‘The Woman King’ image courtesy of Entertainment One UK Ltd.

The first of two major films landing on Fri 7 Oct is Gina Prince-Bythewood’s (Love & Basketball, The Old Guard) The Woman King, a thunderous historical epic which tells the story of the Agojie warriors, an all female troop of warriors who defended the West African Kingdom of Dahomey. The real life Agojie women served as the inspiration behind Marvel Black Panther’s Dora Milaje, and Viola Davis (Fences, How To Get Away with Murder) leads the pack of fierce women training up young recruits like Thuso Mbedu (The Underground Railroad) alongside her trusted allies played by Sheila Atim (The Underground Railroad) and the excellent Lashana Lynch (No Time to Die).

The film follows a classic aspiring rookie/old pro formula, between Davis and Mbedu, but the stakes in this story are not only of life and death but also of slavery and freedom. Set in the 1820s, The Woman King takes on serious historical topics and wraps them up in a bloody action-packed awesome movie, where only one cast member used their stunt double – stay and watch the end credits yourself if you don’t believe it. In the meantime enjoy The Woman King trailer.

‘Amsterdam’ image courtesy of WDSMP UK.

Also on Fri 7 Oct, we’ll be welcoming in David O. Russell’s Amsterdam. The Oscar nominated director best known for The Fighter (2011) an American Hustle (2014) presents a mega ensemble cast of Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, John David Washington, Anya Taylor-Joy, Rami Malek and Robert De Niro in this mystery-comedy-thriller inspired by the 1933 political conspiracy called ‘The Business Plot’. With a cast boasting this much talent, you’re sure to be in for a great time.

‘Simet’ image courtesy of Habeshaview.

In the middle of the month we’re delighted to welcome back habeshaview for Ethiopian Film Festival. From Fri 14 – Sun 16 Oct we’ll present three works of Ethiopian cinema that highlight the creativity and talent of the region. With relatable coming-of-age features and historical dramas, make sure you check out the full Ethiopian Film Festival programme here.

‘The Banshees of Inisherin’ image courtesy of WDSMP UK.

Martin McDonagh is finally back on our screens after the beloved 2017 film Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, but this time with his old friends Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson are in tow for The Banshees of Inisherin, arriving here on Fri 21 Oct. Both Farrell and Gleeson starred in McDonagh’s 2008 film In Bruges, and while in keeping with McDonagh’s dark comedy roots, Banshees promises a more meditative look at friendship in later life. Plus there’s a very energetic donkey companion, stealing Farrell’s limelight. Watch The Banshees of Inisherin trailer here.

‘Lingui, The Sacred Bonds’ image courtesy of Film Africa.

From Sun 30 Oct – Sat 5 Nov, Film Africa returns to celebrate its tenth edition. The biggest London film festival to exclusively celebrate African cinema has an expertly chosen line-up in store, featuring exclusive Q&As, workshops and talks. A real highlight of the programme is Mahamat-Saleh Haroun’s Lingui, The Sacred Bonds, a tender abortion drama from Chad that centres a mother and daughters quest for reproductive justice. You can read a five star review of Lingui, The Sacred Bonds here, and take a closer look at the rest of the Film Africa programme here.

Words by Rōgan Graham.

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