In what must be a contender for the most ill-conceived film ever, Morgan Spurlock and Walt Disney are collaborating on a project to bring the story of an American father who tried to “claim” a piece of Sudan for his seven-year-old daughter, “Princess Emily”, to the big screen under the working title The Princess of Sudan.
When Jeremiah Heaton’s efforts were made public, the Guardian’s Bim Adewunmi asked: “Are white people actually still allowed to do this kind of thing in the 21st century?” – which leads us to question whether films like this should be made either.
It won’t be the first time Hollywood has got Africa wrong. Blood Diamond was called “the latest in a long line of Caucasian crusaders fighting for po’ black folks”. Black Hawk Down was accused of naked US military propaganda for focusing on the deaths of 16 Americans while ignoring the estimated 1,000 Somalis who died in same battle, and Cry Freedom used the story of murdered black leader Steve Biko purely as a backdrop for the epic saga of white journalist Donald Woods.
Outside the continent, Ben Affleck’s Argo was criticised for its unashamed western bias in covering Iran, and Sex and the City 2 was accused of “clumsily misunderstanding Middle Eastern culture”.
What else needs to be on the list, and why? Add your thoughts in the comment thread below and we’ll use them to curate a top 10 ill-conceived ideas of all time.
If you have any problems posting, you can tweet @GuardianAfrica, or email maeve.shearlaw@theguardian.com (please state if you’d like to remain anonymous).
Other misguided film ideas: as suggested by you
Darwins Nightmare was one of the worst! And Africa is still suffering economically because of the half-truths and downright lies about the Nile Perch industry that this film propagated. Some scientists have even quoted this film as a factual source to back up their findings!
@GuardianAfrica 1. Fuqua's Tears of the Sun is hoisted on a mangled premises that shows a poor grasp of the Igbo culture ...
— Abubakar A. Ibrahim (@Moonchild509) November 9, 2014
@GuardianAfrica 2. ...that Bruce Willis and co tried to rescue in the film.
— Abubakar A. Ibrahim (@Moonchild509) November 9, 2014
@GuardianAfrica bad movies about Africa: Tears of the Sun + every film w fake African countries. No other continent endures that indignity.
— Vik Sohonie (@VikSoho) November 10, 2014
@VikSoho @irenecnwoye @GuardianAfrica Also, fake/generic Eastern European countries (The Terminal, The Grand Budapest Hotel).
— alon_levy (@alon_levy) November 10, 2014
On Reddit DaaraJ said:
Probably second worst (at least in recent years). The worst would probably have to go to Machine Gun Preacher:
Former biker gang member renounced hurting people in America so he goes to Sudan to become an arms dealer under the auspices of saving children, killing Joseph Kony, and “serving God in Africa”.
Basically has all the worst Africa tropes (white saviour has to save innocent black children from evil black adults), made even worse that it’s loosely based in truth. Hollywood conveniently glossed over the whole “stockpiling arms in orphanages” thing.
Tarzan
'Jefferson in Paris' romanticises the relationship Thomas Jefferson had with his slave Sally Hemmings. Fails to recognise that it's a story that revolves around rape.
'Deer Hunter' centres around Asians forcing Americans to play Russian Roulette. Based on no fact whatsoever and insanely racist!
@GuardianAfrica @idmanhussein I think as far as ill conceived ideas go racism, colonialism and laissez-faire economics were worse
— Aidan McQuade (@the_mcquade) November 10, 2014
This one- The PRINCESS OF SUDAN- is unbelievably self-aggrandising and stupid! Other ideas I abhor include the Mummy series of films, (especially the Chinese angle in the last one) starring Brendan Fraser, Raquel Weisz and THE ROCK Johnson. I mean, really??!