Mississippi Damned: A Damn Fine Film

(originally posted on Velvet Park)

First, I have to tell you how I even came to see this film. I was hanging out in the DGA the day before its L.A. premiere and ran into one of the producers, Debra Wilson. We struck up a conversation and I learned that she was promoting Mississippi Damned. This was not the first time I had heard of the film. Before I left D.C., Lisa Moore of Redbone Press sent me the trailer and informed me that I had to check the movie out if I was going to be in town during Outfest.

When Debra and I parted company, I had all intentions of buying a ticket that day. But somehow I got sidetracked and, before I knew it, the film sold out. The only other alternative was to get to the theatre an extra hour early and hang out in the "stand-by line" in hopes of snagging a vacant seat. This whole L.A. thing has been my little adventure so I was game to waste an hour and see if the ticket gods were on my side.

One of those rare times when I am on time for anything resulted in me being the first person in line. I knew this positioning guaranteed that I would get into one of the 10 seats that are historically open during sold out shows, but I wasn't expecting that at 7:30 p.m. one of the Outfest volunteers would walk up to me and hand me a FREE ticket. Seems that they were having some sort of contest and the first person in the stand-by line for the showing of the film won a ticket. Lucky me! But my luck didn't end there. The line they instructed me to stand in turned out to be the crew/cast line and, before I knew it, I was being ushered into an empty theatre with my choice of seats. So I go from fretting I wouldn't get into the movie at all to being pushed to the front of the line.

So, clearly, all this good fortune put me in a great mood to receive this much talked about movie. But I have to admit I was secretly worried. The buzz on the film, and there was a significant amount of it, was that the story was compelling, the photography haunting andthe acting, by a primarily all-black cast, was exceptional. Still licking my wounds after being shamed into seeing Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married, with the weirdly same kinds of accolades, I had reason to hold on to some of my skepticism.


I’ve been to my fair share of film festivals and often the centerpiece film stinks to high heaven. It is often chosen because of the stars in the film or some other political reason. So what if this film fell into that category? What if it sucked? What if the mixed audience didn't get the story that writer/director Tina Mabry was trying to tell in her feature-length directorial debut? What if all the fanfare was unwarranted?

Five minutes into the film it was clear there was nothing to worry about. Mississippi Damned was in the capable hands of Ms. Mabry and she never lost control.

Based on a true story, the film follows a tight knit and expansive Mississippi family over the course of 12 years. On the surface, it appears like everyone is happy and doing their best to carve out a quality life, but through the eyes of the youngest members of the family, we quickly learn there are more than a few cracks in the foundation of this fiery and volatile southern clan.

Physical and sexual abuse plays a large part in this story and touches virtually every member of the family. And, like a lot of families, everyone knows but no one talks about it. Mabry is especially unflinching in the depiction of the sexual abuse of the youngest members. The audience was audibly disturbed when young Sammy is made to participate in oral sex with a family friend in exchange for the money he needs to attend an out-of-town basketball game (and maybe his one chance to escape his soul-sucking hometown).

The large cast is stellar. With stand outs being Michael Hyatt (Fame, The Wire), Malcolm David Kelley (Lost, Saving Grace) and Simbi Kali Williams (The Bernie Mac Show, 3rd Rock from the Sun). Their performances are riveting and heartbreaking. You can’t help but root for them, although it is clear not all of them will make it and their undoing is often by their own hands.


During the Q&A, Mabry shared that the film was shot in 19 days. The seasoned filmmakers in the audience literally gasped understanding what an amazing hat trick was pulled off. There is nothing about this film that seems rushed or lacking. Coming in at 120 minutes, the director takes the time to show us all the nooks and crannies. Each character is given the opportunity to develop and make an impression. The script is solid, with memorable dialogue like, “When you get one of your titties cut off then you can preach to me about thanking God. Until then, shut up!”

My chief complaint is that it is not clear that the story is being told primarily though young Kari’s eyes. It would not be until the narrative shifts into her young adult years that it becomes clear that she is the one that we need to invest all our hopes in escaping the suffocating dysfunction that surrounds her.

