The Hollywood landscape can be a challenging terrain for aspiring filmmakers, and breaking through the industry's barriers becomes even more daunting for Black filmmakers. However, a new movie hitting theaters, titled "The Blackening," aims to address the issues of representation and stereotypes while delivering laughs.
The film’s premise revolves around a group of Black friends reuniting for a Juneteenth getaway at an isolated cabin in the woods.
“The Blackening” specifically targets the prevalent horror movie trope, where the Black character is often the first to die.
One of the film’s writers and stars, Dewayne Perkins, expressed his aim to infuse authenticity into the narrative.
“The goal is just constantly feeding so much authenticity within Blackness that you can’t help but understand and leave this movie knowing that Black people cannot and will never be the same,” he said.
Grace Byers, who portrays the biracial character Allison, adds to the message of authenticity, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging the diversity within the Black community.
“We really are not a monolith. There’s not one way to describe us, and we have a really real conversation about that within this film,” she said.
Another cast member, X Mayo, highlighted the significance of using comedy to challenge stereotypes. She spoke of the joy of playing characters that defy the trope of the one funny Black character.
“It was so exciting to play those characters and be big, knowing that nobody is looking at that as a trope or like the one Black person in the film being loud and being funny, being a comic relief,” Mayo explained.
“The Blackening” not only tackles stereotypes and representation but also inspires aspiring filmmakers like Raquelle Wallace. Wallace, who has ventured into online content creation and filmmaking, recently completed her first film short “Manifest.” She regularly reviews films like “The Blackening.”
Wallace acknowledges it is hard to break into the industry, with one of the main barriers to access being funding. She wrote roles she wanted to see and play during the pandemic and hasn’t looked back since, despite the competitive nature of the industry. “I am in LA making my own films, and I’m prepared to do that for the foreseeable future until one day my script gets picked up and made into a movie like Dewayne Perkins in ‘The Blackening’,” she said.
While there has been an uptick in the number of Black filmmakers behind the camera over the past year, Black stories were less centered, according to the Luminate Entertainment Diversity Progress Report. “The Blackening” provides an opportunity for audiences to engage in difficult conversations in a fun and entertaining way. By subverting stereotypes and celebrating diversity within the Black community, the film opens the door for a more inclusive and authentic Hollywood.
As “The Blackening” hits theaters this Juneteenth weekend, audiences can look forward to a thought-provoking and hilarious cinematic experience.