Tennon were among the infected. Production shut down for a few weeks and resumed in mid-January 2022. This production halt forced them to re-rehearse a battle sequence with hundreds of performers. Prince-Bythewood called it the hardest shoot of her career. [2]

Post-production

Film score composer Terence Blanchard in 2014 Terence Blanchard, Lantaren Venster Rotterdam 16 mei 2014 - Terence Blanchard (51276405322).jpg
Film score composer Terence Blanchard in 2014

Editing was completed by Terilyn A. Shropshire, who worked on Prince-Bythewood's The Old Guard (2020). [27] The film's musical score was composed by Terence Blanchard, who worked with Prince-Bythewood on her first film Love & Basketball (2000) and the television shows Shots Fired and Swagger . [28] [29] For the score, Blanchard enlisted the nine-voice Vox Noire ensemble, who worked with him on his opera Fire Shut Up in My Bones , with jazz singer Dianne Reeves as his soloist. They recorded for five days with the 78-member Royal Scottish National Orchestra in Glasgow, Scotland. Additional recordings occurred in New York with Vox Noire and Colorado with Reeves. Ghanaian-American mezzo-soprano Tesia Kwarteng led the choir. Three numbers by South African composer Lebo M of chants and dances were also performed in the film. The song in the end credits, "Keep Rising," was an original piece written by Jessy Wilson, Jeremy Lutito, and Angélique Kidjo and performed by Kidjo for Warner Chappell Music in late 2020, and later sold to Sony. The soundtrack album was released on September 16, 2022, by Milan Records. [30] [31]

Release

The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2022. [32] [33] It was released in theaters on September 16, 2022, by Sony Pictures Releasing. [34] [35] Sony handled distribution worldwide except in Canada and the United Kingdom, where distribution was held by Entertainment One. [1]

The film was released for VOD on November 22, 2022, followed by a Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K UHD release by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment on December 13, 2022, in the United States. [36] In the United Kingdom, it was released on DVD and Blu-ray, by Entertainment One and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment on February 13, 2023.

Netflix in the United States received The Woman King 153 days after its theatrical release on February 16, 2023 as part of a first window deal with Sony Pictures and a second window deal with Disney+. [37]

It was the last film to be distributed by Entertainment One in Canada before the distributor's Canadian division was shut down on June 29, 2022, along with its Spanish distribution shortly before the film's release. [38]

Reception

Box office

The Woman King grossed $67.3 million in the United States and Canada, and $27.1 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $94.4 million [3] [4] against a projected $190 million break-even price point. [39]

In the United States and Canada, The Woman King was projected to gross around $12 million in its opening weekend, with some studios estimating it could reach as much as $16 million. [40] The film made $6.8 million on its first day, including $1.7 million from Thursday night previews. It went on to over-perform and debut at $19.05 million from 3,765 theaters, topping the box office. Of the opening-weekend audience, 60% were female, 58% were over the age of 35, and 59% were African American. [35] In its second weekend, the film made $11.1 million (a drop of 42%), finishing behind newcomer Don't Worry Darling . [41] In its third weekend, the film made $6.8 million, finishing third. [42]

Critical response

Critics praised Viola Davis for her performance. Viola Davis (cropped).jpg
Critics praised Viola Davis for her performance.

The Woman King received positive reviews from critics for the cast's performance, including Viola Davis's starring role and Thuso Mbedu's breakout performance, and its action choreography, while some minor disappointment was expressed with the script. [7] On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 94% of 276 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.8/10.The website's consensus reads: "All hail Viola Davis! The Woman King rules." [43] On Metacritic the film has a weighted average score of 76 out of 100, based on 35 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [44] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film a rare average grade of "A+" on an A+ to F scale, while those at PostTrak gave the film a 95% overall positive score.[ citation needed ]

Lovia Gyarkye of The Hollywood Reporter wrote, "A crowd-pleasing epic—think Braveheart with Black women." [45] Robert Daniels at RogerEbert.com said, "When The Woman King works, it's majestic... The magnitude and the awe this movie inspires are what epics like Gladiator and Braveheart are all about." [46] Kate Erbland of IndieWire said, "A hell of a time at the movies, a seemingly 'niche' topic with great appeal, the sort of battle-heavy feature that will likely engender plenty of hoots and hollers." [47] /Film 's Chris Evangelista said it was "an absolute blast. It's a film that isn't afraid to get you cheering." [48] BBC critic Caryn James wrote, "It is a splashy popcorn movie with a social conscience." [49]

