*When “The Woman King” dropped on Netflix a little over a week ago, it was instantly the most-watched title on the streaming site, according to multiple reports.
Per the official synopsis (via IMDB): 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.
Despite her highly praised performance, Davis and the film were snubbed for this year’s Oscars.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences also caught major heat from social media users for failing to nominate any women in the directing category.
READ MORE: 2023 AAFCA Awards: ‘The Woman King’ Takes Best Picture and Best Director
Gina Prince-Bythewood, director of “The Woman King,” tells THR that “the Academy made a very loud statement, and for me to stay quiet is to accept that statement.”
In a first-person article for The Hollywood Reporter, Prince-Bythewood notes that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (the governing body responsible for the awards), pretty much has no respect for Black artists.
She wrote that “The Woman King” not being nominated for any category is “a reflection of where the Academy stands and the consistent chasm between Black excellence and recognition. And, sadly, this is not just an issue in Hollywood but in every industry.”
Prince-Bythewood continued, “This awards season was an eye-opener. I was thinking about how to encapsulate what it feels like to be a Black filmmaker in the awards conversation, and I thought about my recent screening of The Woman King at UCLA, which is my alma mater. There were a couple hundred students in the film school, and it was an incredible screening. The Q&A afterward was supposed to be an hour, and it ended up being two hours of conversation. Just a beautiful environment, beautiful reception. And I left there on a high. Just 15 minutes later, I stopped in Westwood at a makeup store, Ulta, to grab something I needed for an event later. And I got followed around by the security guard. I was like, “What a contrast.” Within a half-hour period, I had people seeing me as an artist — really seeing me. And then, I was at a low of seeing a perception of me that has been built through decades of discrimination, and the images of us that the media has created. That hurt.”
Meanwhile, here is the top ten list of Netflix’s most-watched titles for the week of February 13 – 19:
- Your Place or Mine
- 2 Guns
- The Woman King
- You People
- Minions: The Rise of Gru
- Mission: Impossible – Fallout
- 47 Meters Down: Uncaged
- True Spirit
- Bloodshot
- Jurassic World
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