BFF FILM & FESTIVAL BLOG
Lovely or Harrowing? - A Review of Ashim Ahluwalia’s Miss Lovely
Written by Mirika Rayaprolu
Photo credit: Easel Films/Eagle Movies
Any average Indian’s Instagram feed is always filled with a hard 20% of engineering memes, a solid 80% of paparazzi shots of a ragged Ranbir Kapoor, and a pajama-clad Alia Bhatt grabbing an expensive cup of coffee in an expensive neighborhood like Juhu in Mumbai. Bollywood has always been the epitome of the glitz and glamor that artists strive to be a part of, thus laying a sacrificial amount of cards on the table. The amount of ‘give-up-everything’ has always baffled the Indian audience through Ted Talks and Zoom interviews. Basically, there is always a pedestal, an award, a badge of honor for the most suffered actor. However, the audience does a fabulous job at filtering the darkness out of Bollywood in spite of having considerable knowledge of what goes down in the basement of Bollywood.
Ashim Ahluwalia’s first feature narrative, Miss Lovely, portrays a brutal Bombay in the late 80’s and its interaction with a growing ‘C’ grade industry. The city of dreams saw a major influx of young women from all around the country, looking for jobs as actresses and models. The competition, corruption and lust-thirsty producers led to a huge number of these women entering the world of pornography, gangs and covert funding. Miss Lovely follows the story of one such adult film production house and its tango with the underworld grindhouse industry.
Two brothers, Vicky Duggal (Anil George) and Sonu (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) have been in the industry for years with their production house. The unchaste Vicky seems to have dabbled with big gang bosses for years, in an effort to continue funding the sex film studio. Sonu, with a relatively large conscience, gets sucked into the world of sex. But lo and behold! The man falls in love with a pale, white, long black-haired Pinky, and promises to cast her in a romantic film called ‘Miss Lovely’. He enjoys this feeling of being in love with Pinky until he starts to uncover a history that drives him into a frenzy. Ugh. Love.
The very easily sellable concept of success in the film industry in Bombay is somewhat of a quicksand patch. The more you step into it the worse, for the simple reason that the persistence of the mind to reach new heights of testing yourself never lapses. It behaves like a drug that makes you push yourself till the edge. Almost like a game of Jenga that grows increasingly perilous with each block you place on top, testing the extent of how tall your building can grow. My dearest, dearest Sonu and Pinky. I grew uneasy in my seat at the sight of a helpless Sonu and Pinky stumbling around like gasping fish in a shallow pond. The grains on the 16mm made me feel a chill of sadness as these women grew closer and closer to gold rings and expensive cigars. The sex parties that ruled the underground seemed wicked and yet opulent in its own regard making every wakeful audience aware of their own voyeurism. The direction was a Garden of Eden that had a golden space in the film’s flow.
Photo Credit: Easel Films/Eagle Movies
Love, lust, gangs, money, the polluted Bombay air and the very notion of scuttling around to make you love work, Ahluwalia’s gives you all of it. The uncanny location portrayal of what the city looked like in the 80’s was an all-immersive experience that acted on entertainment and the pique that the average viewer would feel about unregulated pornography. Ahluwalia’s documentary-style filmmaking takes us to an 80’s Bombay, right from the title cards to the credits. His way of conducting a shoot is very non-fiction-like and remains to be a visual-treat for all those who encounter his work, much like the great Mira Nair’s work that continues to be a module to be taught in every Indian film school, ‘Salaam Bombay’ being a personal favorite.
Was Miss Lovely harrowing or lovely? A peculiar concoction of both? Some things are better left unsaid. I’ll never know.
Director: Ashim Ahluwalia
Running Time: 110 minutes
Link to the Trailer- Miss Lovely | Trailer
Mirika is a current film student from Mumbai, India. She just moved to America and works as a freelance videographer and editor. Her interests lie in documentary and experimental filmmaking, and is keen on using film as a tool for advocacy. Find her on Instagram
Jordan Peele's 'US' Feels Like a Cerebral Thriller!
written by Donaldo Prescod
After seeing Jordan Peele’s sophomore film Us (the second in his series of social thrillers, with the promise of three more similarly-themed films to come), you may exit the theater with your head spinning, searching for answers. But I recommend that you allow yourself to sit with those thoughts for a few hours, or days, even. Then try to process this film the way you would while decoding the otherworldly, slightly askew films of Lynch, Kubrick, and Aronofsky, and it starts to feel like a cerebral thriller (a new term I hope I just coined). Think: abstract and not literal, moody, quirky and offbeat, a genre which is great for black filmmakers, as we hopefully graduate more and more to audiences accepting our kind of strange.
