Aristophanes wrote Lysistrata back in 411BC, creating a commentary on the dire status of Athenian women as their husbands fought the interminable Peloponnesian War.
In the play, Lysistrata, a Greek woman of extraordinary character and strength, unites all the women of Greece to withhold sexual pleasures from their husbands unless they negotiate peace amongst themselves.
Spike Lee’s latest cinematic venture, Chi-raq, recreates the plot and applies it to our modern societies.
The American director explores his favourite subjects yet again; race relations and urban crime, proving that our constantly evolving and advanced society cannot shake off war and inner-city violence.
The name, which is a portmanteau of Chicago and Iraq, expresses the artist’s intention to touch on Chicago’s violence-infested south side as well as the tragedy in Iraq.
Lee expertly draws parallels with Aristophanes’ war and inner-city gun violence.
Nick Cannon, John Cusack, Samuel Jackson and Teyonah Parris are expected to play the lead roles. Also starring in the film are Wesley Snipes, Jennifer Hudson and Angela Bassett, while Kanye West is said to be involved in the making of the soundtrack.
Lee said that although humour is used throughout the film, “Chi-Raq is a very serious film dealing with the very serious issue of gun violence in the city of Chicago”.
Chi-raq has its world premiere in Chicago on 22 November and is to be released on Amazon Instant, including a limited number of theatres, on 4 December 2015.