“I think the reception from an audience perspective would be very similar [if it was released today],” Elba said. “But considering the social climate now, ‘Beasts of No Nation’ would certainly make a real impact in terms of awards and accolades, and not just because of the climate but because of Cary’s great film. A film like ‘Beasts’ at that juncture [in 2015] was being ignored for many reasons. But you wouldn’t be able to ignore it in this climate.”
Elba’s omission in the Best Supporting Actor category at the Academy Awards was widely seen as one of the biggest Oscar snubs of 2015. While Elba did land in the acting races at the BAFTAs and the Golden Globes, neither the movie nor director Cary Fukunaga found themselves in the running for Best Picture and Best Director. “Beasts” did wind up with five Film Independent Spirit Award nominations, including Best Feature, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Male Lead for young breakout Abraham Attah. “Beasts of No Nation” is based on the novel by Nigerian author Uzodinma Iweala. Elba stars as a ruthless African warlord who takes in a young boy, Agu (Attah), and trains him to become a child soldier. The film was widely acclaimed, with IndieWire’s Eric Kohn writing at the time, “Fukunaga, who also serves as the cinematographer, maintains full control of his immersive canvas. The spectacular wide shots and vivid colors of the jungle scenery are constantly at odds with the mounting violence.” “Beasts of No Nation” is now available to stream on Netflix. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
