Gina Prince-Bythewood’s “The Woman King” to Make World Premiere at TIFF, Viola Davis Stars

Festivals

Gina Prince-Bythewood’s “The Woman King” to Make World Premiere at TIFF, Viola Davis Stars

Gina Prince-Bythewood’s epic tale about the Agojie, an all-female unit of warriors, is heading to the Toronto International Film Festival. A press release announced that “The Woman King” will be making its world premiere at the fest.

Based on a true story, “The Woman King” is set in the African Kingdom of Dahomey in the 1800s and sees Viola Davis playing General Nanisca, the woman responsible for training the next generation of recruits and preparing them for battle.

A recently released trailer for the pic, which marks Prince-Bythewood’s follow-up to Charlize Theron and Keke Palmer-starrer “The Old Guard,” reveals that Europeans are trying to conquer the Kingdom of Dahomey. “They will not stop until the whole of Africa is theirs. We must fight back for our people,” General Nanisca explains. She tells her army, “We fear no one and we fear no pain.”

“The Woman King’s” story is by Maria Bello and Dana Stevens. Stevens wrote the screenplay.

Davis won an Oscar for “Fences” and has received an additional three nods. She was last seen on the small screen playing Michelle Obama on Showtime drama “The First Lady.”

Prince-Bythewood’s other credits include “Love & Basketball” and “Beyond the Lights.” The star of the former, Sanaa Lathan, is making her feature directorial debut with “On the Come Up,” which is also making its world premiere at TIFF this year.

TIFF runs September 8-18.