Before I dive into my thoughts, theories, and feels, I need to geek out for a moment and mention a different kind of tethering that I noted (as opposed to the kind described in the film). Elizabeth Moss: when I first heard about the plot for Us and saw her in the trailer, immediately I thought, “Wait! She was in a similar film a few years ago! Will the world of Charlie McDowell’s The One I Love, which tackled the same idea of dealing with your doppelgänger, intertwine with the world of Us, like the interconnectedness of a Stephen King novel?” That’s probably wishful thinking for us film nerds. Still, it’s interesting to see Moss in both of these films which address the subject of doubles, though McDowell took a simpler approach to literally facing oneself, whereas Peele expanded on this idea with great depth and integrated the element of horror.
I had a visceral reaction within the first ten minutes of the film. Having grown up in the Santa Cruz area, I could relate to frequent family trips to the boardwalk. I never wanted to get on that rickety-sounding ride The Big Dipper, which always seemed like it was made up of barely-held-together old wood, though it was probably safe. But I do miss the corn dogs, and mastering the art of ski ball like a Kung Fu prodigy. And one can never forget the boardwalk at night. For starters, it’s creepy, just like how it was portrayed in the movie. It is especially eerie when that layer of fog rolls in and coats the beach, creeping onto the lip of the boardwalk, thus beginning the terror soon to befall young Adelaide when she meets her doppelgänger.
This film is wrestling with many themes, but overcoming trauma and PTSD was always at the forefront of Lupita Nyong’os’ performance. All the acting was solid but this film has her mark all over it. At every turn you saw a wave of emotions wash over her face: fear and rage as she tried to suppress a deep, dark secret; trying to maintain her composure as a loving mother and wife while keeping that secret bottled up. Then there was her performance as her other self: creepy, raspy, unforgettable voice combined with the rigid movements of a homicidal maniac. The physical and emotional depth she displayed was layered, and it was exciting to see her pull from a whole basket of acting skills we’ve never seen her demonstrate before.
Now back to the trauma: an incident occurs ten minutes into the film which arrests a child’s development, giving rise to her end goal as an adult, when she and the rest of her ‘tethered’ family and friends surface to kill the undeserving. And as referenced several times in the film, Jeremiah 11:11 says:
Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them.
After evil was brought upon, the tethered joined hands to complete the Hands Across America mission. Though a bit strange to behold, it represents one of the last, happy moments embedded in young Adelaide’s mind before her traumatic incident. And lastly, I have to give a huge shout out to Peele for taking a 90’s West Coast classic by the Luniz, slowing the beat down and making it creepy as fuck.
Us is definitely that kind of film with replay value, where a new mystery is discovered in each viewing so that as we gradually dissect more and more of it, lets us appreciate the unconventional, weirdo aspect of an instant cult classic.
Donaldo Prescod is an award winning filmmaker from Boston, Mass and currently based in Brooklyn. His film Black People Are Dangerous won Best Narrative Short at the Urban Film Festival and the Honorable Mention Award at the 10th Annual Bushwick Film Festival.
Celebrate Pride Month With These 5 Films!
In celebration of Pride onth, here are the top 5 films you should take the time out to see!
Disobedience / Directed by Sebastián Lelio
Based on the novel by Naomi Alderman, director Sebastián Lelio delves into the lives of two orthodox women whose lifelong status as friends develops into something very intimate.
Disobedience gives a voice to two populations that are underrepresented in film: LGBTQIA+ and Orthodox Jewish women.
Depicting the contented convergence of homosexuality and religion, this film should be prioritized above all other films this summer! Not convinced? How about this: the film stars Rachel Weiz and Rachel McAdams, whose performances have collectively garnered recognition by some of the most prestigious film names in the United States, including The Academy Awards, The Golden Globes, The New York Film Critics Circle, and many more.
Support your local theaters: Now playing at the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Harvey Theater and the Nitehawk Cinema in Williamsburg!
Duck Butter / Directed by Miguel Arteta
Duck Butter is an experimental comedy that finds two women dissatisfied with relationships who decide to establish intimacy in a smothering kind of way: sex every hour within the span of 24 hours.
This is a film written by a woman that focuses solely on the voices of women, which is exactly what we need in these times: underrepresented voices telling their own stories.
