A Loss That Has Struck Close to Home

Chadwick Boseman's death is a Hollywood loss that has touched many in the continent

I watched Black Panther twice at the cinema; first with my then girlfriend, then with my family (it was my mom's first time at an IMAX Cinema and she puked afterwards, the whole immersive experience was too much for her lol but she enjoyed the movie nonetheless) . I watched it severally at home... And prior to that, I was obsessively watching the trailers and keeping up with related news. That's how invested I was in Black Panther and I wasn't the only African this excited for the movie. So when I learned of Chadwick Boseman's death, I was devastated. This has been one of the most gut-wrenching losses of the year. This is a Hollywood loss that has hit too close to home.

Chadwick perfectly embodied the role of T'Challa. It's a movie that sort of created a new perspective of Africa, albeit from an entertainment point of view. In Kenya, the private and public screening of the movie saw moviegoers dorned in creative African attire. There were themed parties, write-ups and works of art celebrating the film. South African actors, especially those who were involved in the film, ensured they stepped out in creative style at the premiere.

And yes, at the centre of it all was Chadwick Boseman. Chadwick was not only the praised lead but he had fought for the use of African accents in the movie, even working with a dialect coach, talked about the movie's impact, had even met with terminally ill children who wanted to see the movie even while he himself struggled with cancer and he also bought out a Black Panther screening for kids. I'm sure he did a lot more in his personal capacity that we surely don't know about and for those whose lives he directly touched, I can only imagine the gratitude they must have felt.

The messages have been pouring out for him not only in Hollywood but even with fans and industry leaders in this continent.

For film enthusiasts like us, we've found new ways to honour him, as we've become more familiar with his filmography. He's a Hollywood actor whom I admittedly hadn't known previously. For ordinary fans, it means the loss of an actor of a movie that performed exceptionally well, raking in billions of dollars and that simultaneously created so much positive conversation around culture and representation. Of course just like with all other works of art, it was a flawed film, but it's relevance can't be ignored.

There hasn't been a Hollywood actor whose loss has been quite felt in the continent like Chadwick's. It feels like we all knew him, even my grandparents knew of Black Panther, and now to hear of his unfortunate demise is just sad.

He remains a legend. He gave his life to keeping us entertained and blessing us with his acting skills in the iconic movie and through his many other acting credits.

Chadwick Boseman has left a profound legacy both work-wise and through his family. He lives forever.

Thank you for your support. Scroll down to keep reading more curated entertainment content this week.

Durban FilmMart Partners with Netflix:

Netflix, the World’s leading streaming entertainment service, has joined the Durban FilmMart as a new programme partner to the 11th edition of Africa’s premier film industry event which will host its virtual edition from 4 to 13 September 2020.​

Netflix lead for African Originals, Dorothy Ghettuba, and Director of Licensing and Co-Productions in Africa, Ben Amadasun will present a session:​ Netflix: Made by Africans, Watched by the World​ ​ - Netflix on taking Africa's stories to the World​ in which they unpack Netflix content ecosystem as well as how the team works with local creators to bring their stories to the global streaming service.

Another panel, titled​ Africa's Future is Female - Women Filmmakers on Centering Women in our Narratives​ will feature dynamic women creatives and producers in a conversation about representation​ of African women's narratives on popular media.​

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Nasty C Releases Zulu Man with Some Power Album:

Solidified by Billboard as “South Africa’s best bet for a mainstream crossover,” Nasty C has delivered hit after hit ahead of the album’s release with singles, “There They Go”, “They Don’t” featuring T.I., “Eazy”, and the latest release, “Palm Trees” cementing his spot as Africa’s next big global sensation.

See the tracklist for ZULU MAN WITH SOME POWER below:

1.  Kingshit

2.  Steve Biko

3. That’s Hard

4. Overpriced Steak

5. Feeling

6. LaVida Loca

7. Zone ft. Tellaman

8. How Many Times

9. Eazy

10. All-In ft. T.I.

11.  Lose Some Win Some

12. Sad Boys

13. Black and White ft. Ari Lenox

14. Deep Pockets ft. Rowlene

15. Bookoo Bucks ft. Lil Keed and Lil Gotit

16. Palm Trees

17. Zulu Man

18. Ababulali

19. There They Go

20. Bonus: They Don’t ft. T.I.

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Art of the week:

Kaur is a self-taught artist and designer who also does commission-based work at a fee. I fell in love with the painting (below) which to me looks like hands holding life; bees (which show productivity), sea creatures and wild animals. The concept is centred around saving the planet and the hands represent the responsibility of humans. She used watercolours and painted on an A4 paper. What piece of art did you fall in love with this week?

Stories You Missed This Week:

Why do Nollywood Films Portray African Traditional Religion as Evil?

In this interview, Fred Amata, who has been the president of the Directors Guild of Nigeria since 2016, speaks about some of the challenges faced by Nigerian film makers why Nollywood films paint African Traditional religion negatively.

Comic Con Africa's Official Virtual Poster is out:

Comic Con Africa has announced and shared the official and exclusive artwork for the 2020 Online Con’s event poster, digital badges, and Visitors’ Guide, drawn by comic book cover artist and illustrator Jenny Frison.

Big Brother Naija is the Most Watched Live Entertainment Show:

According to Showmax, the collective hours streamed for this season of 'Big Brother Naija' alone add up to almost 30 years' worth of viewing.