Beasts of No Nation (2015)

Beasts of No Nation is a 2015 American war drama film written, co-produced, shot, and directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga. It follows a young boy who becomes a child soldier as his country experiences a horrific civil war. Shot in Ghana and starring Idris Elba, Abraham Attah, Ama K. Abebrese, Grace Nortey, David Dontoh, and Opeyemi Fagbohungbe, the film is based on the 2005 novel of the same name by Uzodinma Iweala, the book itself being named after a Fela Kuti album.

It was screened in the main competition section of the 72nd Venice International Film Festival, where Attah won the Marcello Mastroianni Award. The film was shown in the Special Presentation section of the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival, and released on Netflix globally and in a limited release by Bleecker Street on October 16, 2015. It is the first film to be released directly on Netflix. The film received positive reviews from critics and numerous accolades. Elba's performance earned nominations for the BAFTA, Golden Globe, Spirit, and SAG Award for Best Supporting Actor, winning the latter two.