BATTLE FOR ADWA
In 1896, Emperor Menilek leads the tribes of Ethiopia into victory against Italian invaders.
His young daughter, desperate to take part, rides into battle on her own trusty steed… her hippopotamus.
Some of the best stories are grounded in real events. After all, fact is stranger than fiction and when done well they can be absorbing, engrossing and highly entertaining.
In her screenplay Battle for Adwa, Elaine Clayton weaves the perfect amount of fantasy with historical fact.
As a little bit of background… The Battle of Adwa has historical significance for being the first crushing defeat of a European power by African forces during the colonial era. The outcome of this battle ensured Ethiopia’s independence. As a result of this win Adwa turned Ethiopia into a symbol of freedom.
Writer Elaine Clayton sets her story against the backdrop of this famous battle but then goes one step further by adding a very exciting ‘what if’ scenario to her narrative with a re-imagining of the tale via the addition of a child going into battle, no less a young girl of just eight years old.
When we first meet Zoaduti, it is with her father, Emperor Menilek praying by her bedside as she settles down to sleep.
ZOADUTI
Is it time to fight…?
… I am ready Baba.
But as her father says:
MENILIK
No, it is time to sleep little one.
Close your eyes…
… Princesses do not fight.
But Zoaduti will not be deterred. Determined at all costs to be a part of this ‘grown up’ battle all she needs now is a weapon and a steed of her own. But where to find both?
As the stage is set for an almighty battle Zoaduti retreats to the riverfront, sullen and alone, but still determined to fight for her country. After falling in the river and nearly drowning a serendipitous meeting with a baby hippo (yes, you read that right) results in an instant friendship and a rather unlikely military partnership. All Zoaduti needs now is a weapon… How she obtains this however, and how she fights in this bloody battle is something I’m going to let you discover for yourself.
Written with a beautiful, lyrical, and visual intensity, with words and images perfectly crafted to evoke danger, humour, and emotional depth, and with a story that has an uplifting ending, Battle for Adwa is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Princess Zoaduiti makes a welcome addition to the world of fictional and feisty, spirited and courageous young female film heroines that we already know so well – Wadjida, Princess Merida, Mulan, Moana, Elsa, Katniss and Hermione, to name but a few.
Producers: If you have a strong vision and your skills run to independent animation, 2D or 3D, or hand-drawn or hand-painted stop-motion, with perhaps the inclusion of some minor CGI, and you’ve been searching for just the right story to showcase your talents then Battle for Adwa is the perfect vehicle for you.
The battle to find the right script is already won. Now all you need is to rally your troops, get the film in the can, submit to Festivals, and victory could well be yours for the taking.