Denzel Washington as Hannibal - Controversy in Tunisia
Can the African-American Denzel Washington (68) play the Carthaginian general Hannibal? This question is currently being hotly debated in Tunisia. Ancient Carthage was located on the territory of today's North African state. Hannibal is celebrated here like a national hero.
The Tunisian newspaper "La Presse" describes Washington's casting in the upcoming Netflix project as a "historical mistake". An online petition, which according to The Guardian has already been signed by over 1,300 people, calls on Netflix to cancel the film. It calls on the government to take action "against the attempt to steal our history".
"It is fiction"
Politician Yassine Mami believes the Minister of Culture, Hayet Ketat Guermazi, has a duty. "It's about defending Tunisian identity and listening to the reactions of civil society,"The Guardian quotes Mami as saying.
But Hayet Ketat Guermazi is not even thinking of entering the ring against Netflix. On the contrary. "It's fiction. It's their right to do what they want," she said, according to French newspaper Le Monde. "Hannibal is a historical figure, even if we are all proud that he was Tunisian". It is more important to the minister that Netflix shoots in Tunisia in order to strengthen the film location.
No certainty about Hannibal's skin color
There is no certainty in research about the skin color of the real Hannibal. The Carthaginians are descended from the Phoenicians. The city-states of the Phoenicians were located in the area where today's states of Lebanon, Syria and Israel are situated. During the lifetime of Hannibal (approx. 247 - 183 BC), the area around the Mediterranean was ethnically very mixed.
In the as yet untitled film, Denzel Washington is to play the legendary general who brought the Roman Empire to the brink of defeat in the Punic Wars. The film will be directed by Antoine Fuqua (58), who previously shot "Training Day" and the "Equalizer" series with Washington.
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- Despite the controversy, Netflix is still set to produce a film where Denzel Washington plays the role of Hannibal, with renowned director Antoine Fuqua at the helm.
- Amidst this, Tunisia's "La Presse" newspaper criticizes Washington's casting as a "historical mistake," and an online petition, supported by over 1,300 signatures as reported by The Guardian, calls for cancellations.
- Hoping to defend Tunisian identity, Politician Yassine Mami believes the Minister of Culture, Hayet Ketat Guermazi, should take a stand against the film due to its sensitive historical context and public reactions.
- However, Minister Guermazi defends by stating that, as a work of fiction, the film has the right to proceed, focusing more on bringing Netflix productions to Tunisia to strengthen its film industry.
- Remarkably, the historical evidence regarding Hannibal's skin color remains unclear, making the current debate about Denzel Washington's casting a complex issue of cultural representation versus artistic freedom.
Source: www.stern.de
