As part of this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, Gina Prince-The Bythewood’s Woman King will debut. All-female Dahomey warriors were a real thing, and Viola Davis acts as their leader in a film based on historical events. General Nanisca (Davis), the leader of the Agojie, an elite female warrior squad, will be the focus of the highly anticipated epic picture. With their ferocious training, the Agojie served as Dahomey’s most effective defence against European invaders, especially those from Great Britain and France.
In spite of the demise of the Dahomey monarchy, the Agojie’s ruthlessness will live on in history. Seeing Academy Award-winner Davis lead a legion of strong, enraged women is something we’re all looking forward to seeing. The Woman King will follow Nanisca as she teaches a new generation of women to join the Agojie and battle colonists, as seen in the official teaser video. With Nawi (Thuso Mbedu) as the central character, the plot revolves around Nanisca and Nawi’s developing romance.
While the King of Dahomey is apprehensive about going to war, he follows Nanisca’s advice when a fleet of European ships approaches the kingdom’s coastline. The Woman King was written by Prince-Bythewood and Dana Stevens and directed by Prince-Bythewood (City of Angels, What About Brian). Hero Fiennes-Tiffin appears in the film with Lashana Lynch and Sheila Atim. Adrienne Warren and Jayme Lawson round out the cast. The 47th TIFF is taking place from the 8th to the 18th of this month. The Toronto International Film Festival hasn’t released its entire schedule yet, but The Woman King is already the sixth film to get its global debut at the festival.
The 47th Toronto International Film Festival will also feature Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Brother, Bros, and Sanaa Lathan’s directorial debut On the Come Up, among others. The Woman King, which had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, will be released theatrically on September 16th.
Synopsis
Agojie, the all-female warriors that maintained the African Kingdom of Dahomey in the 1800s, are the subject of ‘The Woman King,’ a fascinating account of their extraordinary abilities and ferocity. Following General Nanisca’s dramatic epic journey as she prepares the next generation of soldiers to fight against an adversary intent to destroy their way of life, ‘The Woman King,’ is based on actual events. It’s worth battling for certain things.