Tag: Nicole Beharie

Posted in Feature Spotlight, On The Radar

Black History Month Spotlight!! “Frederick Douglass: In Five Speeches”

Posted on by drblackfuturefeminist

SAVE THE DATE and MARK YOUR CALENDARS!!

Gotta love when you get to see history played out on the screen!! Considering what is and is not being taught in schools today and the resistance with CRT, it is refreshing to to see other outlets of learning! Which makes me happy to see what HBO is doing this year for Black History month!! This February, HBO documentary presents Frederick Douglass: In Five Speeches where it will bring to life the words of one of our country’s most famous anti-slavery activists. It will feature the great talent of Nicole Beharie (Scenes from a Marriage), Colman Domingo (Euphoria), Jonathan Majors (Lovecraft Country), Denzel Whitaker (The Great Debaters) and Jeffrey Wright (Westworld) as they each draw from five of Douglass’ legendary speeches. The documentary will also feature narration of Douglass’ autobiographies by André Holland.

Jonathan Majors, Nicole Beharie, André Holland And More Lined Up For HBO's 'Frederick Douglass: In Five Speeches' Doc - SHADOW & ACT
Photo Credit: Getty Images

Additional contextualization of Douglass’ writings will come from scholars David Blight, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Sarah Lewis and Keidrick Roy, artist Bisa Butler, poet Nzadi Keita, as well as Douglass descendant Ken Morris who offer perspective on Douglass’ modern relevance and the unprecedented level of fame and influence to which he rose.

The five featured speeches are:

“I Have Come To Tell You Something About Slavery” (1841) performed by Denzel Whitaker. At an anti-slavery convention, Douglass recounts his story of being raised as a slave publicly for the first time.

“Country, Conscience, And The Anti-Slavery Cause” (1847) performed by Jonathan Majors. Douglass addresses the American Anti-Slavery Society on his return from the British Isles which he found to be more accepting and equitable than his own country.

“What, To The Slave, Is The Fourth Of July?” (1852) performed by Nicole Beharie. Douglass reminds his audience of the continuing enslavement of his people, 76 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

“The Proclamation And A Negro Army” (1863) performed by Colman Domingo. Douglass responds to the Emancipation Proclamation and calls for the Black man to be allowed to fight in the war.

“Lessons Of The Hour” (1894) performed by Jeffrey Wright. Douglass urges America to eliminate prejudice and look to its founding principles.

Frederick Douglass: In Five Speeches premieres on February 23rd at 9 pm/ET on HBO and HBO Max!!

This Just In: HBO Documentary FREDERICK DOUGLASS: IN FIVE SPEECHES Debuts February 23 - Bell Media
Posted in Feature Spotlight, Jaya's Pop Culture Minute-PCM, On the Desk...

Jaya’s Pop Culture Minute (PCM)- “A Sundance Rundown”

Posted on by drblackfuturefeminist

Black Future Feminist fans, we got a special treat for you from our resident intern Jaya Robinson! On this past January, Jaya had the opportunity to attend this year’s Sundance Film Festival which was held in a virtual format!! Check out below her commentary and spoiler-free reviews of some of the festival’s feature films!!

This year I was fortunate enough to attend the Sundance film festival last month, so I thought I would give you guys a spoiler-free review of the four movies I saw!

‘After Yang’ (Directed by Kogonada)

After Yang was the first movie I saw at the virtual festival and it is definitely one of my favorites from the ones I saw. It is a movie set in a very technologically advanced society in the future and it follows one family in particular when their daughter’s android (Yang) breaks down and her father Jake played by Colin Farrell looks for a way to repair him. It is a beautiful movie that deals with loss and human connection. The acting is really a key part of the movie too, along with an excellent cast. The cinematography is also something that I really think of when I hear about this movie, just because it was so beautiful. After Yang is set to be released in theaters on March 4th. 

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‘Master’ (Directed by Mariama Diallo)

Switching gears almost drastically, the next movie I watched was a horror/commentary on the black experience in academia. The movie follows two characters, Gail Bishop the new “master” at a prestigious New England university, and a student Jasmine Moore that is being terrorized by this “Salem Witch Trials” era legend on the campus. Each navigate different sides of the university’s haunted past and even more terrifying present. This movie was definitely my favorite of all the movies I watched at the festival, the horror aspect and the commentary really made me think of how black women are treated at predominantly white institutions (PWIs). I really loved how the movie was divided into specific chapters that were referenced in the dialogue. Not only was the writing amazing but Regina Hall’s performance really stood out to me, especially seeing her in a much more serious role. This movie will also be available to stream on Amazon Prime on March 18th. 

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‘892’ (Directed by Abi Damaris Corbin)

892 is another hard hitting movie that is based on a real story. The movie follows Brian Brown Easley who once his disability check fails to deliver from Veterans Affairs is close to becoming homeless. As a result, with no other options in place he decides to hold up a Wells Fargo bank by saying “I’ve got a bomb.” Rather than being a fictional tale this movie is all too real, this movie showcases what some forgotten veterans face. This is usually not the type of genre of movie I gravitate towards, but this movie draws you in completely. Even all the way to the end you are invested into this movie and what will happen next. With stellar performances from John Boyega, who showcases his amazing acting range and Nicole Beharie, these performances really bring the movie together. This movie also features Michael K. Williams’ final role on the big screen. 

892' Review: A Bank Robbery Makes a Statement - Variety

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‘Honk For Jesus, Save Your Soul’ (Directed by Admamma Ebo)

Where do I begin with this well done dark comedy? There is a lot to say about it, but first let us begin with what the movie is about. It follows Trinity Childs played by Regina Hall and her husband Pastor Lee-Curtis Childs played by Sterling K. Brown in the aftermath of a big scandal, trying to rebuild their once prominent church. The writing, in particular, nails the sometimes ridiculous nature of mega churches. It is filmed like an episode of The Office, following the mock documentary format that often lands with the audience. Although it is advertised as a comedy it does do well with juggling two genres of a more serious drama and outright comedy. This is another example of how Regina Hall steals a movie, she puts on another show stopping performance that really makes you invested in the movie. You don’t usually see a mock documentary in a movie format and I think that’s what makes it work, especially for a directorial debut film. 

(Photo credit: Sundance Institute)

All in all, even though some of the movies that I watched were not some of my favorites, I am really glad I was able to attend and be a part of the Sundance community for the first time. When it is all said and done, I look forward to seeing everyone’s reactions to the movies once they officially release!