The cocktail reception that followed the screening elicited a lot of conversation around the various taboo subjects that were broached during the film. Two very interesting observations came up among the primarily black audience. First, why was the only family member to make it out a very light-skinned, pretty character? Second, why did the only gay character in the film end up in a mental hospital? Since the film is based on fact it is hard to argue with the outcome, but I do wonder if Mabry has heard this feedback before?

I suspect the other feedback she will hear, especially if the film wins a larger audience, is the way in which the men in the family are depicted. They are all at the mercy of some sort of vice, be it liquor, gambling or the need to batter their wives. It appears the women are left to hold the family together, but if we look close enough we can see that they are significantly flawed as well.

Mississippi Damned has received much deserved praise and high visibility on the festival circuit. Now the producers (Morgan Stiff and Lee Stiff) and filmmaker are hoping to treat the film to a theatrical release and, hopefully, to a wider audience.

Without a doubt, this powerful film needs to be seen at a theatre near you.

Review by Michelle Sewell

For more information on the film, check here.

View the trailer of the Mississippi Damned below

Lemon Trees and Lemonade

Discovered that we have a lemon tree in our yard.

Since I've been here there always seems to be lemons in the big bowl in the kitchen. Finally I had to ask Carolyn when did she have time to go to the store and keep us stocked up on lemons. She laughed and informed me there is a lemon tree in the yard.

Because I am a big geek I demanded that we go pick lemons and make lemonade. Check out our little lemon picking expedition and impromptu "cooking show" afterwards.


Michelle

Top 5 Things to do When You are New to L.A.

In my attempt to learn my new surroundings I've been asking folks to school me on the what and wheres of Los Angeles. I spent the day with actress (and all around cool chick) Colette Divine and she gave me some great tips on how to best experience all that L.A. has to offer.

We chatted at the huge Mulholland dog park with her cute little pups Spirit and Yoshi. I don't know if you will be able to see the entire park in the video, but take my word for it, it is bigger than any dog park ever needs to be...lol
Enjoy


Michelle

Had Breakfast with Ian Ziering (90210)

Okay, technically, we were just sitting at the same lunch counter at the Griddle Cafe (on Sunset Blvd)- but with only one seat separating us. So that's like we were having breakfast "together." I say why get hung up on details!

For the folks who had a crush on him during his 90210 hey day, time has been good to him. His hair is a little thinner, but you wouldn't be disappointed if you met him in real life.

He was having breakfast alone - which consisted of egg whites, oatmeal, and a bowl of strawberries. Not that I was paying that much attention to him.

More than a few of the other patrons noticed him as well, but no one came over to chat him up. I was tempted to ask to take a picture of/with him, but figured I shouldn't treat him like an animal in the zoo. Although I have to admit it is weird to be walking down the street, sitting in a restaurant, or shopping at Trader Joe's and see some celebrity walking around like a regular person. I'm sure I will get used to that eventually.

I did get a chance to chat him up before I rolled out. He was blocking the exit when I got ready to leave, so I said, "Excuse me." He said, "Sorry about that." I said, "It's all good." That's definitely the first step in a torrid, interracial Hollywood relationship, right?

Michelle

Transitions in First Person: Part 2

(originally posted on Velvet Park on July 9, 2009)

After all the planning, prepping and parties (of the going away variety), I find myself in sunny (and sort of ugly) Los Angeles, California.

Like all transitions, it was the getting here that was the most fun. I decided to take the cross country drive with my kid sister Amanda. There is a 15-year difference between us and this would be the longest, most continuous period of time that we have ever spent together. By the time she was born I was well into teen-hood, and by the time she could speak full sentences I was in college.

I actually don’t remember why I chose her to do the drive with me. Maybe a random conversation where we both agreed that driving across our great country was on our “bucket list.” I asked her to tag along several months before the actual trip and, as we all know, thousands of things can happen in several months: We had to change the departure date. I had to go through an unexpected panic of what to do with my house. I had to spend $1,000 that I hadn’t budgeted on getting my car “road ready.” I had to come to terms with the fact that I had really quit my job and was taking this major leap with no net in sight.

