▁ess ay , ▁Conc ern ing ▁Vi ol ence , ▁from ▁his ▁ 1 9 6 1 ▁book ▁The ▁W retch ed ▁of ▁the ▁Earth . ▁American ▁singer ▁and ▁actress ▁Laur yn ▁Hill ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁narr ator ▁in ▁the ▁English - language ▁release ▁of ▁the ▁film , ▁while ▁Finn ish ▁actress ▁K ati ▁Out inen ▁provides ▁narr ation ▁for ▁the ▁original ▁Swedish ▁release . ▁ ▁The ▁film ▁is ▁an ▁international ▁co - production ▁between ▁Sweden , ▁Finland , ▁Den mark , ▁and ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁Syn opsis ▁The ▁film ▁narr ates ▁the ▁events ▁of ▁African ▁national ist ▁and ▁independence ▁movements ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁which ▁challeng ed ▁colonial ▁and ▁white ▁minor ity ▁rule . ▁ ▁Release ▁The ▁film ▁premier ed ▁in - comp et ition ▁in ▁the ▁World ▁Cinema ▁Document ary ▁Compet ition ▁at ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁Sund ance ▁Film ▁Festival ▁on ▁ 1 7 ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁after ▁being ▁pitch ed ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁Me et Mark et ▁at ▁She ff ield ▁Doc / F est . ▁ ▁In ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁Films ▁B out ique ▁acquired ▁the ▁world wide ▁distribution ▁rights ▁to ▁the ▁film . ▁The ▁film ▁also ▁screen ed ▁at ▁ 6 4 th ▁Berlin ▁International ▁Film ▁Festival ▁in ▁Pan or ama ▁Dokument e ▁section , ▁in ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁It ▁won ▁a ▁prize ▁at ▁the ▁festival .