Black Earth Rising
Black Earth Rising | |
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Also known as | The Forgiving Earth |
Genre |
Drama Thriller |
Written by | Hugo Blick |
Directed by | Hugo Blick |
Starring | |
Theme music composer | |
Opening theme | "You Want It Darker" |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Original language(s) | English |
No. of series | 1 |
No. of episodes | 8 (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producer(s) |
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Producer(s) | Abi Bach |
Cinematography | Hubert Taczanowski |
Editor(s) | Jason Krasucki |
Running time | 60 minutes |
Production company(s) |
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Release | |
Original network | |
Picture format | 16:9 (4k) |
Audio format | Stereo |
Original release | 10 September 2018 – present |
External links | |
Black Earth Rising |
Black Earth Rising is a 2018 television drama series written and directed by Hugo Blick about the prosecution of international war crimes. The series is a co-production between BBC Two and Netflix, with BBC Two airing the show in the United Kingdom from 10 September 2018, and Netflix streaming the show internationally outside the UK with no confirmed start date.[1][2]
Plot
The story centres on Kate Ashby, who works as a legal investigator in the law chambers of Michael Ennis. When Kate's adoptive mother Eve takes on a case prosecuting an African militia leader, the story pulls Michael and Kate into a journey that will upend their lives forever.[3]
Production
The series was commissioned as Black Earth Rising in 2017,[2] and was known as The Forgiving Earth for a time during production[4] before reverting to its original title by April 2018.[3] During a night shoot of a car stunt scene in Ghana, camera operator Mark Milsome was killed.[4]
Cast
- Michaela Coel as Kate Ashby; a 28-year-old Rwandan-born legal investigator.[3]
- John Goodman as Michael Ennis; an American-born divorced barrister living and working in the UK.[3]
- Tamara Tunie as Eunice Clayton; Assistant Secretary at the US State Department's Bureau of African Affairs.[3][5]
- Noma Dumezweni as Alice Munezero; a Rwandan government official and former General in the Rwandan Patriotic Army.[3]
- Harriet Walter as Eve Ashby, Kate's adoptive mother who is a barrister.[3]
- Danny Sapani as General Simon Nyamoya; a former Hutu corporal who helped bring the Rwandan Genocide to an end.[3]
- Tyrone Huggins as Patrice Ganimana; a Rwandan Hutu who helped implement the Rwandan Genocide.[6]
- Ronald Guttman as Jacques Antoine Barré; a former Advisor to the Élysée Palace between 1987-1994.[3]
- Lucian Msamati as David Runihura; Special Advisor to the President of Rwanda.[3]
- Aure Atika as Sophie Barré; daughter of Jacques Antoine Barré.[3]
- Abena Ayivor as Bibi Mundanzi; the overwhelmingly well-liked third-term Rwandan President.[3]
- Malou Coindreau as Hana Ennis; Michael's daughter, who has been in a coma for three years.[3]
- Michael Gould as Harper Hopkinson[3]
- Serge Hazanavicius as Marc Previeau[3]
- Emmanuel Imani as Florence Karamera[3]
Episodes
No. | Title [7] | Directed by [3] | Written by [3] | Original air date [7] | UK viewers (millions) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "In Other News" | Hugo Blick | Hugo Blick | 10 September 2018[8] | 1.56[9] |
International criminal lawyer Eve Ashby agrees to prosecute Simon Nyamoya (Danny Sapani), a Rwandan general-turned-mercenary who has been extradited to the International Criminal Court, situated in The Hague. Her adopted daughter, Kate, is a refugee of the Rwandan genocide, and recognises Nyamoya as an important figure in ending the massacre. She struggles to come to terms with the decision and feels betrayed by her mother. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, UN forces move against war criminal Patrice Ganimana (Tyrone Huggins), but events take a tragic turn. | |||||
2 | "Looking at the Past" | Hugo Blick | Hugo Blick | 17 September 2018 | N/A |
Nyamoya's trial is brought to an early and bloody conclusion. As Kate and Michael grapple with unfolding events, they are asked for help by Rwandan general Alice Munezero (Noma Dumezweni), an old friend who is arrested upon her return to Europe on suspicion of murdering a French priest in Rwanda in 1994. Acting as Alice's legal investigator, Kate heads to France in search of the truth and learns that the man she is accused of murdering may not even be dead. | |||||
3 | "A Ghost in Name" | Hugo Blick | Hugo Blick | 24 September 2018 | TBD |
Kate continues her search for the truth and tries to flush out Father Patenaude (Pascal Laurent) by informing him of his mother's ill health. Back in London, Michael is about to go under the knife and Kate is unable to reach him for advice when she meets with a shady figure in the Paris catacombs. As Alice's case finally comes before the court, Brigadier General Lesage (Olivier Rabourdin) offers testimony which looks to stop the defence in their tracks - until Kate realises where she's seen him before. | |||||
4 | "A Bowl of Cornflakes" | Hugo Blick | Hugo Blick | 1 October 2018 | TBD |
Patenaude's return results in the prosecution against Alice being dropped. Michael receives word that Patrice Ganimana is being treated for cancer in London, but soon clashes with an old rival, Blake Gaines (Hugo Blick) who has been assigned to represent him. But before Ganimana can be extradited to the ICC, Capi (Kathryn Hunter) informs Michael that the case is being withdrawn due to twelve key witnesses retracting their statements. | |||||
5 | "The Eyes of the Devil" | Hugo Blick | Hugo Blick | 8 October 2018 | TBD |
Gaines falls foul of the secret parties funding his legal fees. Angered at Michael's instance of the inability to prosecute Ganimana, Kate offers to help out David Runihura (Lucian Msamati) as the Rwandan court of justice try to extradite him to stand trial in his own country. Kate also tries to locate a file written by her mother in 1997 to work out why Ganimana was not prosecuted at the time. | |||||
6 | "The Game's True Nature" | Hugo Blick | Hugo Blick | 15 October 2018 | TBD |
7 | "Double Bogey on the Ninth" | Hugo Blick | Hugo Blick | 22 October 2018 | TBD |
8 | "Episode 8" | Hugo Blick | Hugo Blick | 29 October 2018 | TBD |
References
- ↑ "Netflix Boards BBC Drama 'Troy' From 'Night Manager' Writer". The Hollywood Reporter. 1 March 2017. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
- 1 2 "Netflix Invests Nearly $2 Billion in European Productions, Promises More". Variety. 1 March 2017. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 White, Peter (30 April 2018). "John Goodman & Michaela Coel To Star In Netflix & BBC Drama 'Black Earth Rising'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
- 1 2 "UK Camera Operator Dies Filming Stunt Scene for BBC, Netflix Drama". The Hollywood Reporter. 20 November 2017. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
- ↑ "Black Earth Rising - Eunice Clayton - BBC Two". BBC Programmes. BBC. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
- ↑ "Black Earth Rising - Patrice Ganimana - BBC Two". BBC Programmes. BBC. 10 September 2018. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
- 1 2 "Black Earth Rising Episodes Guide and Summaries". Next Episode. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
- ↑ Munn, Patrick (29 August 2018). "BBC Two Sets Premiere Date For 'Black Earth Rising'". TV Wise. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
- ↑ "Weekly top 30 programmes - w/e 16 September 2018 - BARB". BARB. 16 September 2018. Retrieved 1 October 2018.