Woman of the Month: General Nanisca

General Nanisca from The Woman King

Nanisca is to The Woman King what Maximus was to Gladiator: not just the protagonist of an historical epic, but the entry point through which an audience can be introduced to a very different time and place; a character who is not only of the world they inhabit, but also someone that embodies the recognizably human traits of honour, bravery and familial ties. Both have endured a horrific tragedy, both are formidable fighters, and both are driven by a deep loyalty to those around them.

Of course, if you want someone who can pull all that off, you cast Viola Davis. She’s a force of nature in this movie, which is no mean feat when you’re in your mid-fifties – something I’m only mentioning because she herself brought it up in various interviews. Her age is woven into the basis of her characterization, and there are several times in which we see her tend to long-standing injuries or physically struggle to keep up with the younger warriors.

There’s also an inner conflict between her sense of duty and her moral compass – every time she disciplines new recruit Nawi, the audience is very aware that she herself is a rule-breaker.

In short, Nanisca is the quintessential protagonist of an historical epic. Everything about her – her background, her personality, her status, her trauma – is larger than life. I was genuinely moved by some of her scenes with Nawi, and her emotional arc is the main thoroughfare of the film. Towards the end of the film she tells another character: “you are not the thing that hurt me” and I bawled my eyes out.

More than anything, this is a story of healing, which isn’t something that was apparent in any of the reviews or promotional material surrounding the film’s release. Nanisca is a striking example of a woman who suffered a terrible ordeal, and yet has the strength to find her way back out of the darkness. Everything else in the film is secondary (or supplementary) to this inner journey.

For this reason, I’m aware but not hugely worked up about the liberties taken with the portrayal of Dahomey, which is the advantage of being an adult who can grasp that history and entertainment seldom go hand-in-hand. Because The Woman King isn’t just a depiction of this specific time and place, it’s a story about women and their connections to each other – largely for good, sometimes for bad, but as part of a much more complex and nuanced portrayal of womanhood than anyone seemed to give the film credit for.