The Legend of Queen Naira Bely

July 20, 2026 Priscilla Montoya 0 Comments

This is the first time this story has been brought to the screen. Set on the River Pongo, in Guinea, West Africa, in the early 19th century, The Legacy of Queen Naira, an A.I. generated short film, fuses history and myth to retrace the life of Elizabeth Baily Gomez, a Luso-African woman who becomes the feared and revered Queen Naira Belli. Educated in Liverpool yet rooted in Soussou tradition, she rises to power after the disappearance of her husband, save trader Captain Styles Lightbourn.
As she forges alliance with regional rulers and dominates the river’s commerce, gold and ivory, the film confronts the moral and spiritual cost of her power. Legends swirl around her: secret visits to Mawondy’s cave where a living spirit whispers counsel; pacts with a luminous giant war serpent in the volcanic hills; and night journeys on “stone ships” that carry her across the Atlantic tides.
Blending historical drama, magical realism and oral testimony, the film interrogates the legacy of a woman who commanded both men and myths.

The Legacy of Queen Naira, the first A.I. generated short film by director Rich McKeown, fuses history and myth to retrace the life of Elizabeth Baily Gomez, a Luso-African woman who becomes the feared and revered Queen Naira Belli. Educated in Liverpool yet rooted in Soussou tradition, she rises to power after the disappearance of her husband, save trader Captain Styles Lightbourn.

As she forges alliance with regional rulers and dominates the river’s commerce, gold and ivory, the film confronts the moral and spiritual cost of her power. Legends swirl around her: secret visits to Mawondy’s cave where a living spirit whispers counsel; pacts with a luminous giant war serpent in the volcanic hills; and night journeys on “stone ships” that carry her across the Atlantic tides.
Blending historical drama, magical realism and oral testimony, the film interrogates the legacy of a woman who commanded both men and myths – asking whether history can absolve those who mastered a brutal system by becoming its sovereigns.
This film features the music of the National ballet of the Republic of Guinea, Les Ballet Africains, and is the historical sequence from the upcoming feature film Rio Pongo to Charleston: The Forgotten Passage, currently in production.

Project Title (Original Language): The Legend of Queen Naira Bely (La légende de la reine Naira Bely)
Project Type: Animation, Documentary, Short, Other
Genres: Artificial Inteligence, animation, documentary, historical
Runtime: 6 minutes 50 seconds
Completion Date: February 12, 2026
Production Budget: 350 USD
Country of Origin: United States
Language: English, French, Italian
Shooting Format: A.I.

Director Biography – Rich McKeown

Rich Mckeown is the recipient of The President’s Lifetime Achievement Award, The President’s Volunteer Service Award, The State of Maryland’s Governor’s Citation and a Fulbright Specialist. He is founder and president of KoolKidz Television & Publishing, LLC. Established in 2005, and later Kool Media for documentaries. KoolKidz has garnered hundreds of film festival selections and awards worldwide. KoolKidz films have been featured on the Revolt TV, the Education Channel, PWCSTV on Verizon FiOS channel 36, as well as the East Africa Television’s Kids Time Program. “Our children’s DVDs are available in libraries throughout the United States and Canada.” Rich is the sole composer and producer on all the early KoolKidz soundtracks and is often called upon to compose soundtracks for other filmmakers. He brings 15 years of experience working for publishing and entertainment giants Prentice Hall/Simon & Schuster; Sony Video; Boosey & Hawkes; Bertelsmann Music Group & HBO combined with an additional 12 years in sales.

As a public speaker and educator, Rich has conducted several workshops for the National Black Children’s Development Institute in Silver Springs, has presented to the students and faculty at Columbia College in Chicago, the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and had four Film/Beatbox workshop residencies with Harvard Office of the Arts/Learning from Performers Program.
Rich’s work in arts and diplomacy spans six years working with Mandela Fellows, universities and U.S. embassies throughout West Africa, teaching film production, producing and curating film festivals as well as shooting documentaries.