A battle is brewing in the Charles Household. At the center stands a prized heirloom piano tearing two siblings apart. On one side, a brother (John David Washington) plans to build the family fortune by selling it. On the other, a sister (Danielle Deadwyler) will go to any lengths to hold onto the sole vestige of the family’s heritage. Their uncle (Samuel L. Jackson) tries to mediate, but even he can’t hold back the ghosts of the past.
Adapted from August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterwork, THE PIANO LESSON explores the intergenerational dynamics of identity, resilience and transcendence – revealing startling truths about how we perceive the past and who gets to define our legacy. The film is directed and co-written by Malcolm Washington in his feature directorial debut. From Oscar nominated producers Denzel Washington and Todd Black, and featuring an all-star cast including Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington, Ray Fisher, Michael Potts, Erykah Badu with Danielle Deadwyler and Corey Hawkins.
The film will be featured as a special presentation at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 10th.
IN SELECT THEATERS: November 8, 2024
ON NETFLIX: November 22, 2024
Director: Malcolm Washington
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington, Ray Fisher, Michael Potts, Erykah Badu, Skylar Aleece Smith, Jerrika Hinton, Gail Bean, with Danielle Deadwyler and Corey Hawkins
Screenplay by: Virgil Williams & Malcolm Washington
Based on the play written by: August Wilson
Produced by: Denzel Washington, p.g.a., Todd Black, p.g.a.
Executive Produced by: Jennifer Roth, Constanza Romero Wilson, Katia Washington
“I honor the spirit of August Wilson and the legacy he left behind for all of us. A legacy that thrives in the power of Danielle Deadwyler’s Berniece, the dynamism of John David Washington’s Boy Willie, and the understated brilliance that is Samuel L. Jackson’s Doaker.
Every family has a history, stories from the past that inform the present; an origin story. Ultimately this story is much bigger than me and my family — it, like the Black American experience, is an interconnected web of stories that span space and time. I hope that when audiences experience our film, they see themselves on the screen and hear the voices of their ancestors calling to them, offering peace and protection.”
– Malcolm Washington (Director & Co-writer of The Piano Lesson)
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Source: Netflix
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The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.