The Woman King : a film in tribute to the Amazons of Dahomey

The Woman King is a film inspired by real events, which traces the epic story of the “Minos” (“our mothers” in the Fon language), an elite troop and the vanguard of King Behanzin’s army composed formidable female soldiers who contributed to the military power of the kingdom of Dahomey in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Living on the fringes of the rest of the population, within the Royal Palace, these courageous fighters devoted their entire existence to the handling of weapons through training punctuated by songs and military choreography, to wars of conquest and the protection of the King, and this from an early age. They were psychologically conditioned to resist pain and ignore pity. Feared and respected by the population, they had an almost sacred status. Each time they left the palace, groups of little girls waving bells preceded them so that the crowd respectfully moved out of their way.

Their organization within the group was similar to that practiced today by the modern army because they were divided into several units, each with its own uniforms, flags, songs and combat dances. At the end of the 19th century, the kingdom could mobilize up to 4 thousand warriors in the event of a conflict.

By their courage and dexterity in combat, these brave female fighters supplanted men in all areas of combat.
Their strengths?
Hand-to-hand combat and strategies of intimidation, assassination of rival leaders and even settler officers.

They have notably marked history in a very beautiful way during several battles, the most famous of which are the two wars which opposed them to the French colonists at the end of the 19th century. Struck by their appearance and their combativeness, the colonists called them “amazons”, in reference to ancient warriors. However, courage is not enough to fight against the Lebel rifles and cannon pieces of the colonial army. The arrival of the French therefore sounded the death knell for these legendary fighters.

Inspired by the story of these heroines of the continent, Gina Prince-Bythewood the director of THE OLD GUARD, decides to explore the destiny of the Amazons, and tries to bring them back to life through the highlighting of this fierce struggle that they led against the settlers at the risk of their lives, in a historical film.

And for that, who better to embody the role of General Naniska, figurehead of the “Minos”, than Viola Davis, the first African-American actress to have won an Oscar, a Tony and an Emmy, respectively rewarding an exceptional interpretation in film, theater and television.

The cast also features South African actress Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch and British John Boyega.
Sony Pictures and Gina Prince-Bythewood give us an appointment on September 28 at the cinema, to measure the greatness of the Amazons.