Duck Butter is not currently in theaters but it was picked up by The Orchard at Tribeca and can be rented on Amazon.
Love, Simon (2018) / Directed by Greg Berlanti
You haven’t seen this yet? A 17-year-old teenage boy is harboring a secret: his sexual orientation. When his secret is threatened by a blackmailer, he has no choice but to come to terms with his identity.
The LGBQTIA+’s reluctance to freely express their true identity with the people they love is understandable because it is still a very risky and difficult thing to do. Further representation in media helps make it easier, even if only a little bit. This is the first film by a high profile Hollywood studio to focus on homosexual teen romance.
Love, Simon finished up its theatrical run a few weeks ago, but it is available for purchase on Amazon!
The Miseducation of Cameron Post / Directed by Desiree Akhavan
The film tells the story of a lesbian who is forced to go to a gay conversion center. She meets others who also find the concept of converting one’s sexuality to be ineffective. Miseducation's premise is that gay conversion is futile: homosexuality is innate, and cannot be purged for the sake of heteronormativity.
Support your local theaters: The Miseducation of Cameron Post will be at the William Vale on July 31st!
Call Her Ganda / Directed by PJ Raval
In 2014, a Philippine transgender woman was found murdered in a motel. The public identification of the prime suspect—-a U.S. marine—-ignited a political insurgency against the ubiquitous transphobic attitudes and the post-colonial relationship between the United States and the Philippines.
Violence against the transgender community is more often than not a manifestation of ignorance and the disbelief that gender identity cannot be simply reduced to genitals.
BONUS: Blowin' Up / Directed by Stephanie Wang-Breal
A look into a team of courageous women who advocate against the criminalization of prostitution. The overwhelming majority of women arrested are undocumented Asian immigrants, black, Latina and transgender youth and in this film we meet those fighting for decriminalization, as well as the women, working as prostitutes, who are cruelly represented, all while gaining insight into how our current justice system unjustly handles those who need to do this work to survive. Put aside the romanticized depiction of the privileged Belle de Jour-- the life of the average sex worker is precarious and coercive. Support your local theaters: Blowin’ Up is not in Brooklyn yet, but it will be playing at the Landmark E Street Cinema on June 15th.
Find more info about the film here! https://www.blowinupfilm.com/
Top 10 Films of 2016 – Selected by Team BFF
With all the hoopla surrounding Oscar season, The Bushwick Film Festival began thinking about the movies from 2016 that moved us, made us laugh, and inspired us to take action. To celebrate the diversity that 2016’s cinematic landscape brought with it, we asked 10 staff and volunteer members at the festival to pick their personal favorite films from last year and tell us why they stood out. Without further ado, we present to you the Bushwick Film Festival’s Top 10 Films of 2016.
Fire At Sea (Directed by Gianfranco Rosi)
Kira Boden-Gologorsky, Programming Intern
In Fire at Sea, innovative storytelling searches for a new route to explore a familiar narrative. Migrants have moved through Lampedusa, an island closer to Tunisia than it is to Sicily, for decades. But in more recent years, the influx has exponentially increased, effecting the lives of not only those seeking refuge but those whose personhood is embedded in the island. Rosi turns to Samuele, a 12 year old boy from Lampedusa, as a vantage point from which the plight of the migrants and the lives of the island’s inhabitants are explored in parallel. Samuele’s connections to the island illustrate the web of people who come in contact with North African migrants. Unlike a traditional documentary, Fire at Sea contains few statistics, which are obviously didactic, instead opting to explore metaphors in Samuele’s life, sweeping visual landscapes, and personal anecdotes to give a new perspective. The documentary lends an inarguably intimate touch to a global crisis, and gives hope that new types of storytelling can and will impact the world for the better.
The Jazz Loft According to W. Eugene Smith (Directed by Sara Fishko)
Tyrone Tanous, Production Consultant
The source material is incredible in scope and quality and is incorporated into the story in engaging design. I love Jazz music and this film serves the music’s history, an artist’s personal story, and other tales of New York City. This film is a multifaceted journey and recommended! Between 1957 and 1965 in New York, dozens of jazz musicians jam night after night in a dilapidated Sixth Avenue loft, not realizing that much of what they play and say to each other is being captured on audio tape and in still pictures by the gentle and unstable genius, former LIFE Magazine photographer W. Eugene Smith, who lives in the loft space next door. Photographer W. Eugene Smith recorded 4000 hours of audio tape and took 40,000 photographs in the Jazz Loft between 1957 and 1965. This is the first film to make use of this archive, now housed at the Center For Creative Photography at the University of Arizona.
