Director Regina King’s “One Night In Miami” comes to the Venice Film Festival as an out of competition entry. This timely project features four important figures—Muhammed Ali (then Cassius Clay), Malcolm X, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown—in a fictional meeting of the minds. It all unfolds over one night set against a divided country seeking its own reckoning during the civil rights movement. The film carries a relevance today that is playing out in the streets of America as the search for equality continues.
King may be better known to audiences as an acclaimed actress with roles in series such as “Watchmen” and “The Leftovers” but her work behind the camera extends to numerous projects. This time, the filmmaker found “One Night In Miami” proved to be too important a project to pass up. “This movie is a love letter to the black man’s experience in America. As a mother of one myself it was important for me to show the world what that means,” King said. “And it was a chance to show these icons as men first, as brothers first. Friends who can speak the hard truths to each other and declare that the time for change is now.”
READ MORE: 2020 Venice Film Festival Preview: All The Must-See Films To Watch
Looking at the timing of the film’s release was also on King’s mind as she prepares to present this project to festival audiences.“This message of change still rings loudly now cutting through the decades. Unfortunately, as the recent killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor have shown us, our struggle for racial equality is far from over,” she elaborated.” We need each other more than ever, our voices united as one, impossible to ignore, and loud enough to be finally heard.”
READ MORE: Fall Film Preview: 40 Most Anticipated Films To Watch
The film features an impressive script from Kemp Powers. The writer is himself a multi-hyphenate with Disney Pixar’s upcoming “Soul” featuring Powers as both writer and co-director. This highly anticipated animated film is tentatively set to premiere later in 2020. For now, audiences can see his attention to detail and dialogue with ‘Miami.’
READ MORE: Regina King’s ‘One Night In Miami’ Goes To Amazon Studios
Kingsley Ben-Adir, Aldis Hodge, Leslie Odom Jr., Eli Goree star in “One Night In Miami.” Watch the film’s first clip below.
