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The Woman King, starring Oscar winning actor Viola Davis and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, is a historical epic set in West Africa in 1823 and tells the story of the Agojie, an all-female army that protected the Dahomey Kingdom. But there has been some backlash in the US, where critics believe that the movie didn’t fully acknowledge the Dahomey Kingdom’s involvement in slavery. The producers and writers behind the movie have been accused of airbrushing the story. Talking to The Conversation, Cathy Schulman says that the plot of The Woman King actually does include Dahomey’s participation in the slave trade. She also talks about working with a female-led crew and an almost all black cast, and why she thinks this movie will open doors for more stories about diverse women.

Listen to the full episode on The Conversation: /sounds/play/w3ct37mh

(Image: Nanisca (Viola Davis) in The Woman King. Credit: Ilze Kitshoff/2022 CTMG, Inc.)