Film about Uganda's history previewed in Queens

Queens moviegoers were treated to a special preview screening of &#8220The Last King of Scotland” and discussion with the film's director and stars on Sunday, September 17, making them the first public audience in the nation to see the movie.
&#8220The Last King of Scotland,” which was directed by Kevin Macdonald, stars Forest Whitaker as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin and James McAvoy as his personal physician, Scottish doctor Nicholas Garrigan. The film is based on a novel by the same name, as well as real events in Uganda's history, although Garrigan is a fictional character.
Amin took the presidency in 1971 and left office in 1979, by which time he had been responsible for more than 300,000 executions in Uganda.
&#8220It's an unusual blend of kind of fact and fiction,” Macdonald said. &#8220What we loved was this central relationship between the doctor and the Ugandan dictator.”
Following the screening, Macdonald, Whitaker and McAvoy took part in an on-stage discussion, talking about the impact of the film, how they all got involved with the project and getting the movie made. Macdonald said that when he first met with the president of Uganda, he told the president it was an important film for the world to see as well as young Ugandans.
Rather than filming in South Africa, which Macdonald said is usually done with movies set in Africa, &#8220The Last King of Scotland” was shot on location in Uganda.
&#8220It was a great experience and I think we all really loved being there - loved the place, loved the people,” Macdonald said.
In preparation for his character, Whitaker, who received a standing ovation when he came out following the screening, said he spoke with people who had known Amin and lived through his reign. McAvoy described his character as complicated, saying that he was not heroic and selfish, but that the audience had to also sympathize enough with Garrigan to want to follow him through the movie.
The release date for &#8220The Last King of Scotland” is Wednesday, September 27. For more information, visit www2.foxsearchlight.com/thelastkingofscotland.
The Queens Museum of the Moving Image is located at 35th Avenue and 36th Street in Astoria. For a complete schedule of events, visit www.movingimage.us or call 718-784-4520.