Jamie Broadnax of Black Girl Nerds called Viola Davis's performance a career best. [7] [50] Gyarkye said, "The Oscar-winning actress, known for digging into her characters' psyches, accesses an impressive level of emotional depth and nuance as Nanisca." [45] The Wrap 's Martin Tsai wrote, "Davis truly gets to flex the full range of her acting chops. A performance of this caliber is rare in what's essentially an action flick." [51] Chris Bumbray of JoBlo wrote, "Her raw intensity is backed up by a newly jacked physique that makes her an imposing action heroine, and she performs exceptionally well in the numerous action scenes." [52] Other cast members that were praised included Lashana Lynch (Evangelista at /Film and Reuben Baron at Looper.com called her the film's standout) [48] [53] and Thuso Mbedu, who was called a "breakout star" by several critics; [46] [48] [53] Tim Grierson at Screen International said she "nearly steals the show" with an "exceptional supporting performance". [8]

James said representation of history and culture "leans toward fantasy in its heroic moments, but is rooted in [the] truth about war, brutality, and freedom." [49] Gyarkye said it "begins as portraiture and then surrenders to melodrama when faced with the challenges of translating history for the screen and constructing a coherent geopolitical thread." [45] Reuben Baron of Looper.com wrote, "The Woman King is an 8/10 for entertainment value, and 4/10 for how it deals with history." On the aspect of spectacle, critics said they wanted more action movies like The Woman King. [53] Erbland said, "If this is what a Hollywood-ized and -sized blockbuster looks like in 2022, bring it on. Bring them all on." [47] Evangelista concluded in his review, "Maybe one day we'll get to a point where such a movie doesn't feel groundbreaking, but here we are." [48]

The Africa Report describes the response from Benin (where the movie is set) as mixed, with on the one hand some Beninese reactions pointing out the historical errors and the liberties taken in the representation of the Benin culture by replacing elements such as song and dance with South African substitutes, while on the other hand some responding positively to the depiction of Benin historical events in a big Hollywood production. [54]

