MAONA presents: Night Of The Kings15

Directed by Philippe Lacôte | Côte d’Ivoire/Senegal | 2021 | 1h 33m | Dyula, French, Nushi w/ English subtitles | Starring Bakary Koné, Steve Tientcheu, Jean Cyrille Digbeu, Rasmané Ouédraogo, Issaka Sawadogo

A young man is sent to “La Maca,” a prison situated in the heart of the Ivorian forest that is governed by its inmates. According to tradition, as the red moon ascends, the Boss appoints him to narrate a story to his fellow prisoners. The consequence of this tale will decide whether he survives or faces death. In his second feature, writer-director Philippe Lacôte creates a captivating story that seamlessly floats between an intense prison drama and an atmospheric Shakespearean fable.

One-off screening introduced by MAONA Director and film programmer Tatenda Jamera.

Reviews

‘It’s an exhilarating mix of the gritty and the otherworldly, making for a film that’s both powerful and vastly entertaining.’
★★★★★
Steve Morrissey, Radio Times

‘The freshness of the approach, combined with the substance of the stories, works the same strange magic on the viewer as on the inmates. It is easy to be swept along.’
★★★★
Steve Rose, The Guardian

Sorry - you missed it!

We showed MAONA presents: Night Of The Kings between February 20, 2024 and February 20, 2024.

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Plan your visit

Our beautiful art deco inspired auditorium can be found just off East Oxford's Cowley Road.We are open 7 days a week. We open the cinema and box office 30 minutes before the scheduled start time of each film, and the Box Office then closes 10 minutes after the film starts. We only show a few adverts – less than most cinemas – and we only play a couple of trailers, so please don’t be late as the film itself starts very close to the advertised time!