Danielle Deadwyler is a best actress contender for her performance in „Till“ after its premiere at the New York Film Festival.
We have Denzel Washington’s single teardrop. We have Viola Davis’ runny nose. And now, we have Danielle Deadwyler’s lip quiver, expertly executed in Chinonye Chukwu’s deeply moving drama “Till.” Another best actress contender emerges although I wish the film could rise to the level of Deadwyler’s performance.
The sturdy drama follows Mamie Till (Deadwyler), the mother of Emmett Till, whose abduction and lynching in 1955 sparked global outrage and served as an important catalyst in the civil rights movement. “Till” charts Mamie’s grief, as well as her pursuit of justice. But getting people to see a movie about such a horrific event will be a tough sell, even if the film avoids depicting much of the brutality of Emmett Till’s killing.
In the weeks leading up to its debut at the New York Film Festival where it had its world premiere on Saturday, I’ve told dozens of people – colleagues, friends, Oscar voters – to see “Till.” But when I tell them what it’s about, most of them admit they don’t want to see a movie about such a grim subject –even after I assure them that the murder takes place largely off-screen.
And that’s the state we find ourselves in this time where an immensely talented filmmaker like Chukwu, best known for 2019’s “Clemency,” is given the opportunity to bring this important story to life.
