The newest movie from Netflix and EbonyLife, “Elesin Oba, The King’s Horseman,” will have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival this year.
The film, which is a Yoruba language version of Wole Soyinka’s tragic play “Death and the King’s Horseman,” will feature in the festival’s Special Presentation category.
“Elesin Oba, The King’s Horseman,” will be the first Yoruba language film to hit this milestone.
Filmed in 2021, the adaptation will be directed by Biyi Bandele (“Blood Sisters”) with popular Nollywood actor, Odunlade Adekola playing the lead role. Also, Shaffy Bello, Olawale “Brymo” Olofooro, Deyemi Okanlawon, Omowunmi Dada, Jide Kosoko, Mark Elderkin, Jenny Stead, Langley Kirkwood, Kevin Ushi, Drikus Volschenk, Fares Boulos “Oyibo Rebel,” Ajoke Silva and Taiwo Ajayi-Lycett all star in the movie.
The Nobel Prize winner’s 1975 drama, which is set in an old Yoruba city and centers on English colonial officers who step in to stop the Elesin Oba from committing ritual suicide after the death of his king, will be the basis for Bandele’s adaptation.
Mo Abudu, EbonyLife’s boss announced the TIFF premiere via her Instagram page.
“EbonyLife Films and our co production partners Netflix are pleased to announce that Elesin Oba, The King’s Horseman, will have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in September 2022. Elesin Oba will feature in the prestigious Special Presentation category, the first Yoruba language film to do so.
“The original Death and the King’s Horseman was a stage play, written by Prof. Wole Soyinka, who won Africa’s first Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986. It is the first time that one of Soyinka’s works has been made into a feature film. The screen adaptation was written and directed by Biyi Bandele.”
Watch the trailer below.
