Displaying items by tag: Ava Du Vernay

MIDDLE OF NOWHERE

US, 2012, 101 minutes, Colour.

Emayatzy Corinealdi, Omari Hardwick, David Oyelowo, Lorraine Toussaint, Edwina Findlay, Sharon Lawrence.

Directed by Ava DuVernay.

Middle of Nowhere is the second feature film by Ava DuVernay who did not make feature films until her late 30s. Two years after this film she made the portrait of Martin Luther King, Selma, and, in 2023, the exploration of investigation of racial themes in the US, Origins.

The title refers to the psychological situations of most of the central characters. But, with the screenplay and the direction, this is very much a female observation of female characters and situations, and very much geared towards African-American women who can identify with the characters and situations. While there are some sympathetic portraits of African-American men, the focus is very much on the women.

This is a story of a nurse, Ruby, played by Emayatzy Coninealdi, whose husband is sentenced to 5 years in prison, Derek, played by actor, writer, poet, Omari Hardwick. Ruby is strong-minded, devoted to her husband, demanding that he serve five years and be released on good behaviour. Four years pass.

While the audience sees Ruby at work, at home, there is a very tense relationship with her mother, played by Lorraine Toussaint, strong-minded interfering, resented by her two daughters. Ruby visits her husband in the prison and is hoping that he will soon be paroled, finding money, even borrowing from her mother, to pay for a top lawyer.

At the parole hearing, there is something of a shock for Ruby and she reacts impulsively and quietly the vindictively, a relationship with a bus driver whom she has had a passing friendship with, Brian, played by David Oyelowo, sympathetic character.

Which means that Ruby’s life and plans receive quite a blow. There is some final revelation of what was the crime and the cause of her husband’s imprisonment,  her finally going to see him, explaining how both of them are in the middle of nowhere in their lives and the choices will have to be made.

1. The symbolism of the title? Would Derek in prison? For Ruby waiting for him? For her mother wanting the bond with her children? For her sister and her child? And for all the characters at the end of the film? Choices?
2. The work of the director, her interest in African-American themes? This film targeting black American female audiences? Identification with the characters and themes? Universal themes? The male characters, male audiences observing?
3. The American city, homes, neighbourhoods, hospitals and reception, prisons, visiting rooms? The streets, the bus routes, the bus rides? Atmosphere? The musical score, its tone and style, the lyrics as background?
4. Ruby’s story, her relationship with Derek, going to see him in prison, the five year sentence, her intensity, travelling to see him, making demands on his intentions, five years with good behaviour, four years passing? Her relationship with her mother, tense, her demanding mother, bringing up the girls by herself, her interfering in her children’s lives, Rosie’s resentment, preventing her babysitting her son? The meal together and its tensions? Ruby’s relationship with her sister, conversations? Her work at the hospital, nursing, competence, not going to study further?
5. Audience interest in Derek, the mystery of his background and crimes, his partner and visits with the money? Intense, the pressure from Ruby, five years in good behaviour, four years passing and his good record? His presence in the flashbacks, love for Ruby, at home, the cooking, companionship? Yet the revelation of the story, absence from home for days with his friend, the guns, towards the end the visualising of the raid, the arrest, handcuffing Ruby?
6. Ruby’s ordinary life, her style, manner, work, competence, the bus rides and the encounter with Brian? With Rosie, seeing Brian, the conversation, the invitation to the club?
7. Ruby, finance, the parole board, her registration, finding the money to pay the counsellor, the demand for upfront payment, her creating a scene in the office, standing her ground, the compromise, the money from her mother, going to the hearing, Derek’s presence, the good report, the skills of the lawyer, and the revelation of the relationship with the guard? Ruby and her shock? The lawyer handling the situation? Derek leaving?
8. The effect on Ruby, upset, wandering, the decision to go to the club, the meeting with Brian, the dancing, driving her home, going to his place, the encounter, her motivation, anger, retaliation? The phone call from Derek, her ignoring it? Explaining to Brian?
9. Her going to see Derek, the discussion in the prison, her love, yet her demands, his apologies?
10. The future, a reconciliation with her mother, relationship with her sister and nephew, the attack by Derek’s partner? The possibilities for Derek and four years? Her saying she would not wait in the same way? Memories of Brian? The possibilities?

ORIGIN

US, 2023, 141 minutes, Colour.

Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, John Bernthal, Niecy Nash, Emily Yancey, Finn Wittrock, Victoria Pedretti, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Isha Blaaker, Vera Farmiga, Audra McDonald, Connie Neilson, Blair Underwood, Nick Offerman, Myles Frost, Suraj Yengde.

Directed by Ava DuVernay.

The title, Origin, is significant. However, more significant is the word, Caste. In fact the film is based on the book by Isabel Wilkerson, Caste: the Origins of our Discontent. And, checking on the general meaning of caste: any class or group of people who inherit exclusive privileges or are perceived as socially distinct. We note that the word “socially” is underlined and the film will show that this is a key understanding of differences rather than racism, remembering the unity of race in India and the classic example of a caste system.