Lion (Directed by Garth Davis)
Gonnie Zur, Programming Intern
After getting a glimpse of his craft in Top Of The Lake, it didn’t take much for me to go see Garth Davis’s Lion when it opened at TIFF this past September. In it, Davis brings to the screen the unimaginable life story of Saroo Brierley: a native Bengali man who, due to an unfortunate set of events, is separated from his family at the mere age of five. It might’ve been luck or chance, or fate, that later united Saroo with his adoptive parents: a kind Australian couple that gave him his life back — a better life, some would say. But as he gets older and understands that he’s still holding on to the remnants of his past, Saroo realizes that in spite of the consequences that tore him and his family apart, he’s willing to risk everything to reunite with them. Unsurprisingly, Dev Patel manages to perfectly and honestly deliver Saroo, and Nicole Kidman portrays the archetype of motherhood as Sue. In all honesty, it has been a while since I’ve seen performances with such strength and precision. Every shot, every angle and sound, is infused with pure emotion. After catching my breath and wiping the tears away (yes there were tears), I felt grateful to have witnessed this one of a kind cinematic piece. Moreover, these types of stories, give you perspective and a chance to give in to your emotions. It did for me; as I sat in that darkened Toronto theater, as far as physically possible from Saroo’s Calcutta, I felt as close to him as one can feel.
Fences (Directed by Denzel Washington)
Brian Wendelken, Volunteer
Denzel Washington’s adaptation of August Wilson’s Fences is a film that deals with the themes of corrupted innocence, gender roles in society and within the family, and the harsh realities of life (particularly as a black man in 1950’s Pittsburgh). It is also a story of forgiveness, love and setting your own course. Its Christmas Day release felt appropriate to close out 2016, a year that has seen such chaos and social unrest on a global scale. Denzel Washington’s portrayal of Troy Maxson shows a man whose bravado, charisma and promises keep his family together. Troy watches his son, Cory (Jovan Adepo), becoming a man and fears that Cory will follow in his footsteps. Troy raises Cory tough and is hard on him out of spite or perhaps due to foresight but even at his most loving moments he confides in Cory that he just wants him to get as far away from Troy’s life as he can. He wants Cory to be nothing like himself and pressures him to study and help with chores. When Troy’s infidelities come to light and threaten to tear his family apart, his wife (Viola Davis) is faced with the impossible task of living with Troy, keeping their home together and even raising Troy’s daughter as her own; giving hope and light to the darkest and most harrowing situation imaginable. Fences is a powerful film and I believe it is one of the most important stories told in the history of American theater or cinema.
Zootopia (Directed by Byron Howard & Rich Moore)
Camila Perez, Volunteer
This animated Disney movie features the courageous tale of an innocent, good hearted bunny named Judy Hopps who has dreams of becoming a city cop alongside an intimidating team of tough buffalos and tigers and bears, oh my! The story’s plot is driven with a multitude of different animals (a reference to the diversity of our own human cities). Zootopia fearlessly dives into the corruption of speciesism within the animal society that is embedded deep within the structure of how their law enforcement works. Judy Hopps’ character is a great role model for both kids and adults because she showcases bravery, resilience, and ruthlessness even in a harsh and unfair environment. This is my favorite 2016 film because even though this kids movie is rated PG, there are deeper messages that offer very relevant contexts to think about like racial profiling (or in this case, species profiling), police brutality and corruption. Even with all of these controversial topics intertwined in the film, the brave Judy Hopps is ready to combat anything in the way of the fair and just society she dreams of policing. The movie is inspiring, laugh-out-loud funny, stimulating—an exciting and entertaining combination for audiences of all ages to witness the hopeful bunny successfully land a ‘good cop’ role, one that demonstrates the role we hope all of our own city cops fill.
The Lobster (Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos)
Juan Collado, Intern BFF
The Lobster navigates a future dystopia where single people must fall in love within 45 days or else become an animal of their choice and released into the wild. The film, a commentary on the ways love and relationships are drilled into our minds, explores the extent many will go to in order to fall in love and also how little others will try. I admire Yorgos Lanthimos choices as a filmmaker to use film as a medium to shine a light on our society. I love how untimely the comedic points in the movie are and how one can relate to the character’s predicament and their reasons for not falling in love. As a big Colin Farrell fan, I found myself loving him more in this obscene, abstract, and bizarre environment. The Lobster is much like many other films I love from the other side of the world such as Songs from the Second Floor and Vodka Lemon. This movie is definitely out there as far as content and storytelling goes, but if you’re up to the task, this movie will make you look at death, suicide, love, and systems of oppression differently.
