Kasi Lemmons will follow up “Harriet,” her biopic of abolitionist and civil rights activist Harriet Tubman, by paying tribute to other brave and rebellious women. She’s signed on to write and direct an adaptation of Maaza Mengiste’s bestselling 2019 novel “The Shadow King” for Atlas Entertainment. A work of historical fiction, “The Shadow King” takes “us back to the first real conflict of World War II, casting light on the Ethiopian women soldiers who were left out of the historical record,” a press release announcing the feature details.
Set in 1935 “as Mussolini’s army invades Ethiopia and moves towards an easy victory,” “The Shadow King” tells the story of Aster, the wife of a commander in Haile Selassie’s overwhelmed army, and her household servant Hirut. The pair “long to do more than only care for the wounded and bury the dead. Together they offer a plan to maintain morale among Ethiopians, eventually becoming warriors and inspiring other women to take up arms against the Italians.”
“Kasi’s films are epic and intimate all at once,” stated Atlas Entertainment’s Charles Roven and Richard Suckle. “It makes her the perfect filmmaker to bring to life Maaza’s complex characters and compelling world captured in ‘The Shadow King.’ We are thrilled to be working with her on such a special project.”
Lemmons added, “Maaza Mengiste’s mesmerizing novel takes my breath away. The imagery is so rich and powerful and the characters so vividly drawn, it naturally lends itself to adaptation. I’m very honored to be a part of bringing this brilliant book to the screen and I’m thrilled to be working with everyone at Atlas.”
Cynthia Erivo-starrer “Harriet” received Oscar nods for Best Actress in a Leading Role and Best Original Song. “Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker,” “Nativity Story,” and “Eve’s Bayou” are among Lemmons’ other credits.
When we asked Lemmons’ advice for other female filmmakers, she said, “Stick with it. If it’s something that you must do, then you have to it. You have to enjoy the process of being an artist, and being in show business. I was once teaching and had a student who came to me crying, saying that a teacher told her that she had to decide between her career and a family. That motivated me to continue teaching, and to make my life mission belie that. To willingly bring the message through my own life that you can have a family and be in show business. You don’t have to choose,” she emphasized. “It was very early in my teaching, not long after ‘Eve’s Bayou.’ I had a small child, and a husband, and I’d made this movie, and it became a mission of mine to lead by example, and show that you don’t have to make that choice.”
The writer-director observed, “I think it is a very cruel thing to say to a woman. There are choices involved, and there is pain involved, but you can absolutely do it. You can be a professional woman in any field with a family.”