Accolades

Accolades received by The Woman King
AwardDate of ceremonyCategoryRecipient(s)ResultRef.
AARP Movies for Grownups Awards January 28, 2023 Best Picture/Best Movie for Grownups The Woman KingNominated [55]
[56]
Best Director Gina Prince-Bythewood Nominated
Best Actress Viola Davis Nominated
Best Ensemble The cast of The Woman KingNominated
Best Screenwriter Dana Stevens Nominated
African-American Film Critics Association Awards December 8, 2022Top 10 Films of the YearThe Woman KingWon [57]
Alliance of Women Film Journalists January 5, 2023Best PictureThe Woman KingNominated [58]
Best Director Gina Prince-Bythewood Nominated
Best Woman DirectorWon
Best Actress Viola Davis Nominated
Most Daring PerformanceNominated
Woman Film Industry AchievementWon
Best Woman Breakthrough Performance Thuso Mbedu Nominated
Best Original Screenplay Dana Stevens and Maria Bello Nominated
Best Woman ScreenwriterNominated
Best Cinematography Polly Morgan Won
Best Editing Terilyn A. Shropshire Nominated
Best Ensemble Casting DirectorAisha ColeyNominated
American Cinema Editors Awards March 5, 2023 Best Edited Feature Film – Dramatic Terilyn A. Shropshire Nominated [59]
American Film Institute Awards December 9, 2022 Top 10 Films of the YearThe Woman KingWon [a] [60]
Austin Film Critics Association January 10, 2023 Best Actress Viola Davis Nominated [61]
Best Stunt CoordinatorDaniel HernandezNominated
BET Awards June 25, 2023 Best MovieThe Woman KingNominated [62]
Best ActressViola DavisNominated
Black Reel Awards February 6, 2023 Outstanding Motion Picture The Woman King(Maria Bello, Viola Davis, Cathy Schulman and Julius Tennon, producers)Won [63]
[64]
Outstanding Director Gina Prince-Bythewood Won
Outstanding Actress Viola Davis Nominated
Outstanding Supporting Actress Thuso Mbedu Nominated
Outstanding Breakthrough Performance, Female Won
Sheila Atim Nominated
Outstanding Ensemble Casting Director Aisha ColeyWon
Outstanding Cinematography Polly Morgan Nominated
Outstanding Editing Terilyn A. Shropshire Won
Outstanding Production Design Akin MckenzieNominated
Outstanding Costume Design Gersha PhillipsNominated
Outstanding Soundtrack The Woman King (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Nominated
Outstanding Score Terence Blanchard Won
Outstanding Original Song Jessy Wilson, Angélique Kidjo and Jeremy Lutito for "Keep Rising"Nominated
British Academy Film Awards February 19, 2023 Best Actress in a Leading Role Viola Davis Nominated [65]
Best Direction Gina Prince-Bythewood Nominated
Rising Star Sheila Atim Nominated
Critics' Choice Awards January 15, 2023 Best Director Gina Prince-Bythewood Nominated [66]
Best Actress Viola Davis Nominated
Best Acting Ensemble The cast of The Woman KingNominated
Best Costume Design Gersha PhillipsNominated
Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association December 19, 2022 Best Picture The Woman King10th Place [67]
Best Actress Viola Davis Nominated
Dorian Awards February 23, 2023Film Performance of the YearNominated [68]
Golden Globe Awards January 10, 2023 Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama Nominated [69] `
Grammy Awards February 5, 2023 Best Song Written for Visual Media Angélique Kidjo, Jeremy Lutito and Jessy Wilson for "Keep Rising"Nominated [70]
Hollywood Critics Association Creative Arts Awards February 24, 2023 Best Casting DirectorAisha ColeyNominated [71]
[72]
Best Costume DesignGersha PhillipsNominated
Best StuntsThe Woman KingNominated
Hollywood Music in Media Awards November 16, 2022 Best Original Score in a Feature Film Terence Blanchard Won [73]
Houston Film Critics Society February 18, 2023 Best Actress Viola Davis Nominated [74]
[75]
Best Stunt Coordination TeamThe Woman KingNominated
ICG Publicists Awards March 10, 2023Maxwell Weinberg Publicists Showmanship Motion Picture AwardThe Woman KingNominated [76]
[77]
NAACP Image Awards February 25, 2023 Outstanding Motion Picture The Woman KingNominated [78]
Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture Gina Prince-Bythewood Won
Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture Viola Davis Won
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture John Boyega Nominated
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Lashana Lynch Nominated
Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion PictureThe cast of The Woman KingNominated
Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture Dana Stevens and Maria Bello Nominated
Outstanding Costume DesignGersha Phillips, Carly Nicodemo, Lieze Van Tonder, Lynn Paulsen and Tova HarrisonNominated
Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album The Woman King (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Nominated
National Board of Review Awards December 8, 2022 Top Ten Films The Woman KingWon [a] [79]
Palm Springs International Film Festival January 13, 2023Chairman’s Award Viola Davis Won [80]
People's Choice Awards December 6, 2022 Action Movie of 2022The Woman KingNominated [81]
Female Movie Star of 2022 Viola Davis Nominated
Action Movie Star of 2022Nominated
Satellite Awards March 3, 2023 Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama Nominated [82]
[83]
Best Costume Design Gersha PhillipsNominated
Best Editing Terilyn A. Shropshire Nominated
Best Original Score Terence Blanchard Nominated
Best Sound Becky Sullivan, Kevin O'Connell, Tony Lamberti and Derek MansveltNominated
Screen Actors Guild Award February 26, 2023 Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role Viola Davis Nominated [84]
Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture The stunt performers and coordinators of The Woman KingNominated
St. Louis Film Critics Association December 11, 2022 Best Action FilmThe Woman KingNominated [85]
Best Costume DesignGersha PhillipsNominated
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association December 12, 2022 Best Actress Viola Davis Nominated [86]

Historical accuracy

The Woman King is set in the year 1823 in the kingdom of Dahomey, now southern Benin. [87] [88] The kingdom existed from around 1600 through 1904, and the Agojie existed for most of that time; they formed at some point between the mid-1600s and the early 1700s and likely started waging military campaigns in the 1800s. [89] [90]

Initially, the Agojie were recruited from among the king of Dahomey's wives. During the rule of King Ghezo, Agojie warriors were recruited from a wider pool, including prisoners of war captured from neighboring states. [91] Other Agojie served voluntarily, while still others were involuntarily enrolled by their fathers or husbands. [87] [89] Under Ghezo's rule, the Agojie grew from 600 warriors to roughly 6,000, comprising one-third of the Dahomean military. [89]

