McConaughey returns to the big screen with honey-themed thriller

Matthew McConaughey is returning to the big screen after more than five years with The Rivals of Amziah King, an independent film set in the American Southwest.

The Oscar-winning actor plays Amziah King, a local honey producer who keeps bees and plays the banjo with a folk band made up of friends and neighbours.

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McConaughey said he chose the film because of its humour, music, poetry and the strong sense of community among its characters.

“I knew these people. I liked the way they loved each other,” the 56-year-old Texan told AFP.

The film follows King as his life changes when he reconnects with Kateri, a young Native American woman he had taken in years earlier with his late wife.

As King helps Kateri find her place in the community, he gradually prepares her to take over his leadership role. But she soon discovers that the honey business is not as peaceful as it appears.

Kateri is played by 22-year-old Angelina LookingGlass, who described her character as a strong Indigenous woman who is often underestimated.

Director Andrew Patterson said he created the character to show a Native American woman who uses her intelligence and resourcefulness to overcome challenges.

McConaughey stepped away from films after starring in The Gentlemen in 2019, focusing on writing his memoir, Greenlights.

Although he appeared in The Lost Bus last year, The Rivals of Amziah King was filmed before that movie.

The film, which also stars Kurt Russell, opens in US cinemas on Friday.