Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter era inspired by Mzansi Western 'Five Fingers for Marseilles'

Lester Kiewit speaks to Sean Drummond, a screenwriter and producer of 'Five Fingers for Marseilles' about the local film being an inspiration for Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter era.

Beyoncé recently entered her "Cowboy Carter" era, releasing her first-ever country album - songs from the album are topping charts, getting yeehaws and rave reviews.

The album features a fan favourite like, "Texas Hold 'Em" and covers of iconic country singers' hits like the Beatles' "Blackbird," Dolly Parton's "Jolene" and Chuck Berry's "Oh Louisiana" - invoking history and provocation while paying homage to Western American culture - becoming the first Black female artist to break streaming records on the Billboard Country Charts for that fan favourite bop.

And Mzansi flava takes some kudos for this as the pop Queen credited a local South African film, "Five Fingers for Marseilles" (which was aired seven years ago) as the inspiration behind the iconic album.

If you have not seen the film, it features picturesque rolling hills of Lesotho, and men riding through sand on horseback in a reimagined Western dystopian era in South Africa. 

The film explores a post-apartheid South Africa, the fight for freedom, the damage driven by cycles of trauma and oppression, and what it really takes for someone to be free, explains Drummond.

The story was told through a microcosm of a small fictional town called, Marseilles showing how small townships often get replaced with European names and ideals - the film got great local and international recognition, adds Drummond.

Since Beyoncé dubbed the film 'an inspiration' for her first country album, the film has rebooted its fame and garnered new fans. 

Drummond says 'it's crazy' and 'surreal' that Queen B was a fan of the film and found inspiration behind it. 

"There's no real piece of pop culture stamp of approval that resonates like that so it's been quite surreal. We've been excited and humbled in a way because the film is a result of lots of people's hard work and for it to re-enter a cultural conversation seven years after it came out. I think is surreal and awesome. Hopefully, it will drive a whole new wave of eyeballs and fans to the film."

- Sean Drummond, Screenwriter/Producer - 'Five Fingers for Marseilles'

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the full conversation.