Dahomey had been paying tribute to the Oyo Empire, its adversary in the film, since 1748. [90] In 1823, Ghezo successfully liberated Dahomey from being a tributary of the Oyo, as depicted in the film. [87]

Characters

King Ghezo (played by John Boyega) was a historical figure who ruled Dahomey from 1818 to 1858 during the kingdom's political and economic "golden age". [87] However, other characters in the movie—including the Agojie general Nanisca (played by Viola Davis), Nanisca's daughter Nawi (played by Thuso Mbedu), and the slave trader Santo Ferreira (played by Hero Fiennes Tiffin)—are fictional. [87] [89]

Nanisca's name was likely inspired by an Agojie teenage recruit of the same name whose fierce execution of a prisoner was recorded by a French naval officer in 1889. [87] [89] The character of Nawi was named after the last surviving Agojie warrior to have combat experience, who died in 1979. [87] [89] [92] Kevin Lang of History vs. Hollywood speculated that Ferreira was loosely inspired by Francisco Félix de Sousa, a Brazilian slave trader who in reality was an ally of Ghezo and became an important figure in the Dahomey slave trade. [89]

Agojie warriors were considered to be formally married to the king, making them celibate. [87] [89] [92] Lang argued that this made the film's romance subplot between Nawi and Malik (played by Jordan Bolger) implausible. [89] However, some Agojie did become pregnant (either through consensual sex or rape, as depicted in the film), and some married and had children after their service. [91]

Role in slavery

According to Meilan Solly of Smithsonian, Dahomey was "a key player" in the Atlantic slave trade; it began the sale of West African captives to Europeans in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. [87] In 1727, Dahomey seized the port city of Ouidah, which became the second-largest supplier of captives in the slave trade. Between 1659 and 1863, nearly one million African slaves were sent to the Americas via Ouidah, which was under Dahomean control until 1892. [90] [93] In the film, however, Ouidah is depicted as being under control of the Oyo Empire. [93]

In The Woman King, the Mahi people are allies of the Oyo Empire who raid Dahomean villages and sell the subjects into slavery. In reality, the larger kingdom of Dahomey often led attacks on the Mahi. [90]

During the film, Ghezo tells the story of his half-brother Adandozan, who was king of Dahomey from 1797 to 1818 after the assassination of his father Agonglo. Adandozan punished members of the royal family who participated in the plot against Agonglo by selling them into slavery, including one of Agonglo's wives (and Ghezo's mother) Na Agontimé. In the film, Ghezo condemns Adandozan's actions; when the real-life Ghezo seized power from Adandozan, however, he sold Adandozan's family members into slavery outside Dahomey. [90]

The character of Nanisca confronts Ghezo about the immorality of selling slaves to the Portuguese and suggests trading in palm oil instead. However, Nanisca's anti-slavery stance is at odds with the actions of real-life Agojie generals such as Seh-Dong-Hong-Beh, who sought to acquire captives by raiding the Egba fortress of Abeokuta in 1851. [89] Abeokuta was a rival of Dahomey that had begun to challenge Dahomey's historical dominance of the slave trade. Historian John C. Yoder suggested that beginning in the mid-1840s, some Agojie opposed conflict with Abeokuta and supported a more moderate stance on the slave trade; however, this interpretation was challenged by historian David Ross. [89] [94] [95]

While Ghezo did briefly explore palm oil production as an alternate revenue source for the kingdom, he quickly resumed the slave trade after the palm oil industry proved less profitable. [87] Ghezo ultimately agreed to end Dahomey's participation in the overseas slave trade in 1852 due to pressure from the British government. [87] However, the kingdom continued to use slaves on its palm oil plantations after this date. [88] [89] Dahomey also continued to send slaves to Brazilian and Cuban slave traders until the 1860s. [90] [91]

