When Mariette Monpierre decided to leave a busy life in producing and directing commercials it was a benefit to us all. I find commercials to be fruitful playground for honing the artistic muscle and quick decision-making prowess needed for all involved. Want to know a secret? Black creatives in commercial houses are still a unicorn. Yep. In a large number of production companies there will not be a Black director in sight—we’re not even thought of. And I would take a chance and say there is MUCH more commercial production happening than feature films. Don’t believe me? Click here to read the Ad Age article published just this past summer that agrees!
So not only did Mariette make a big contribution in just being in the room and on set and behind the camera in one of the largest ad agencies in New York, she also said, I have a story tell about the life I’ve lived, the people I’ve loved, the cultures I know and all of their foibles and flavors. She probably would not have said the way I said it. She probably would have said it in French.
Born in Guadeloupe and reared in Paris, Mariette eventually landed in New York and the sum of her experiences are well-represented in her work. Watching the beautiful and intriguing feature film Elza feels like home, and I’ve never lived in Guadeloupe. This delicious family story is filled with mystery, betrayal and vivid imagery. It’s an incredible debut feature by a director and holds the distinction of being the first feature film by a female director shot in Guadeloupe. Elza has garnered many prizes, including being a NY Times Critics Pick. Their write-up sums up the excellent casting of star Stana Roumillac quite well: “Effectively balancing these grimmer themes, Ms. Roumillac gives Elza a youthful, searching energy. Alive to the caress of air and water, her body’s instinctive response to random pleasures — like a beach party or a man’s approving gaze — is as mesmerizing as the island’s dazzling cliffs and butterscotch beaches. Elza’s thicket of copper hair may repel her father, but its springy resilience is emblematic of her untamable determination to change his mind.”
What’s pretty marvelous in my world is that I get to answer questions all the time about where audiences should go to see excellent Black cinema. Well, attending our Indie Fuxion Film Showcase is great introduction! Researching the filmmakers and the distributors of these films should be next. We’d like to thank Kino Lorber for allowing Elza to be a part of our month-long showcase, Nov 15 – Dec 15, 2020. Please click here to RSVP! Happy Streaming!
Trailer from the film Elza by Mariette Monpierre