In the upcoming action thriller G20, Viola Davis stars as United States President Danielle Sutton, who confronts a terrorist siege during a global summit in South Africa.
Set to premiere on Amazon Prime Video on 10 April, the film is directed by Patricia Riggen and features a cast including Anthony Anderson, Marsai Martin, and Antony Starr.
The plot centres around President Sutton attending the G20 summit in Cape Town, accompanied by her family.
BAD TIMING?
The movie lands a little close to home as South Africa is due to host the Group of Twenty summit (G20) in Johannesburg in November 2025.
The G20 is an international forum comprising both developed and developing nations, aimed at addressing global economic and financial challenges.
South Africans took to social media to voice their opinions on the G20 trailer.
“Honestly the timing of the release sucks! I wonder why release such a movie when it’s South Africa hosting the G20…..very deep messaging in all this,” one fan commented on X.
“Note that the G20 movie action takes place in Capetown South Africa. The bad guys are going to be Afrikaaners,” said another comment.
“This is truly propaganda. This year is the first time an African country is hosting the G20. And now we’re getting a movie to say South Africa is not safe. Coupled with all the other poppycock America has been saying about us. And we know the CIA… *loses signal*” said one comment.
“This is something to be wary about my fellow South Africans. The G20 is yet to happen, and this movie is going to be out, associating it with violence of ridiculous proportions and worst part, violence perpetuated by foreign powers,” another movie fan commented.
VIOLA DAVIS IS AT HOME IN SOUTH AFRICA
Production of G20 faced challenges due to industry-wide strikes in 2023. Despite receiving a waiver to continue filming, Davis chose to halt production in solidarity with her colleagues. Filming resumed in January 2024 in Cape Town and concluded by early March.
Davis is no stranger to South Africa.
Throughout 2021 and 2022 she was filming the Woman King in South Africa, alongside Thuso Mbedu.
She also celebrated her 58th birthday in August 2023 in Cape Town.
According to Deadline, the movie also features South African-born actors including, Theo Bongani Ndyalvane, Conrad Kemp, Emmanuel Castis, David James, and Noxolo Dlamini.
Cape Town’s Role in the Production of G20
According to 4filming, Cape Town was chosen for its stunning scenery and its versatility as a filming location.
Director Patricia Riggen and the production team selected Cape Town because it offered a diverse landscape, modern infrastructure, and world-class production facilities.
These factors allowed the filmmakers to authentically depict the high-stakes environment of a G20 summit while keeping production costs manageable. The city’s growing reputation as a global hub for film and television is making it a popular destination for filmmakers.
The choice of Cape Town not only enhanced the visual authenticity of G20 but also highlighted South Africa’s growing prominence as a destination for major international film projects.
The plot of the movie
A terrorist group, led by Rutledge (Antony Starr), seizes control, aiming to reset global financial markets through a scheme dubbed Project Deepfake. Separated from her family, Sutton relies on her military background to navigate the crisis, protect her loved ones, and safeguard international leaders.
The film’s antagonist, Rutledge, presents a modern threat by exploiting technologies like cryptocurrency and deepfakes. This contemporary angle adds relevance to the storyline, reflecting current global concerns about information warfare and financial destabilisation.
The movie is made by Davis and Julius Tennon’s JuVee Productions.
The company’s head of film production and development, Melanie Clark, told Variety at last year’s Joburg Film Festival, that the crew was planning to return to South Africa to film the true story of a young African refugee’s improbable journey to the US.
Do you think the reaction to South Africa’s portrayal in the G20 is being exaggerated?
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