TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) is excited to announce that TriStar Pictures’ The Woman King starring Viola Davis will have its World Premiere at the 47th edition of the Festival this week.
The Woman King is the remarkable story of the Agojie, the all-female unit of warriors who protected the African Kingdom of Dahomey in the 1800s with skills and a fierceness, unlike anything the world has ever seen. Inspired by true events, The Woman King follows the emotionally epic journey of General Nanisca (Oscar®-winner Viola Davis) as she trains the next generation of recruits and readies them for battle against an enemy determined to destroy their way of life. Some things are worth fighting for…
Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, the story is by Maria Bello and Dana Stevens, and the screenplay is by Dana Stevens. Produced by Cathy Schulman, Viola Davis, Julius Tennon, and Maria Bello, Peter McAleese serves as executive producer. The film stars Viola Davis, Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, Sheila Atim, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, and John Boyega. The action drama is co-financed by Entertainment One (eOne).
TIFF is also delighted to announce that Viola Davis and director Gina Prince-Bythewood will be participating in the festival’s audience-pleasing “In Conversation With…” series which features in-depth conversations with film artists, writers, and cultural figures about their creative process.
The Woman King marks a new high point in both Davis and Prince-Bythewood’s remarkable careers. While Davis wowed fans in her role as whip-smart and charismatic defence lawyer Annalise Keating in the hit TV series How to Get Away With Murder (2014–2020), the Oscar, Emmy, and Tony Award winner has also built an impressive resume leading ensemble films such as Fences (2016), Widows (TIFF ’18), and, most recently, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020).
Prince-Bythewood shot onto the film scene with her beloved feature directorial debut, Love & Basketball (2000), for which she also wrote the screenplay. Since her debut, she has proven her storytelling, writing, and directing prowess again and again, focusing on stories about Black women in particular with such influential films as The Secret Life of Bees (2008), Beyond the Lights (TIFF ’14), and the wildly inventive blockbuster action thriller The Old Guard (2020).
As TIFF hosts the World Premiere of The Woman King at this year’s Festival, Davis and Prince-Bythewood will sit down for an in-depth conversation about the journey of making this stunning, paradigm-shifting film, their creative collaboration, and their respective artistic paths in Hollywood.
In cinemas across the Philippines starting October 5, The Woman King is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International. Connect with the hashtag #TheWomanKing.