On Wednesday, Nov. 6, FSU’s Askew Student Life Center will present Queen & Slim, a film that follows a young couple after their lives are changed forever by a shocking incident of racism and violence that occurs late one night. After a date, the couple is pulled over and when one thing escalates to another, an officer is killed in self-defense and the couple goes from two ordinary people to a national symbol of heartache when footage from the night goes viral.
The two people at the incident, a retail employee and a criminal defense lawyer, attempt to escape the spotlight of the event by changing their image and hiding away, only to later discover that they have become heroes to so many. The complexity of the violent acts of racism is exposed as the couple finds themselves face-to-face with the public.
Courtesy: Zoey Grossman
Queen & Silm was written by Lena Waithe and directed by Melina Matsoukas who has recently won two Grammys for her work in Netflix’s Master of None episode “Thanksgiving” and Beyoncé’s Formation. In addition to the brilliant crew off-screen, the main character is played by Get Out’s star Daniel Kaluuya. The lead female, a first-time film-feature Jodi Turner-Smith comments on her and Daniel’s characters in an interview with ELLE sharing that “These people make the radical choice to survive, even when it means doing something so horrible that there’s no coming back from it. Even thinking about the concept raises the hairs on my arms, because it really is a film about black survival at all costs.” In the midst of this action, the couple will develop a deep connection as they support one another through it all.
There are a multitude of layers to this film that will certainly stir conversation. Queen & Slim won’t hit theaters until Thanksgiving Day so take advantage of this early feature and catch a showing next week, free to FSU students. Doors at 7 PM and the show will begin at 8 PM.
Check out the trailer here and we will see you there!
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