This sounds as if this film is something of a seminar on social issues. And, in many ways, it is. However, there is also a strong narrative, the story of Isabel Wilkerson herself and a powerful performance by Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, her background, African-American, her family, especially her relationship to her mother who is going into care, a loving relationship with her husband, white, played by John Bernthal. And it is a film about her career as a Pulitzer prize-winning author, urged by a friend to explore race issues in the United States but this leading her to her exploration of the meaning of, significance of, living of, caste.

There are quite a lot of discussion scenes but the film also uses the device of telling stories within stories. We receive a shock when Isabel looks at a photo in a gallery, Nazi authorities gathered for a meeting and then this is dramatised, the dialogue is about ridding Aryan society of the Jews, but looking at American legislation, Jim Crow laws, which they think of incorporating into 1930s German law. And this is illustrated by a mass rally, everybody with the Nazi salute except one, a young man who wants to marry a Jewish girl. And the consequences of this relationship and the authorities is shown brutally.

Another illustration is the story of two couples going undercover in the southern states, one black, one white, academics who are investigating and writing reports. One telling sequence has the sheriff driving through the white area to smiles and applause, then driving through the black area, scowling and the residents with impassive, blank faces.

And, towards the end of the film, a very moving anecdote, an old man reminiscing about 1951, an African-American boy in the Little League, not allowed into the swimming pool, the guard declaring it would have to be decontaminated if he touched the water.

There are also some palpable interviews, compounded by the grief at the death of her husband, the needs of her mother, discussions with her sympathetic cousin, terminally ill, and a telling sequence with star Audra McDonald as Miss Hale, remembering the school principal condemning her for looking him in the eye and rebuking her for demanding to be called Miss at her trying to explain that this was her actually given name.

Isabel Wilkerson also goes to India, visual images of the caste system, a very jolting sequence about the Dalits and their having to clean sewers by hand for the privileged castes.

This is a long film, serious-mindedly directed by Ava DuVernay (Selma), interesting in its storytelling but demanding in its challenge to the audience to acknowledge racism but to explore the idea of caste, and the sad and sometimes savage effects of this kind of privilege superiority over those considered lesser mortals.

1. A challenging film, narrative, portrait of the author, the story? But a film of issues?
2. The writing-director the film career, experience, African-American, race issues?
3. The period, the 2010s, the range of flashbacks? Isabel as a character, journalist, Pulitzer Prize-Winning author, relationship with Brett, life with him, his being white? Her relationship with her mother? Her mother in care? Institution? Her career, the publishers and challengers? The details of her life with Brett, the relationship? The details of her relationship with her mother? With her cousin? The clash with Brett, the suddenness of his death, the funeral and sadness? Her mother, advice, her mother’s death?
4. The publishers, contact with her, at the social, the interview with the journalist, his urging her for further research? Pause after the deaths of Brett and her mother, going back to writing, beginning her research, the various visits and testimonies, their being visualised? Her visit to India, the discussion with the professor about caste? The aspect of selling the house, her memories there, the house repairs and the visit of the plumber, discussions with him? And the resumption of this theme at the end and her walking through the renovated house?
5. The character Brett, White, the marriage to Isabelle, supporting her, the discussions, the challenge? The suddenness of his death?
6. The mother, her wisdom, the relationship, care, her death?
7. Marion, the bond with Isabelle, the discussions, her advice, the terminal illness, Isabel in India, communicating with her, the phone calls?
8. The interview with Miss, telling her story, her name being Miss, the principal not believing it, looking in the eye, and his reaction to her direct approach? The contribution of her story?
9. The visualising of the couple who went undercover, black and white, their personalities, relationship, their expertise, their decisions on research? The south, the visuals, the scene with the sheriff driving through the white community and waving, smiles, kowtowing? The contrast with his drive-through the black area, the silent faces, no response, his sternness? The couple being embedded, their experiences, their writing, the achievement, the photos at the end?
10. Germany, the 1930s, the picture, the dramatising of the picture, issues of the Nazis, superiority, the Jews, looking at American legislation and racism embodied in law, their motivations, race, the humiliation of the Jews, the visualising of the couple, his not saluting, her being Jewish, their time together, the attempt to escape, the arrest, the consequences?
11. The old man reminiscing, 1951, the little league game, the African-American boy, shared triumph, not allowed in the pool area, not in the water or it would have to be decontaminated, the pressure from the coach, laughed on the water, the Ranger, the boy not being allowed to touch the water, outside again, and the people passing him food? The old man and the regrets and his memory?
12. The theme of caste, the explanations, common humanity of the possibilities of being superior to others, the example of caste in India, Isabelle and her visit, the discussions with the professor, her observations of life in India? The visuals of the delegates, the humiliation, use of cleaning the toilets with their hands and visuals of this as an overpowering example for the film audience?
13. The challenge to the audience, expectations about race, racism, the visuals of American slavery, India, and Martin Luther King’s visit to India in the 1950s?
14. Isabel and her writing, ultimate success, the support of the editors, the publication?
15. The challenge to the audience to understand this idea of caste versus racism, the discussions, the speeches, the clarifications, and the elaboration of the pillars of caste?
16. The impact of the film for an American audience? For audiences outside the US?