A United Kingdom (2016)

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A United Kingdom was released on February 10, 2017, in the USA. The British Drama film was produced by Fox Searchlight Pictures The movie storyline was written by Guy Hibbert, and directed by Amma Asante. The movie was based on the book "Color Bar" by Susan Williams that published in 2006[1].

Plot

Ruth and Seretse in the Bechuanaland [2]

Seretse Khama (David Oyelowo), the future king of Botswana, studies law at Oxford University so he can become a lawyer. In a London Missionary Society, he meets Ruth Williams (Rosamund Pike), a typist of a British institution. He falls over her and proposes to her to get married. However, nobody supports their love. Her father says he does not want to meet them anymore. Seret'se uncle, who prepared him to be the future king, opposes the marriage and instigates the Bechuanaland people to go wild for their marriage. When Seretse and Ruth go to the Bechuanaland, the UK government raises serious issues to lower the future king's status. UK government decides to exile Seretse to the UK while Ruth starts in the Bechuanaland. Seretse fights for his rights to be back to Bechuanaland and in the end, he goes back to his country and lives with Ruth in the Bechuanaland, where she is embraced by the people and Seretse determines to make the Bechuanaland goes out of poverty[3].

Controversy

In the UK at the time, it is legal to have an interracial marriage. However, it is not welcomed by everyone. This is shown in the movie where Ruth's father (Nicholas Lyndhurst) pledges to never see her again if she marries an African people. Moreover, the UK government takes part in racism. For instance, when Seretse and Ruth come to Bechuanaland, the UK government officials try to humiliate the future king for the interracial marriage. The neighbor country, South Africa, also opposes as they have established apartheid practices where interracial relationships are prohibited and the black people have lower status compared to the white people[4].

References