written by Jazz Tangcay, Vareity
Having worked with director Gina Prince-Bythewood for more than 20 years, editor Terilyn A. Shropshire joined the production early in the creative process. A key scene that the duo spent time on was the battle dance as the warriors prepare to fight. Shropshire intercut dance scenes with a speech from Viola Davis’ General Nanisca and young Nawi (Thuso Mbedu), the newest addition to the group, pumping up the warriors.
Davis’ speech needed to work, but so did the dance, and neither could take away from the other. Shropshire’s way in was to examine the point of the dance, and once she had that, it was a matter of looking at the speech, and juxtaposing it with the fervor and energy of the women.
