2023-08-14 22:13:00
From our correspondent in Nairobi,
« Thieves, expropriators of land. From the first episode of Country Queen, the tone is set. An individual interrupts an event organized by the mining company, accusing the company of stealing land. A few minutes earlier, the spectators discovered a love triangle. The audience quickly understands: Country Queen mixes drama and politics.
« Telenovelas are very popular in Kenya, explains Vincent Mbaya, the director of the series. The idea was to attract the audience with “soap” elements to then bring deeper issues. One of the first things that the viewer discovers is the love triangle, which captivates him, then, over the episodes, the series evokes more serious subjects. This was the desired objective: to touch on several themes to encourage the audience to reflect. »
The six episodes sweep across multiple themes: conflicts around land, the hope of a better life in the capital, the place of women in society, corruption and above all the exploitation of the poorest by large companies. Like one of the scenes, in which a retired professor tries to explain the theories of Karl Marx to street youth. ” Capitalism exploits the poor for the benefit of the rich », denounces the teacher, before defining the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. ” What can we do ? asks one of the young people. “ Nothing, another responds. If you try to do something, you will be beaten by the police. »
The dialogues alternate between English, Swahili and Kamba, one of the many languages of Kenya. Because if the series is broadcast on an international platform, it was designed for a Kenyan audience. ” We walked around several regions with my team and we asked the locals what they wanted to watch, explains Kamau wa Ndung’u, the producer. They told us “we want more stories from the country“Because most TV productions are in urban areas, everything is very glamorous with big cars, big houses… Kenyans want shows they can relate to. And the feedback has been really positive! »
On social networks, fans are getting impatient: when will they be able to watch season 2? The story is already there, but you have to find the budget, explains Kamau wa Ndung’u.
► Country Queen, available on Netflix in Kenya and on Arte en France (French title: Pour l’or de Tsilanga).
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