00:00The desire to get it right, all of us shared that, and the work ethic.
00:05So to be able to just have those conversations, that connection, and then the training,
00:11like that bonded everyone because it was so hard.
00:15And the only way to get through something like that, because they did all their fighting and all their own stunts,
00:20was to put in that level of training.
00:23And they fed each other, pushed each other, they were competitive in the best way,
00:27and pulled each other through. And as you said, it's beautiful that that could show up on screen.
00:36I just wanted to ask you, we have so many stories in Hollywood that deal with, I guess, the other side of the transatlantic plane trade.
00:43What made you want to kind of fold that into this particular story and tell it from a vantage point of more triumph than of struggle?
00:51I mean, it really started with the story I wanted to tell, which was about these incredible women that history knows nothing about.
00:58I think so much of what we learned about our history in America is that it began with enslavement.
01:03And that's just not the truth. There's an incredible continent, not that far away, that had incredible cultures.
01:10It's where we came from. It's where our ancestors came from. So I wanted to tell that story.
01:14It's not just about enslavement. It's not just about the slave trade. There's so much more.
01:19And that's what I wanted to put within this film. We wanted to tell the truth. Absolutely.
01:23But also show the breadth of who we were.
01:26I know you mentioned you all just did a wonderful cover for us for Essence magazine and a beautiful round table.
01:32Very informative. I'm looking forward to airing that soon.
01:35Can you tell us more about, you guys touched on the sisterhood that you all formed on set.
01:40The bond that you formed with the cast and the crew making this amazing film.
01:45For me as a director, I feel like it's my job to foster relationships that are then going to show up on screen.
01:53Like if we feel them on set, you're going to feel them up there. And that was the beauty of this.
01:58And it certainly started with Viola. Like all of them came because they wanted to tell the story.
02:03They wanted to play these incredible characters, but they wanted to play with Viola.
02:07And she was so welcoming and giving and open to everybody.
02:12And then just the conversations that we had, we knew going in to tell the story.
02:17That so many of us have never had the opportunity to tell the story like this.
02:21To be in a film like this. For me to direct a film like this.
02:24The responsibility we felt certainly. The connection that so many of these actors felt directly to our ancestors.
02:33The desire to get it right. All of us shared that and the work ethic.
02:38So to be able to just have those conversations, that connection.
02:42And then the training and the like that bonded everyone because it was so hard.
02:48And the only way to get through something like that because they did all their fighting and all their own stunts.
02:52Was to put in that level of training. And they fed each other, pushed each other.
02:57They were competitive in the best way. And pulled each other through.
03:01And as you said, it's beautiful that that could show up on screen.
03:04Now, after we see a lot of physicality in the movie, there is a post credit scene that is included.
03:10I can't really get too far into it for spoilers sake, but what was the importance for you of including that last little finger at the end of the film that I think is going to be pretty moving for a lot of audiences?
03:24Yeah, that was as a filmmaker, you have a vision. And I knew what this film was.
03:29But at the core of it, I knew what it was for me as a black woman. And that is about say her name.
03:36It's about honoring the black women who have been in the struggle, who have died, who have died nameless.
03:42And it ends with a specific name who embodies our struggle of being invisible, of being unprotected.
03:51And so it was a call out and honor for us.
03:55Wonderful. And I know, again, during the round table, Viola mentioned that it was hard for her to believe this actually come to fruition initially.
04:04What is the feeling for you being able to see this come to the screens and make this premiere and the audience reaction is going to come with that?
04:12Every time I watch the movie and I've seen it about 100 times because I'm working on it, literally the word miracle pops into my head.
04:19Is it a miracle that this film is in existence, that it's about to be put into the world?
04:25And I'm our first audience and I'm just excited for others to see it because I know how it makes me feel.
04:33I know if I had nothing to do with it, how I would feel to be able to finally go into theater and see a story like this and see myself reflected like this.
04:40It's it's everything. And I'm I'm just excited.
04:44We're excited. Well, thank you so much for your time today.
04:47Thank you. Thank you for that cover.
04:49Oh, absolutely.
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