14. Over the Last Decade, Belle Has Started to Get a Lot of Media Attention
Over the last decade, Belle has become popular with the media. Filmmaker Jason Young was the first to showcase Belle on the television with his short period pieces called Kenwood, which came out in 2006. Then Margaret Busby wrote and produced a stage play titled An African Cargo in 2007, which focused on the Zong Massacre, Lord Mansfield, and mentioned Belle. That same year, Belle was featured in an operatic trilogy called Spirit Songs, where Abigail Kelly portrayed her.
However, probably one of the most popular pieces where Dido Belle is depicted in is the 2013 film, Belle. Directed by Amma Asante, the film explores Belle’s life, especially while she lived in Kenwood. The movie was inspired by the painting of Belle and Lady Elizabeth Murray. While the motion picture is based on what is known about Belle’s life, not everything is accurate. For instance, Belle’s husband is a lawyer in the film when he was really a steward. Also, the cinema is a period drama and was made for Hollywood and entertainment.