In the next few days you're going to start hearing a lot about Cary Fukunaga's Beasts of No Nation, for a few important reasons. For one, the film is being pegged as a potential Oscar contender and that includes star Idris Elba. That's notable because it's also Netflix's first original dramatic piece and will hit theaters and the streaming service the same day. The release schedule has pissed off some exhibitors and cast doubt whether the Academy will honor a film most will watch from their couches.
Another reason you'll start hearing a lot about the film is because of the powerful story being told. Based on Uzodinma Iweala's book, the story centers on young Agu (the exceptional Abraham Attah), an African boy recruited to become a child soldier fighting in the civil war. Elba plays the Commandant leading the child army, and this new trailer shows his terrible brutality and commanding presence.
I had a chance to hang out with Fukunaga and Attah to talk about the film, so keep an eye out for the interview in a few days. Beasts of No Nation hits Netflix and theaters on October 16th.
