As I watched “Nickel Boys” under the muggy Upper West Side sky, I felt a profound mix of emotions. The film, a testament to RaMell Ross’s narrative debut and a powerful adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, was more than just a movie – it was a mirror reflecting the harsh realities of our past and present.
On its opening night, the 62nd edition of the New York Film Festival featured “Nickel Boys,” a dramatic retelling of Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 2019 novel by director RaMell Ross. This marks Ross’s first foray into narrative filmmaking following his Oscar nomination for documentary work.
On a humid, gloomy evening in Manhattan’s Upper West Side, Ross and the movie’s main actors, such as Ethan Herisse, Brandon Wilson, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, and Daveed Diggs, graced the red carpet at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall. They then welcomed the nearly full theater audience to the film screening.
Ross said to EbMaster prior to the screening, “You can sense the excitement, it’s as if Michael Jordan himself is present in the stadium.” He added, “It seems like something extraordinary is about to unfold within.
The screening experience could be better described as emotionally charged. This nearly three-hour film tells the story of two African American teenagers who find themselves under the care of a cruel juvenile detention center in 1960s Florida, during the Jim Crow era. Herisse and Wilson portray Elwood and Turner, who form a strong bond that helps them maintain their hope despite being surrounded by increasing atrocities within the Nickel Academy. This institution serves as a representation of deep-rooted American racism in mid-20th century society.
In his opening remarks from the stage, NYFF’s artistic director Dennis Lim expressed that all of RaMell’s work – whether as a photographer, documentarian, writer, or essayist – is dedicated to discovering fresh perspectives on observing, experiencing, and comprehending the world.
Daniel Stern, the head of NYFF, expressed similar thoughts, mentioning that they select a film each year that mirrors the current state of cinema and the broader global situation. In light of the “present chaos” we’re experiencing globally, The Nickel Boys’ heart-wrenching narrative seems particularly relevant.
Following the event, attendees headed over to Central Park for the traditional yearly afterparty at Tavern on the Green.
For numerous actors from the movie, experiencing the film’s premiere felt like coming full circle since they were native New Yorkers who once admired the New York Film Festival (NYFF) as the ultimate milestone in the festival circuit.
As I stood there, basking in the glow of being at the New York Film Festival and even more so, gracing its opening film, all I could muster were two simple words: “Please pinch me!” The surrealism of it all left me feeling as if I was dreaming.
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2024-09-28 04:46