Ben Affleck looking to make a film about the conflict in Congo; Hollywood won’t fund it
Hopefully some Oscar buzz for his latest film, THE TOWN, can change this relative problem for Ben Affleck.
According to The Age (via The Playlist), after his group, the Easter Congo Initiative, released a statement on Tuesday stating the need for U.S. involvement in the region, Affleck stated that he’s been wanting to make a film about Congo for some time, but it’s not his fault it hasn’t been made:
“I would love to make a movie about Congo, but unfortunately I’ve asked Hollywood folks and they always say, ah, nobody wants to see a movie about Africa…I think that points to this general sense that people sort of tune out, that it doesn’t matter…It’s also a function of trends and conventional wisdom: if it comes down to a movie with fighting robots or a movie on what’s happening in eastern Congo, you’re not going to win.”
As sad as it sounds, this is very much the case, based on Hollywood’s lack of interest in delving into issues like this. Affleck, if this film is to be made, will have to be made outside of the realm of Hollywood, in a similar way to Angelina Jolie’s upcoming Bosnian War romance film. Personally, I desperately want to see a project like this made, but at this point, I don’t see it truly coming to light.
For more information on the nation’s still raging conflict, head over to the Eastern Congo Initiative website.
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