Filmed in Nairobi, Machakos County and Murang’a County, 'Country Queen' stars Melissa Kiplagat.
Netflix has announced that its first Kenyan licensed branded series titled Country Queen will premiere on July 15, 2022.
Set in contemporary Kenya, Country Queen is a family drama series that tells the story of ordinary Kenyans fighting against a corporate power that threatens to destroy their homes and lives. The series focuses on the issues of land grabbing and exploitation, and how these factors impact the lives and relationships of the main characters, their families and communities.
Featuring a language mix of English and Swahili, Country Queen also explores themes like rural-urban conflict, inter-family relationships, betrayal, love and commitment, as well as the intersection of tradition, leadership, culture and capitalism. A prevailing theme of the show is also the pursuit of ambition in the face of loyalty to tradition and cultural history.
The writing process for Country Queen was built on in-depth research. This research included conversations with activists, deep dive into articles and essays on local mining practices, small-scale mining and underage miners in Kenya and generally in East Africa, as well as the land-grabbing practices and land issues that affect families all over Africa.
With the financial support of the German Government via DW Akademie, Good Karma Fiction, together with ten up-and-coming Kenyan writers/filmmakers developed the narrative of Country Queen. Good Karma Fiction is a Berlin/Germany-based film production company, led by Peter Obrist, Waltraud Ehrhardt, and Ravi Karmalker, who are the executive producers and showrunners of Country Queen.
Country Queen is based on a David vs Goliath plot that pits ordinary Kenyans against a large power that threatens to destroy their homes and lives. The issues of land grabbing and exploitation form the tapestry against which the fractured personal lives and relationships of our main characters play out. Country Queen also focuses on the stories and lives of those most often overlooked, such as the Akamba tribe and (in general) the rural populations of Kenya.
The Kenyan cast and crew of Country Queen reflect a mix of well-known and loved personalities as well as rising stars in the industry.
Country Queen’s season one was co-financed by German-French cultural channel Arte/ZDF, German Government/DW Akademie, a private investor and Netflix.
