Before The Photograph hits the box office on February 14th, stars Issa Rae, LaKeith Stanfield, Lil Rel Howery, Chanté Adams, and writer/director Stella Meghie sat down for an intimate conversation about Black Love and the return of Black romantic cinema to the big screen. Among the 814 movies released theatrically in the U.S. in 2018, just five of them were directed by black women filmmakers, and only one (Ava DuVernay’s “A Wrinkle in Time”) came from a studio. All rights reserved. When famed photographer Christina Eames unexpectedly dies, she leaves her estranged daughter Mae Morton (Rae) hurt, angry and full of questions. After it turns out that Gordan left his home to Jean's grandmother, she decides to let Jean stay there if she pays rent. “To be able to direct a film that I’ve written, that’s original, with a studio budget – I’m talking real money – with a producer who has a box office track record, and to see it open wide, that’s big for me, which is why it has to work.”. The film received positive notices. Subsequently, she had portrayed in TV shows and movies like Candyman, The Photograph, Point Blank, Empire, Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story, and many more. That was four years ago. While at Janet's, Jean discovers that Janet is separated from her husband and that she has a secret aunt Laura, from her father's relationship with another woman. From writer-director Stella Meghie (The Weekend, Jean of the Joneses) from her original screenplay comes a sweeping love story about forgiveness and finding the courage to seek the truth, no matter where it may lead you. She reveals to her aunts that her grandmother always knew that their father was still living nearby in Harlem and lied about him returning to Jamaica. While Jean goes with him to the hospital, she is hit on by Ray, the ambulance EMT. “My life was definitely changed at that point,” she said. This Article is related to: Film and tagged American Princess, Everything Everything, Stella Meghie, The Photograph, The Weekend. Choose an adventure below and discover your next favorite movie or TV show. Should it have been a missed opportunity, Meghie’s plan B was to create for television instead, where many women writers and directors — especially those of color — have found a kinder contrast to the film industry. “And so I rolled into that next meeting and pitched the adaptation, focusing on what about it I really cared for, and it ended up working.”. All Rights reserved. “All these other women filmmakers that I thought might get the ‘Everything’ job over me were busy for once, and all at the same time. Stella Meghie Is Quietly Defying Hollywood Convention, One Film at a Time. Inny Clemons, McRae, Anonymous Content, Mansa Productions founder Kellon Akeem, and Jason Tamasco of Bad Idea are producing the project. Peep the behind-the-scenes clip below: My BTS Video for @remyma during our @lapalmemagazine shoot @lapalmemedia Photographer: @dicksonmosesphotography Other artist : @papoosepapoose @fatjoe Creative director: @travisdemetri @kevin_lapalme @iamisiuwa Makeup: @yeikaglow Hair: @tb_hairstylist Stylist: @1800dhawk Assistant stylist: @djackstyles Publicist: @erndukes Location: @goldbarnewyork Production assistant : @shawn_point0 @coripher #remyma #fatjoe #lapalmemagazine #lapalmemedia #vh1 #loveandhiphopnewyork, A post shared by Felix- Content Creator (@travelplg) on Feb 2, 2020 at 10:26am PST.