HARD TRUTHS Luminaries

October 27 screening to be followed by a conversation with AFI DWW Alumna and actor Marianne Jean-Baptiste moderated by AAFCA co-founder and president, Gil Robertson.

Reuniting with British filmmaker Mike Leigh, Marianne Jean-Baptiste (SECRETS & LIES) portrays Pansy, the hardened matriarch of a middle-class Black family living in London. Her defenses are attuned with hyper-precision to detect the slightest hint of a micro-aggression, and she is perpetually poised to respond with a relentless spewing of blistering invective. Acerbically critical and disconnected from her husband (David Webber) and adult son (Tuwaine Barrett) who live with her, her home atmosphere has devolved into one of quiet defeat. For Pansy, a sole source of comfort is the unconditional love of her younger sister Chantelle (Michele Austin), whose relationships and family dynamic, in contrast, radiate with affection and kindness. Centered by an astounding performance from Jean-Baptiste, this eviscerating character study is a nuanced and compassionate look at the destructive consequences of unaddressed sadness. –Malin Kan