Swaziland is the last absolute monarchy in the world and one of the few African countries that has never faced a civil war. King Mswati III is the charismatic ruler who appears to turn a blind eye to the plight of his people. While 69% of his subjects live below the poverty line, with a 42.6% rate of HIV-AIDS, and the lowest life expectancy in the world, the King owns 80% of the country’s wealth and ignores a popular plea for a new democratic constitution. His stock solution to any crisis: remain true to Swazi traditions and values. His response to the HIV-AIDS epidemic is to exact a pledge from all the virgins in the kingdom to remain chaste until the age of eighteen. The film follows members of the royal family, including the eldest of the twenty-two children, Princess Sikhanyiso, who attends college in Southern California, as well as Swazi citizens who oppose the monarchy. This compelling portrait of a country in transition juxtaposes the opulent royal lifestyle to the barren subsistence of amaSwati who are poised to rise up and fight for a better life.  DRP