Controversy

Los Angeles Times reported that online critics complained that "the movie seemingly uplifts the women without fully acknowledging that the Dahomey tribe sold other Africans into slavery", while others defended the film. [96] The Conversation said "the film has drawn controversy from many angles". Before the film's release, online commentators commented on the perceived savagery of the Dahomey kingdom, particularly spotlighting rituals that involved human sacrifices. This narrative of criticism was broadened by the voices of American Descendants of Slavery (ADOS), who vehemently called for a boycott of the film, arguing it glorified a kingdom responsible for brutalizing their ancestors. Adding to the chorus of disapproval were specialists in 19th-century Dahomey history, who raised flags over inaccuracies in the film's representation of the slave trade. Moreover, a segment of the social media populace, advocating for the portrayal of more positive black stories, questioned the decision to focus on Dahomey. They suggested that other historical narratives, such as those exemplified by figures like Toussaint L'Ouverture, would have been more appropriate and uplifting subjects for cinematic exploration. [97]

On The Mary Sue website Rachel Ulatowski wrote, "The major reason for the controversy surrounding The Woman King is that it is allegedly historically inaccurate. Now, some individuals touting this claim may not actually care about the accuracy and are just using this as an excuse to boycott a film about Black women’s empowerment. However, some historians have weighed in on the issue, too, which raised some valid concerns. One point that has sparked controversy is The Woman King‘s historically inaccurate depiction of the kingdom of Dahomey’s attitude towards slavery." [98]

On social media, the hashtag #BoycottWomanKing was trending for days. The Wrap said "Critics don’t have an issue with Davis playing a strong Black leader in “The Woman King,” but are alarmed that the history of the Dahomey tribe, who sold other Africans into slavery, has been whitewashed." [99] Viola Davis responded to a calls for a boycott of the movie by arguing that "Most of the story is fictionalized. It has to be," while Tennon stated that "We have to entertain people. [...] If people want to learn more, they can investigate more." [96]

Notes

  1. 1 2 This award does not have a single winner, but recognizes multiple films.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dahomey</span> 1600–1904 kingdom in West Africa

The Kingdom of Dahomey was a West African kingdom located within present-day Benin that existed from approximately 1600 until 1904. It developed on the Abomey Plateau amongst the Fon people in the early 17th century and became a regional power in the 18th century by expanding south to conquer key cities like Whydah belonging to the Kingdom of Whydah on the Atlantic coast which granted it unhindered access to the tricontinental Atlantic Slave Trade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ghezo</span> King of Dahomey from 1818 to 1858

Ghezo, also spelled Gezo, was King of Dahomey from 1818 until 1858. Ghezo replaced his brother Adandozan as king through a coup with the assistance of the Brazilian slave trader Francisco Félix de Sousa. He ruled over the kingdom during a tumultuous period, punctuated by the British blockade of the ports of Dahomey in order to stop the Atlantic slave trade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sara Forbes Bonetta</span> West African princess

Sara Forbes Bonetta, otherwise known as Sally Forbes Bonetta,, was ward and goddaughter of Queen Victoria. She was believed to have been a titled member of the Egbado clan of the Yoruba people in West Africa, who was orphaned during a war with the nearby Kingdom of Dahomey as a child, and was later enslaved by King Ghezo of Dahomey. She was given as a "gift" to Captain Frederick E. Forbes of the British Royal Navy and became a goddaughter of Queen Victoria. She married Captain James Pinson Labulo Davies, a wealthy Lagos philanthropist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dahomey Amazons</span> Female regiment in the Kingdom of Dahomey

The Dahomey Amazons were a Fon all-female military regiment of the Kingdom of Dahomey that existed from the 17th century until the late 19th century. They were the only female army in modern history. They were named Amazons by Western Europeans who encountered them, due to the story of the female warriors of Amazons in Greek mythology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gina Prince-Bythewood</span> American filmmaker (born 1969)

Gina Maria Prince-Bythewood is an American film director and screenwriter. She began her career as a writer for multiple television shows in the 1990s, including the anthology series CBS Schoolbreak Special, for which she was nominated for two Daytime Emmy Awards. Prince-Bythewood made her feature film directorial debut with Love & Basketball (2000), for which she received an Independent Spirit Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Score</span> Award given by the Critics Choice Association

The Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Score is one of the Critics' Choice Movie Awards given to people working in the film industry by the Critics Choice Association. It was first given out as a juried award from 1999 to 2001 and then competitively in 2002 onward.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Viola Davis</span> American actress and producer (born 1965)

Viola Davis is an American actress and film producer. Her accolades include both the Triple Crown of Acting and EGOT. Time named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2012 and 2017. In 2020, The New York Times ranked her ninth on its list of the greatest actors of the 21st century.

