A young man is sent to "La Maca", a prison in the middle of the Ivorian forest ruled by its inmates. As tradition goes with the rising of the red moon, he is designated by the Boss to be the new "Roman" and must tell a story to the other prisoners. Learning what fate awaits him, he begins to narrate the mystical life of the legendary outlaw named “Zama King” and has no choice but to make his story last until dawn. The movie mixes storytelling and fairy tale elements with a vividly drawn backdrop of heightened realism. The images, often in darkly saturated blues and browns, stand in stark contrast to the staged, Shakespearean scenes of the stories. "A powerful and atmospheric film experience that deftly balances something fabulous with reality. Particularly compelling is the way the tension of storytelling is used as a tool for survival." (Sooner curator Jacqueline May) "Kelly Reichardt tells a precise story about the decay of a society and the only support: the relationship between humans and animals. A film that touched me deeply through its observational calm and closeness to the two main characters, Wendy and Lucy." (Sooner curator Isis Rampf) NIGHT OF THE KINGS is "a storyteller’s delight" (The Hollywood Reporter) and a "visually stunning fantasy" (Indiewire).
Ivorian Filmmaker Philippe Lacôte created a mesmerizing, violent and hyper-masculine film that worships the power of storytelling.
A young man is sent to "La Maca", a prison in the middle of the Ivorian forest ruled by its inmates. As tradition goes with the rising of the red moon, he is designated by the Boss to be the new "Roman" and must tell a story to the other prisoners. Learning what fate awaits him, he begins to narrate the mystical life of the legendary outlaw named “Zama King” and has no choice but to make his story last until dawn.
The movie mixes storytelling and fairy tale elements with a vividly drawn backdrop of heightened realism. The images, often in darkly saturated blues and browns, stand in stark contrast to the staged, Shakespearean scenes of the stories.
"A powerful and atmospheric film experience that deftly balances something fabulous with reality. Particularly compelling is the way the tension of storytelling is used as a tool for survival." (Sooner curator Jacqueline May)
"Kelly Reichardt tells a precise story about the decay of a society and the only support: the relationship between humans and animals. A film that touched me deeply through its observational calm and closeness to the two main characters, Wendy and Lucy." (Sooner curator Isis Rampf)
NIGHT OF THE KINGS is "a storyteller’s delight" (The Hollywood Reporter) and a "visually stunning fantasy" (Indiewire).