21 Days Under the Sky (Directed by Michael Schmidt)
Karen Cooper, Volunteer
This documentary takes DIY motorcycles and the all-American road trip to another level. We follow four bikers who meet in San Francisco to begin a 3,800-mile coast to coast ride. The film takes in America’s extraordinary landscapes along the way and the final result feels raw, wild and awe-inspiring. I was extraordinarily lucky to see it in the presence of the writer, poet/journalist Kate O’Connor Morris, (yay for women in film!) along with cast and crew. Also, I’m pretty sure having the screening in a Brooklyn gallery/biker bar, with a slew of bikes lined up outside (all of which ROAR’D after the film ended), also impacted my decision to vote this as my favorite film of 2016!
These C*cksucking Tears (Directed by Dan Taberski)
Joseph Vassily Willwerth, Creative Projects Coordinator
The Establishment weighed heavy on this here moviegoer as I rifled thru my mind’s filmic library in search of a title that would not only sum up my sense of taste in 2016, but the emotional fabric shaped by its 365 day runtime. Smoke That Travels (Briët) and Napoleon In Exile (Litwak) were disqualified due to a conflict of interest, as were Gosh (Gavras) and Kenzo World – The New Fragrance (Jonze) because music videos, commercials and short films are not worthy of, and historically speaking, never on Best of Lists. But then I heard a voice. It was a convincing one, and its outlier tone asserted this: “There’s a lot wrong with the establishment . . . . . and f*ck [them]!” The voice behind this influential adage, Patrick Haggerty, is also the hero of a 16 minute documentary called These C*cksucking Tears and it’s the best darn motion picture of 2016.
The fabulously titled film follows a now 72-year-old Haggerty as he plays old folks homes and clubs alike, while recounting his life as the artist who released the first openly gay country album the U.S. of A. ever heard (Lavender Country, 1973). As a young boy raised in 1950s America who was gay but not fully conscious of it, Haggerty struggled with something universal: the fear of rejection felt when one’s behavior does not align with social mores. As he aged, and went on to write songs that put his sexuality front and center (e.g. “Cryin’ These C*cksucking Tears”), Patrick’s inclinations (musical and sexual) cost him fame, fortune — and by his account, acceptance in the conservative country music capital of Nashville — but they did not cost him dear ol’ dad. In a pivotal childhood moment, face covered in glitter, lipstick from ear to ear, a fearful Patrick quickly ducked away to avoid his father as they beelined towards each other in a hallway. Haggerty Sr. later confronted his son and gave him a piece of advice which would fundamentally shape Patrick, who took his father’s loving command, adopted it, and in turn became the expressive, artistically innovative, sex-positive soul that this documentary reveals him to be. It’s advice that oughta be passed down not only from every father to every son, but right here, right now, from me to you: “don’t sneak — or you’ll ruin your immortal soul.”
The Birth of A Nation (Directed by Nate Parker)
Nathalie Thomas, Executive Assistant
This film came to us at a time of great racial upheaval in our country and at the height of the Black Lives Matter protests that took our news media outlets by storm. The Birth Of a Nation is my favorite movie of 2016 because it was the impetus that propelled many uncomfortable but important conversations about race — conversations that are urgent and need to take place. I found this film provocative (and that’s not alluding to the allegations surrounding its director). The film’s true history is one that has been cast in the shadows, hidden and masked by many other narratives. At the helm, Parker manages to reveal a small flicker of the painful reality of an oppressed people with dignity and agency. This, all while making a point out of the title by pushing two cinematic pieces into a conflicting conversation. The timing of this film was crucial and is another reason why it’s so close to my heart. It also pulled many other Oscar nominated films into the overall dialogue of the black experience in America i.e. Hidden Figures, Fences, Moonlight, Loving and I Am Not Your Negro. This film was great even if for the sole reason that it starred, was written, directed and produced by a single black man — an admirable rarity in the film industry. I foresee a lot of thesis papers being written on Nate Parker’s The Birth of a Nation. It’s sure to become part of the fabric that shapes the dialogue about race in America for years to come.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story ( Directed by Gareth Edwards)
Tilo Zingler, Marketing Research Analyst
First of all, I am aware that this is probably as far far away from an independent film as said galaxy in the beginning of each Star Wars installment. Nevertheless, this film did something I deemed impossible; Rouge One rekindled some of the Star Wars magic of old. After George Lucas himself oversaw the making of Episodes I-III and failed on so many levels, the hope of creating a cinematic experience worth of the original trilogy faded. With Episode VII hitting cinemas last year, Disney showed some promise, but ultimately left us feeling like they tried too hard by squeezing in as many original trilogy references as they could into one movie.
