The international television miniseries The Book of Negroes, which
was produced in 2014 under the official South African/Canadian Co-production
Treaty, has been nominated in two categories in the 5th Annual Critics’ Choice
Television Awards, which will be hosted on 31 May by the Broadcast Television
Journalists Association (BTJA) at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles. The series has
been acquired for South African broadcast by e.tv.
Based on Canadian writer Lawrence Hill’s award-winning novel of the same name,
The Book of Negroes, the six-part miniseries is derived from the
historical document, The Book of Negroes, and follows the harrowing journey of
“Aminata’ and her return home after being forced into slavery as a child.
In the Best Limited Series category, The Book of Negroes will be
competing against 24: Live Another Day (FOX); American
Crime (ABC); The Honourable Woman (Sundance); Olive
Kitteridge (HBO); and Wolf Hall (PBS).
In the Best Actress in a Movie or Limited Series category, US stage and screen
actress, Aunjanue Ellis, who plays the lead character Aminata Diallo, has been
nominated alongside Felicity Huffman – American Crime (ABC);
Frances McDormand – Olive Kitteridge (HBO); Jessica Lange –
American Horror Story: Freak Show (FX); Maggie Gyllenhaal –
The Honorable Woman (Sundance), and Queen Latifah –
Bessie (HBO).
Canadian director, Clement Virgo (The Wire, The L-Word), helms the
international cast which includes Lyriq Bent; Cuba Gooding Jr.; Louis Gossett Jr.;
and Ben Chaplin. South African artists featured include Siya Xaba; Armand Aucamp;
and Robin Smith.
Lensed by South African cinematographer, Giulio Biccari, The Book of
Negroes was filmed in Cape Town, the KwaZulu Natal South Coast, and
various parts of Nova Scotia, and produced by Conquering Lion Pictures, and Out of
Africa Entertainment in association with Entertainment One, BET and CBC. Damon
D’Oliveira, Lance Samuels, Clement Virgo, Daniel Iron, and Carrie Stein serve as
executive producers. The show debuted on CBC Television in Canada to an
audience of 1.941 million people, and was rated as the number one prime time television program.
At least 50% of the cast and crew are local and executive producer, Lance Samuels
of Out of Africa Entertainment, believes that the honourable nomination; positive
media reviews; and high audience ratings are testimony to the high quality
production skill in the South African film and television sector.
