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| Pariah (2011) |
Pariah, written and directed by Dee Rees, debuted this past January at Sundance, and Focus Features purchased distribution rights. The film is Rees’ feature debut, and centers around 17-year-old Alike, who is coming to terms with her sexuality and identity as a black lesbian. Gregory Ellwood describes Pariah:
Based on a short film Rees originally premiered at Sundance in 2007, “Pariah” centers on Alike (an excellent Adepero Oduye), a 17-year-old Brooklyn girl who is struggling to find herself as a lesbian and, just as importantly, a young woman. She know’s she’s gay, but is she the more masculine, boyish dyke who hits the underage dance hip-hop dance clubs that her best friend Laura (Pernell Walker) wants her to be? Or, is she the more socially conscious hipster poet her new friend Bina (Aasha Davis) sees in her? These are the rarely depicted voices in America that Rees embraces as common place which is one of the reasons “Pariah” feels so special.
Allison Loring provides a detailed plot summary in her post-Sundance analysis of the film, and offers praise for the film’s quiet brand of storytelling:
As we delve into Alike’s world, which is meticulously painted by director Dee Rees, from the standout music selections to the infuriating control Audrey insists on lording over her daughter, we discover nuanced performances from each member of the talented cast. Nothing in Alike’s life is black or white and it is those precarious gray areas that Rees navigates so beautifully as we go on this journey. PARIAH is subtle in its effect and draws viewers in to the story rather than telling it to them.
I would love to see this film in the theatre, and hope Focus puts some muscle into promoting it (their last Sundance acquisition was Academy Award winner The Kids Are All Right). The film is slated for release this year, but the date–as far as I can tell–remains unknown. If you’d like to see Pariah, visit the film’s official website and click the “Demand Pariah” button. You can also visit the film’s Facebook page.
Watch the trailer:
PARIAH truly appreciates the support it has received from BitchFlicks!
FYI–
The trailer posted here is the trailer for the award-winning short film PARIAH (2008) which was an OFFICIAL SELECTION of the 2010 IFP Narrative Lab, WINNER of the 2010 Cinereach Grant, FINALIST of the 2009 Netflix FIND Your Voice Competition, WINNER of the 2009 Astraea Foundation Grant, WINNER of the 2009 Adrienne Shelly Foundation Grant, FINALIST for the 2009 Sundance/NHK International Filmmaker Award, WINNER of the 2008 Time Warner Storytelling Award, WINNER of the 2008 Rockefeller Grant, OFFICIAL SELECTION of the 2008 Sundance Institute Producer’s Lab, OFFICIAL SELECTION of the 2008 Sundance Institute Director’s Lab, OFFICIAL SELECTION of the 2008 Sundance Institute Writer’s Lab, OFFICIAL SELECTION of the 2007 IFP Market – Emerging Narrative and OFFICIAL SELECTION of the 2007 Sundance Institute Writer’s Lab! *whew*
You can demand PARIAH to a theatre near you by entering your zip/postal code:
http://pariahthemovie.com/demand-it
Thanks for clarifying that the trailer *isn’t* for the feature-length film–and thanks for visiting the site, PARIAH!
Is there an official trailer yet for the 2011 feature film? I didn’t see one on the website, and found this on YouTube.
VERY soon! Post deliverables are reaching completion for Focus Features and the final cut for the official feature film trailer is nearing approval! Stay tuned… !