By the time I was a week out from the trip, I was feeling grumpy, overwhelmed and not sure I wanted to spend 10 hours a day in car with my perky, 20-something, Christian sister. Well, the Universe has a funny way of putting you exactly where you need to be with exactly who you need to be there with.

During the next five days, I would be able to cosign with Aaliyah – age really is just a number (unless of course a 27-year-old R. Kelly is trying to get in your panties at 15, then that’s just gross). But I digress. Turns out Amanda and I are more alike than I ever thought possible.
This barely 5’2″ IT tech for Marriott (Yup, we used her discount at every hotel.) was both low-key and a hoot. She was game for almost anything and even put up with my random F bombs. Her easy-going energy made it possible to talk to her about anything. Somewhere between Kentucky and Oklahoma I actually heard myself telling her about my sex life – in graphic detail. What the hell! I barely remember telling her I was gay 10 years ago. But she rolled with the punches and gave some great relationship advice. (Next week I will be reviewing a book that she recommended.)

There was just a lot of talking in general. We talked a lot about our world views (which weren’t that different from each other). We talked about our mother (She had a very different version of her than I had – that’s where the 15 years seemed to create the disparity regarding memories and methodology.). And we talked about our childhood religion verses the religion we had gravitated to as adults. Of all the siblings I worried about rejecting me when I came out, Amanda was definitely on top of the list. She was much more active in her church than my other sister Debyann and I was concerned she would use that experience to judge me or create a barrier between us. In reality, Amanda has been equally supportive of all my endeavors and respectful of my relationships and involvement in the LGBTQ community. I guess I was the one judging her by the company she keeps.

While on our nine-city tour, we came up with the great idea of recording a travelogue for the folks who were checking in on our progress back home. She initially was reluctant. She hates to have her picture taken and certainly never considered being in front of a camera. What she would discover is that she is quite the ham and might have a future gig on the Travel Channel.
We used our once in a lifetime opportunity to do some serious sightseeing. We checked out the Acoma Sky City Pueblo and Grand Canyon, ran into a singing cowboy and discovered that two women who, on the surface, seem to have nothing in common except our mother, were great travel companions.

I put her on a plane back to D.C. on Monday and I miss her company terribly. I had to drive 3,000 miles to discover someone who lived right around the corner.

Check out our travel videos (six installments in all). We promise tons of laughing, food and shout outs to Marriott.

Transitions in First Person: Part 1

(originally posted on Velvet Park on June 26, 2009)

It has been six weeks since I submitted my resignation. I’m leaving an agency I’ve worked for for 18 years. Get that look off your face.

When I started there it was a small Mom-and-Pop child care agency. A place dedicated to taking care of children in the place of their struggling parents and guardians. There, kids could depend on us, that when they returned after school, someone would be there to greet them. That bedtime did not mean some horrible trauma or violation. That there was no need to hoard food because there was always going to be enough.

Over the years, as the agency has grown, so have I. At last count, I’ve held a minimum of eight positions while there. I started out as a counselor in a small boys group home and now oversee half the programs in this thriving, progressive haven. My membership in this dedicated family of child care professionals has been the best. I’ve had the good fortune to have outstanding mentors during my early career, and outstanding leadership as I progressed up the food chain. They made a way for me to go to school full-time to earn my masters and work full-time.
This experience has set the standard for all the professional relationships I will have for the rest of my life. So, if I’m so in love with them why am I leaving? It is time. I’ve done all that I can do to forward our mission and I’m ready to take on a new challenge in a very different part of my life.

As I leave to head to California, on my new adventure as a screenwriter, I know I have an arsenal of skills that could not have been developed in any other way. I am taking the leap into the already full pool of full-time writers. Specifically, full-time unemployed writers. But I am buoyed by the fact that over these last 18 years I’ve faced challenges and obstacles with my clients that lets me know I can make something out nothing.

But it still does not stop me from admitting my fear. Of looking behind me a couple times, wondering if I am making the right decision. Risking everything for the unknown and letting a long-time dream be my guide. But transitions are never smooth. There is some level of stop and start. And definitely you find yourself shedding some things you never imagined letting go.

So here is to letting go. To grabbing on to new things and not forgetting the road you have traveled.

Michelle