Ben Affleck’s next directorial project will be a historical drama. According to variety.com, he will produce and stand up to the Ghost of King Leopold movie, based on real events, related to the barbaric colonization and exploitation of an area in central and eastern Africa (Congo state territory).
The script is based on the book of historical researcher Adam Hochschild, entitled King Leopold’s Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa.
The events take place at a time when Europe’s powers crammed to exploit Africa’s natural resources (late 19th century, early 20th century); when the King of Belgium Leopold II became one of the richest people in the world (his wealth was hidden in secret bank accounts; he had hired an army of mercenaries, unscrupulous people, to ensure his collection of ivory and rubber).
The abuses against the locals, who were forced to work for the “white master”, were countless. Those who did not meet the quota of rubber cut their hands; they were thus forced to pay the difference. The handshake also served the soldiers, to prove their killings – some of them would get shortened service if they brought more hands.
More than eight million Africans have fallen victim to Leopold II’s terror regime, says Hochschild, who also made a documentary on the subject, released by the BBC in 2004.
“The film will tell the story of the Congolese who defied Leopold II and chose to fight against the oppressive regime. Their heroic initiative led to an unusual and daring alliance between an African missionary, a British investigative journalist and an Irish spy, who unmasked the horrors and gave birth to the first human rights movement. ”
“Once the photographs of the area were made public, the king’s deception about the Christian mission of those on the” black continent “was unmasked, along with his cunning and greed. He was attacked and blamed by authors such as Mark Twain, Booker T. Washington, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Joseph Conrad, whose disdain for Leopold’s “civilization mission” led to the publication of the novel “The Heart of Darkness”, synopsis of future production.
