''Black Earth Rising'' is a 2018 British television miniseries written and directed by Hugo Blick, about the prosecution of international war criminals. The series is a co-production between

BBC Two BBC Two is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It covers a wide range of subject matter, with a remit "to broadcast programmes of depth and substance" in contrast to the more mainstream an ...

and Netflix. The show aired on BBC Two in the United Kingdom starting on 10 September 2018; Netflix began streaming the show internationally outside the UK on 25 January 2019.

Plot

The story centres on Kate Ashby, who works as a legal investigator in the London law chambers of Michael Ennis. When Kate's adoptive mother Eve takes on a case prosecuting a Rwandan militia leader, the story pulls Michael and Kate into a journey that will upend their lives forever.

Cast

Michaela Coel Michaela Ewuraba Boakye-Collinson (born 1 October 1987), known professionally as Michaela Coel, is a British screenwriter and actress. She is best known for creating and starring in the E4 sitcom ''Chewing Gum'' (2015–2017), for which she won ...

as Kate Ashby, a 28-year-old, Rwandan-born British legal investigator * John Goodman as Michael Ennis, an American divorced

barrister A barrister is a type of lawyer in common law jurisdictions. Barristers mostly specialise in courtroom advocacy and litigation. Their tasks include taking cases in superior courts and tribunals, drafting legal pleadings, researching law and ...

living and working in the UK; employer of Kate Ashby * Tamara Tunie as Eunice Clayton, US

Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs The Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of African Affairs is the head of the Bureau of African Affairs, within the United States Department of State, who guides operation of the U.S. diplomatic establishment in the countries of sub-Saharan Afric ...

* Noma Dumezweni as Alice Munezero, a Rwandan government official and former general in the Rwandan Patriotic Army * Harriet Walter as Eve Ashby, Kate's adoptive mother, and an international prosecution barrister * Danny Sapani as General Simon Nyamoya, a former Tutsi corporal who helped bring the Rwandan genocide to an end * Tyrone Huggins as Patrice Ganimana, a Rwandan Hutu who helped implement the Rwandan genocide * Ronald Guttman as Jacques Antoine Barré, a former advisor to the

Élysée Palace The Élysée Palace (french: Palais de l'Élysée; ) is the official residence of the President of the French Republic. Completed in 1722, it was built for nobleman and army officer Louis Henri de La Tour d'Auvergne, who had been appointed Gover ...

between 1987 and 1994 *

Aure Atika Aure Atika (born 12 July 1970) is a French actress, writer and director. Life and career The daughter of Jewish-Moroccan Ode Atika Bitton and Frenchman Michel Fournier (his father was born in Algeria from the Aimeur family of film actors and ...

as Sophie Barré, daughter of Jacques Antoine Barré; CEO of Barré Resources * Abena Ayivor as Bibi Mundanzi; the overwhelmingly well-liked, third-term president of Rwanda, and adoptive sister of Alice Munezero *

Lucian Msamati Lucian Gabriel Wiina Msamati (born 5 March 1976) is a British-Tanzanian actor. He played Salladhor Saan in HBO series ''Game of Thrones'', and was the first black actor to play Iago in the Royal Shakespeare Company's 2015 production of ''Othel ...

as David Runihura, special advisor to the Rwandan president *

Mimi Ndiweni Mimî Michelle Ndiweni (born 31 August 1991), since 2021 credited as Mimî M. Khayisa, is a British-Zimbabwean actress. She is best known for playing Fringilla Vigo in Netflix's ''The Witcher'', Tilly Brockless in the television series ''Mr S ...

as Mary Mundanzi, daughter of Bibi Mundanzi and David Runihura * Hugo Blick as Blake Gaines, a successful, unscrupulous defence barrister and rival of Ennis; hired to defend Patrice Ganimana * Kathryn Hunter as Capi Petridis, prosecutor of the International Criminal Court *

Serge Hazanavicius Serge Hazanavicius ( lt, Hazanavičius), was born 11 September 1963, in Paris. He is an actor and director, working primarily in France. Personal life and family His brother is Michel Hazanavicius. Their family is primarily of Jewish ancestr ...

as Marc Previeau, a senior French based in Paris * Emmanuel Imani as Florence Karamera, a mysterious man aiding and protecting Kate * Julian Glover as Mark Viner, a retired

and Eve Ashby's former boss * Malou Coindreau as Hana Ennis, Michael's daughter and a former financial analyst, who has been in a coma for three years * Michael Gould as Harper Hopkinson, a book illustrator and Hana Ennis's stepfather

Episodes

Series 1 (2018)

Production

The series was commissioned as ''Black Earth Rising'' in 2017. For some time during production it was known as ''The Forgiving Earth'', but it went back to its original title by April 2018. During a night shoot of a car stunt scene in Ghana, camera operator Mark Milsome was killed. The production used a private residence in Sevenoaks, Kent for some of the filming; the swimming pool of the residence doubled for a spa hotel in Paris. Bill Murray,

Dan Aykroyd Daniel Edward Aykroyd ( ; born July 1, 1952) is a Canadian actor, comedian, producer, musician and writer. He was an original member of the "Not Ready for Prime Time Players" on ''Saturday Night Live'' (1975–1979). During his tenure on ''SNL'' ...

, Steve Martin, George Wendt, Chevy Chase, Jim Belushi and

Jason Alexander Jay Scott Greenspan (born September 23, 1959), known professionally as Jason Alexander, is an American actor, comedian, host and director. An Emmy and Tony winner, he is best known for his role as George Costanza in the television series '' Se ...

were all considered for the role of Michael Ennis before John Goodman was cast.

Reception

Critics were overwhelmingly positive. The miniseries has a score of 79% positive reviews on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, with the consensus: ''"Black Earth Rising'' is an exceptional political thriller, confronting relevant challenges and deep-seated geopolitical problems with storytelling verve and a wise refusal to provide any easy answers."

References

External links

* *
''Black Earth Rising''
at Netflix {{DEFAULTSORT:Black Earth Rising 2018 British television series debuts 2018 British television series endings 2010s British drama television series 2010s British television miniseries BBC television dramas Works about the Rwandan genocide Works about the International Criminal Court English-language Netflix original programming Television series by BBC Studios Television shows set in Africa Television shows set in London Television shows set in the Netherlands Television shows filmed in Ghana