A man tells a story like his life depends on it (because it does) in Night of the Kings, the latest from director Philippe Lacôte.
The young man wasn’t sure what to expect from La Maca, but he sure wasn’t expecting storytime. The isolated prison is run by the prisoners themselves, so when he arrived he was prepared for a brutal setup. Instead, what he found was a strange ritual taking place, with himself right in the middle. Forced to get up on a box and tell a story, the young man rises to the occasion, weaving a tale so engrossing that it just might save him from whatever comes next.
Night of the Kings is the much-anticipated follow-up to Lacôte’s 2014 film Run. As one of the few filmmakers from Ivory Coast to receive international attention, his return offers a rare glimpse at a country that is too often ignored.
But, of course, his skill as a filmmaker stands on its own. Night of the Kings has received rave reviews from its festival run and was submitted to the Oscars for Best International Feature Film. This strange, stylish film about the power of stories is getting the US release it deserves thanks to distributor Neon, so I’d keep an eye out for this one.
Night of the Kings is directed by Philippe Lacôte and stars Bakary Koné, Steve Tientcheu, and Jean Cyrille Digbeu. It will be released in the US theatrically on February 26th and on VOD on March 5th. For international release dates, click here.
Will you check this one out? Let us know in the comments.
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