There are buzz words that get thrown around about films quite often. Things like “visually stunning” and “spellbinding.” And though those words were used to describe “Night of the Kings” by critics who have seen the film at various film festivals last year, the trailer for the feature does actually make it seem like those hyperbolic statements might have some basis in reality.
“Night of the Kings” tells the story of a young boy that is sent to a hellish prison in the middle of the Ivorian forest. The prison is ruled by the inmates and the young boy is quickly chosen as the new “Roman,” the person who is to stand in front of everyone and tell them a story that lasts the entire night. And over the course of his story, the boy weaves a tale about the outlaw “Zama King.”
The film stars Koné Bakary, Steve Tientcheu, Rasmané Ouédraogo, Issaka Sawadogo, and Digbeu Jean Cyrille. “Night of the Kings” is written and directed by Philippe Lacôte. The filmmaker is probably best known for his 2014 feature, “Run,” which was selected as part of the Un Certain Regard section of Cannes.
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We saw the film as part of last year’s New York Film Festival, and in our review, we said, “A striking tribute to the power of storytelling, ‘Night of the Kings’ takes men deemed pariahs and presents them as so much more than their current circumstances. They are the descendants of royalty and comrades of revolutionaries.”
“Night of the Kings” debuts in theaters and Virtual Cinemas via NEON on February 26. You can watch the new trailer below.
Here’s the synopsis:
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.
