Ava DuVernay’s Banner Unveils Trailer for Dominican Republic’s Oscar Entry ‘Bantu Mama’ (EXCLUSIVE)
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Array Releasing, the distribution arm of Ava DuVernay’s Peabody Award-winning narrative change collective, has unveiled the trailer for “Bantú Mama.”
The drama is the official entry from the Dominican Republic for the Oscars’ international feature film race. It will launch on Netflix in North America, the U.K., Australia and New Zealand on Nov. 17.
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Directed by Ivan Herrera, “Bantú Mama” tells the story of a French woman of African descent who manages to escape after being arrested in the Dominican Republic. She finds shelter in the most dangerous district of Santo Domingo, where she is taken in by a group of children. By becoming their protégée and maternal figure, she experiences an unimaginable change in her destiny. Clarisse Albrecht, who headlines the film, also co-wrote the script and co-produced it with Herrera.
“Bantú Mama” world premiered at South by Southwest in March and went on to play at the BFI London Film Festival and Urbanworld. The film garnered several laurels at the Durban and Latino and Iberian festivals. Herrera produced it with Albrecht, Franmiris Lombert and Nicolas LaMadrid.
“Bantú Mama” marks the sophomore outing of Herrero, a Dominican director, producer, and screenwriter who made his feature debut with “Pueto Pa’Mi,” a movie about two young rappers facing hardships.
The shortlist for the international feature film will be announced on Dec. 21. The Dominican Republic has submitted a total of 14 films in the last 40 years but has so far never earned a nomination. The previous entry for the 2021 race was Laura Amelia Guzmán and Israel Cárdenas’s “Holy Beasts.”
Here is the international trailer for “Bantú Mama:”
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