Pariah

Pariah is a 2011 contemporary written and directed by . It tells the story of Alike (), a 17-year old African–American teenager embracing her identity as a lesbian.

The film is a feature-length expansion of writer/director Dee Rees' award-winning 2007 short film Pariah. Spike Lee is among the feature's executive producers. Filming took place in and around New York City predominantly in the Fort Greene neighborhood in Brooklyn.

The film is a feature-length expansion of writer/director Dee Rees’ award-winning 2007 short film Pariah. Spike Lee is among the feature’s executive producers. Filming took place in and around New York City predominantly in the neighborhood in Brooklyn.

A world premiere at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, the contemporary drama Pariah is the feature-length expansion of writer/director Dee Rees‘ award-winning 2007 short film Pariah. Spike Lee is among the feature‘s executive producers. At Sundance, cinematographer was honored with the [U.S. Dramatic Competition] Excellence in Cinematography Award.

Adepero Oduye, who had earlier starred in the short film, portrays Alike (pronounced ah-lee-kay), a 17-year-old African-American woman who lives with her parents Audrey and Arthur (Kim Wayans and Charles Parnell) and younger sister Sharonda (Sahra Mellesse) in Brooklyn‘s Fort Greene neighborhood. She has a flair for poetry, and is a good student at her local high school.

Alike is quietly but firmly embracing her identity as a lesbian. With the sometimes boisterous support of her best friend, out lesbian Laura (Pernell Walker), Alike is especially eager to find a girlfriend. At home, her parents‘ marriage is strained and there is further tension in the household whenever Alike‘s development becomes a topic of discussion. Pressed by her mother into making the acquaintance of a colleague‘s daughter, Bina (Aasha Davis), Alike finds Bina to be unexpectedly refreshing to socialize with.

Wondering how much she can confide in her family, Alike strives to get through adolescence with grace, humor, and tenacity – sometimes succeeding, sometimes not, but always moving forward.

A , Northstar Pictures, and Sundial Pictures presentation in association with aid+abet, Chicken & Egg Pictures, and MBK Entertainment. A Dee Rees Film. Pariah. Adepero Oduye, Pernell Walker, Aasha Davis, Charles Parnell, Sahra Mellesse, and Kim Wayans. Casting, Eyde Belasco, CSA. Edited by Mako Kamitsuna. Production Design by Inbal Weinberg. Cinematography by Bradford Young. Produced by Nekisa Cooper. Written and Directed by Dee Rees. A Focus Features Release.

Writer/Director Dee Rees: “It‘s semi-autobiographical. As I was coming into my sexuality, I started to become comfortable with who I was. But I didn‘t know how to express that. Alike struggles in the same way. In going out to clubs – and by the way, I‘m totally not a club person – it felt very binary; it seemed like you had to check a box, butch or femme. And I‘m neither one of those things. I struggled with myself; how should I be in this world? Should I wear baggy jeans and baseball caps? Or should I wear a skirt? None of those identities is really me, and I finally came to the conclusion that I can just be myself and don‘t have to fit into any category. I don‘t have to put on any personae; I can just continue to be who I am. And that‘s what Alike comes to realize in her journey.

MoreMovieDetails

All Posts
0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Share this article: Pariah

Facebook
LinkedIn
WhatsApp
Pinterest
Email

MORE TOPICS

Django Unchained

Django Unchained is a western film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. The film stars Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry Washington and Samuel L. Jackson.

In I'm Not Jesus Mommy, Dr. Kimberly Gabriel, one of the nation’s top fertility specialists, lives in irony as she is unable to have children of her own. Her chance comes when Dr. Roger Gibson recruits her on to his human cloning project.

I’m Not Jesus Mommy

I’m Not Jesus Mommy is a 2011 drama thriller film written by Vaughn Juares and Joseph Schneider and directed by Vaughn Juares. The movie stars Nora Montanez, Debbie DeLisi, Joseph Schneider, Bridget McGrath, Charles Hubbell. The film was done with a “Hitchcock-like” approach with off-camera violence

Johnny English Reborn

Rowan Atkinson returns to the role of the accidental secret agent who doesn’t know fear or danger in the comedy spy-thriller Johnny English Reborn. In his latest adventure, the most unlikely intelligence officer in Her Majesty’s Secret Service must stop a group of international assassins before they eliminate a world leader and cause global chaos.

Exploring the Art of Movie Poster Design

Movie posters have become an iconic part of film history, often functioning as the first glimpse into the world of a new movie. They serve as a powerful tool for both marketing and artistic expression, and the best posters have the ability to captivate an audience and leave a lasting impression. In the early 20th…

Bad Teacher

Bad Teacher is a comedy film directed by Jake Kasdan, starring Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake with Molly Shannon, Eric Stonestreet, Jason Segel and iCarly’s Noah Munck in supporting roles. The film has been assigned an R rating by the MPAA.

Good Boys

Just how bad can one day get? The creative minds behind Superbad, Pineapple Express and Sausage Party take on sixth grade hard in the outrageous comedy Good Boys.