While Rogue One is still far from perfect, director Gareth Edwards shows that he understands some of the strengths of the original three in tone, character and storytelling, while learning from the mistakes of the latter films. It has a more authentic and grimier look; stormtroopers with dirt on their uniforms, vehicles with visible dents and scratches that actually look like they have seen plenty of intergalactic warfare and not just those straight out of the CGI shop. It is the focus on details combined with a good cast and a story that is plausible within the existing Star Wars canon, that make this movie a pleasant surprise. It was simply my favorite movie experience of 2016 because it left me with a new hope for the Star Wars franchise under Disney, and the desire to watch this classic Star Wars masterpiece again.
FILM REVIEW: MOTHER OF GEORGE
Mother Of George, written by Darci Picoult and directed by Andrew Dosunmu, is a film as much about secrets and truth (or the distortion of them) as it is about the complicated and oftentimes public display of a woman’s childbearing challenges in many African cultures. Set in a tightly knit immigrant community in Brooklyn, NY, the film poses many unbearable questions — foremost, how far would someone go to hide the truth of things? The answer, shockingly far. Before we get further into the films’ review, I can’t help but share how I met its writer, Darci Picoult, at the Bushwick Film Festival’s “Women in Film” Panel in October.
When I nervously called Cori Thomas ( Screenwriter and Co-founder of Pa’s Hat Foundation) to ask her if she would be willing to be on the Bushwick Film Festival’s “Women in Film” Panel this year, I was extremely thrilled when she not only agreed, but also offered to call Darci Picoult, writer of Mother Of George, to be on the panel. And Darci Picoult said yes! Now, with Cori and Darci on board, the program was officially locked and their addition made the entire festival rock solid.
Cori strongly suggested that I go and see Mother Of George before the panel. However, the film hit theaters when the festival was just weeks away. But after meeting Darci and admiring her extremely insightful answers to the eager female filmmakers in the audience and hearing about the film’s journey, I ran to Quad Cinemas in Union Square just days after we closed.
As I lingered in my seat after the final credits had scrolled out of sight and the lights came up, I wondered if I had experienced the film differently because of two things. First, I had heard from the writer herself about the details of the film’s fifteen year journey to the screen. I had witnessed first hand how much she loved her own daughter (Darci’s final panel question asked her who her biggest inspiration was, and her response was her daughter, who sat bashfully in the front row). Would I have felt such a strong sense of appreciation without knowing the thousands of things that came together to make the film nearly perfect? And second, if I, myself, had not been from West Africa, Liberia, would the film have hit so close to home emotionally?
The film opens at the traditional Nigerian wedding of Adenike (Danai Gurira) and Ayodele (Isaach de Bankole). From the moment the first image hit the screen, I felt overwhelmed with how beautifully cinematographer Bradford Young (Middle Of Nowhere) depicted African culture, rich in all its tradition, color, grandeur, and African people (close camera shots of faces and bodies). The camera movement was breathtaking and the wedding scene beautiful. But it wasn’t too long after the blessings and advice were bestowed on the bride and groom with a final wish by the groom’s mother for a grandson named George, that the other face of tradition and culture reared its ugly head.
So the answer is yes. Yes, I may have had a different experience because of the two circumstances mentioned, but as it stands Mother Of George is a remarkable example of what can happen when a storyteller/playwright like Darci who has fine-tuned her craft teams up with a director like Andrew Dosunmu, who knows his subjects so intimately.
I highly suggest seeing the film in theaters, but sorry New York, it’s no longer on our big screens. But for our friends in Milwaukee and Tallahasse it is! Mother of George will continue to make its way across the U.S. between now and February. Click here to see a complete list of showtimes.
Director: Andrew Dosunmu
Writer: Darci Picoult
Stars: Isaach De Bankolé, Danai Gurira, Yaya Alafia, See full cast and crew