Film director Ryan Coogler organizes screening of "Sinners" in the small Mississippi town where the movie is set
Hundreds of residents gathered at a local auditorium in Clarksdale, Mississippi on Thursday to watch the hit film "Sinners", a production steeped in Mississippi Delta culture and set in their hometown. The special screening was made possible by a community-led campaign and was attended by director Ryan Coogler, who praised his familial connection to Mississippi.
"I have family from Mississippi - my uncle, my grandfather - and I had never been until working on this script," Coogler told the enthusiastic crowd. "It really changed me, just to come here."
The movie, starring Michael B. Jordan as twins and featuring elements of drama, action, and music, served as a homecoming of sorts for the Mississippi Delta community. The film is about two brothers returning home to start a juke joint in 1930s Clarksdale, Mississippi, although current-day Clarksdale lacks a movie theater, making it difficult for residents to see the film about their hometown.
Community organizers took the initiative, starting a petition to invite the cast and crew to Clarksdale and collaborate on hosting a public screening. Director Coogler and others who worked on the film, including composer Ludwig Göransson and actor Miles Canton, also attended the event.
Brandice Brown Williams, a theater teacher who brought two of her students to the screening, highlighted the importance of filmmakers showcasing the Delta region's cultural significance: "Anytime that filmmakers take the time out to pay homage to the Delta, especially, because we're the root of music, the blues culture, that means a lot."
The audience responded expressively to the various scenes, gasping, laughing, and cheering. A Q&A followed the screening, during which Coogler and others answered questions from the attendees. Cindy Hurst, an attendee, praised the film, calling it a "really good visual representation of the beauty of the Black culture."
The screening was part of ongoing efforts by the community to connect culturally significant works with their roots in the Delta region. Social media platforms have been employed to promote the event, with hashtags like #SinnersMovie being used to generate interest around the screening.
"Despite the lack of a movie theater in current-day Clarksdale, the positive impact of 'Sinners' on the Mississippi Delta community was evident, with community organizers even arranging for a special screening in Seattle's theater, allowing more people to experience this culturally significant film."
"Brandice Brown Williams, a theater teacher from Seattle, emphasized the importance of such works, stating, 'It's crucial that filmmakers like Ryan Coogler showcase the rich blues culture of the Delta region, which, after all, is the root of music and entertainment.'"
