This Review article is part of a Narcity Media series. The views expressed are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
The Woman King, starring Viola Davis, is a breathtaking, bone-chilling and inspiring movie that I believe every woman should watch.
On Saturday, September 10, I went to see the buzzworthy movie directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood at 9 a.m. When I left, I felt as though I was ready to take over the world.
The movie, based on a true story, boasts an all-Black cast, but more importantly, it is predominantly all-Black women.
I am not Black, but I am an Arab woman who was very moved by the messages that spoke so powerfully through the film.
The Woman King features "the true story of the Agojie, the all-female military regiment charged with protecting the embattled African Kingdom of Dahomey."
The Agojie ruled and protected the people of Dahomey from the colonizers, keeping their community intact. Viola Davis, the general and warrior, gave her body, soul and sweat to viewers, making us feel all kinds of emotions.
I was on the edge of my seat, covered in goosebumps. But Davis wasn't the only actress that brought tears to my eyes. Thuso Mbedu, without any spoilers, played a 19-year-old girl who refused to marry and would rather join an all-female military regiment to protect her king.
She. Was. Amazing. The South African star was literally called The Woman King's "crown jewel" by Vanity Fair, and they are not wrong.
The movie reminded me of the first time I ever saw an all-female group that inspired me when I was 21 years old.
Mira Nabulsi in South Africa in 2015.Mira Nabulsi | Narcity
In 2015, I went to South Africa and worked as an intern at an NGO called "Youth 4 African Wildlife." While I was there, I met the Black Mambas. They are an all-female anti-poaching unit that worked nights, patrolling large plots of land from poachers.
When I was younger, I always thought women were vulnerable and defenseless — until I met the Black Mambas. They blew my mind. How could an all-female group walk around at night, trying to save animals from dangerous poachers, without men to protect them?
The Woman King reminded me of what I learned when I was younger. Women are powerful, and they could one day be rulers of the world, without men.
Davis said it best at TIFF's "In Conversation With... Viola Davis and Gina Prince-Bythewood" panel, "two most important days in your life is the day you were born, and the day you discover why you were born."
From a young age, Davis knew she wanted to be an actress. "I'm Viola, I'm going to be an actress," the star used to say to anyone she met.
"I was a Black girl who grew up in Central Falls, Rhode Island," Davis added. "I was the Black girl who parked the car in the yard. I was the Black girl — I was me."
Malcolm X once said, "The most disrespected person in America is the Black woman. The most unprotected person in America is the Black woman. The most neglected person in America is the Black woman." A quote the director made reference to in the post-screening panel.
Viola Davis is not only an actress, but she's a voice for Black women around the world who want the chance to discover who they are, and she portrays that powerfully in this movie.
Fighting through the stereotypes was not easy for Davis, she said. But, this movie defies all those stereotypes and gives hope to the women watching — you can do much more than what you set your mind to believe.
If you've been feeling uninspired and powerless lately, I strongly suggest you find the movie at a theatre close by and thank me later.