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The Untitled Fela Kuti Biopic
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Focus Features is currently in development on a biopic set to be released in 2011 on the iconic musician/activist Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. I have to say it’s about time! Focus Features plans to adapt Michael Veal’s book, Fela: The Life and Times of an African Musical Icon.
Born October 15th, 1938 in Abeokuta, Nigeria to Yoruba parents, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti was born with the spirit of a revolutionary. His mother, Funmilayo, was a leading figure in the nationalist struggle. Throughout his life, Fela fought for the rights of the common man, despite harassment, violence, and imprisonment at the hands of the Nigerian government.
In 1954, Kuti joined a highlife band called the Cool Cats. Shortly thereafter, he developed his own musical sound, blending African rhythms and jazz horn lines with politically charged lyrics. This new sound came to be known as Afro-beat. Fela Anikulapo Kuti died on Saturday, August 2, 1997, in Lagos, Nigeria.
A versatile singer-composer, trumpet, sax, and keyboard player, bandleader, and politician, Kuti has left an indelible mark in every corner of the world.
Read more about it here.
6 Responses to “The Untitled Fela Kuti Biopic”
jaheed says:
January 26th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
This announcement is great. Have you seen the documentary “FELA / NYC” about Fela’s time in NYC in the mid 80′s. a must see for the full story on Fela.
Laura Adibe says:
February 2nd, 2009 at 10:51 am
Where can Fela: Fresh From Africa be found?
lilkunta says:
February 6th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
Who will portray Fela? Perhaps his son Femi?
Sandra Ruch says:
February 27th, 2009 at 1:20 pm
Love your website.
Please keep me informed about all Fela Kuti biopic.
Thanks.
Fela biopic in 2011? « my panopticon says:
May 4th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
[...] on the Kuti biopic: Fela Kuti Biopic In The Works Focus Features Developing Biopic On Fela Kuti The Untitled Fela Kuti Biopic Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)And the Beat goes on….Had he not succumbed to [...]
Saymama says:
July 14th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
I think it’s a great thing that a biopic of the great Fela is being brought to the big screen. It is more than deserved. HOWEVER, I recently found out that the film makers are planning on filming the story of the life of Fela in Kenya or South Africa, instead of his homeland of Lagos, Nigeria, where he lived and died. If they do go through with this, i think it would be a travesty, and insult and a total disservice to everything that Fela was and what he represented. Fela WAS Lagos and would turn in his grave at the very notion of this! It is bad enough that the lead is likely not to be Nigerian and maybe Don Cheadle as fish68 said above. But the story of Fela would be a joke if it is told and filmed anywhere else but in Lagos.
Imagine telling the story of Biggie outside of Brooklyn where he lived and grew up. It would be a joke!
The reason why a movie like Slumdog Millionaire was so successful was the authenticity that it portrayed, which therefore made it very believeable.
If the filmakers are afraid to come to Nigeria and associate themselves with Nigerians in the know that could help them bring this story to life, then they ARE NOT the right people to be telling his story in the first place
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