Leonard Wantchekon is a Beninese economist and professor of Politics and International Affairs at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, and an affiliate of the Economics Department at Princeton University. He taught at Yale University (1995–2001) and New York University (2001–2011). He is the founding director of the African School of Economics, which is based in Benin. His study with Nathan Nunn on the impact of slave trading on modern-day trust is among the most-cited studies in economics.

The Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Costume Design is one of the Critics' Choice Movie Awards given to people working in the film industry by the Critics Choice Association. It was first given out in 2009. Only three times has it not lined up with the winner of the Academy Award for Best Costume Design.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Boyega</span> British actor (born 1992)

John Adedayo Bamidele Adegboyega, known professionally as John Boyega, is a British actor and producer. He first rose to prominence in Britain for his role as a teenage gang leader in the comedy horror film Attack the Block (2011), and had his international breakthrough playing Finn in the Star Wars sequel trilogy films The Force Awakens (2015), The Last Jedi (2017), and The Rise of Skywalker (2019). He received the BAFTA Rising Star Award in 2016, and the Trophée Chopard at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival.

The History of the Kingdom of Dahomey spans 400 years from around 1600 until 1904 with the rise of the Kingdom of Dahomey as a major power on the Atlantic coast of modern-day Benin until French conquest. The kingdom became a major regional power in the 1720s when it conquered the coastal kingdoms of Allada and Whydah. With control over these key coastal cities, Dahomey became a major center in the Atlantic Slave Trade until 1852 when the British imposed a naval blockade to stop the trade. War with the French began in 1892 and the French took over the Kingdom of Dahomey in 1894. The throne was vacated by the French in 1900, but the royal families and key administrative positions of the administration continued to have a large impact in the politics of the French administration and the post-independence Republic of Dahomey, renamed Benin in 1975. Historiography of the kingdom has had a significant impact on work far beyond African history and the history of the kingdom forms the backdrop for a number of novels and plays.

The Kingdom of Ardra, also known as the Kingdom of Allada, was a coastal West African kingdom in southern Benin. While historically a sovereign kingdom, in present times the monarchy continues to exist as a non-sovereign monarchy within the republic of Benin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lashana Lynch</span> British actress (born 1987)

Lashana Lynch is a British actor. She first gained recognition for her role as Rosaline Capulet in the ABC period drama series Still Star-Crossed (2017) going on to win the BAFTA Rising Star Award in 2022. She portrayed Maria Rambeau in the Marvel Cinematic Universe beginning with Captain Marvel (2019). She has since had roles in the James Bond film No Time to Die (2021), Matilda the Musical (2022), The Woman King (2022), and Bob Marley: One Love (2024), as well as the television series Day of the Jackal (2024).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thuso Mbedu</span> South African actress (born 1991)

Thuso Nokwanda Mbedu is a South African actress. She rose to prominence for her performance in the South African teen drama series Is'Thunzi for which she was nominated consecutively for an International Emmy in 2017 and 2018. Mbedu later appeared on the 2018 Forbes Africa 30 under 30 list.

<i>The Underground Railroad</i> (miniseries) 2021 American television miniseries

The Underground Railroad is an American historical drama television miniseries created and directed by Barry Jenkins based on the 2016 novel of the same name by Colson Whitehead. The series premiered on Amazon Prime Video on May 14, 2021.

The 21st Annual Black Reel Awards ceremony, presented by the Foundation for the Augmentation of African-Americans in Film (FAAAF) and honoring the best films of 2020, took place on April 11, 2021. During the ceremony, FAAAF presented the Black Reel Awards in 23 categories. The film nominations were announced on February 18, 2021, and led by One Night in Miami... with 15 nominations.

Khris Davis is an American film, stage and television actor. He is best known for his roles as Steel in the drama film Judas and the Black Messiah and Malik in Space Jam: A New Legacy.

<i>The Woman King</i> (soundtrack) 2022 film score by Terence Blanchard

The Woman King (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack to the 2022 film of the same name, released on September 16, 2022 by Milan Records. The album featured mostly original score composed by Terence Blanchard, who produced a "heavy orchestral scores" mimicking that of the historical epics and African instruments that tune with the film's setting. The original song "Keep Rising" performed by Jessy Wilson and Angélique Kidjo released as a single on September 9, 2022.

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Further reading