Official Trailer for ‘Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project’ Art Doc
by Alex Billington
December 11, 2023
Source: YouTube
“I remember what’s important and I make up the rest. That’s what storytelling’s all about.” HBO unveiled an official trailer for the acclaimed documentary Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project, made by the two doc filmmakers Joe Brewster & Michèle Stephenson. This premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the top Grand Jury prize in its documentary section. This award-winning film travels through time & space to reveal the enduring influence of Nikki Giovanni, one of America’s greatest living artists & social commentators. It reckons with the inevitable passing of time in a collision of memories, moments in American history, live readings, and visually unique depictions of Giovanni’s poetry. Narrated by Taraji P. Henson. “Brewster & Stephenson’s approach is imaginative and dreamlike, akin to the way Giovanni’s words are hair-raising in their power to summon unrealized ways of seeing.” I watched this at Sundance and was also wowed by it, there’s a unique cinematic feel that elevates her story and the message. It’s really quite powerful – deserves to be seen by any intrigued viewer. It’ll be streaming on Max in January.
Here’s the official trailers for HBO’s doc Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project, from YouTube:
Intro via Sundance: “‘The trip to Mars can only be understood through Black Americans.’ Legendary poet Nikki Giovanni’s revelation is a launching pad to an inspiring exploration of her life and legacy. Through a collision of memories, moments in American history, live readings of her poetry, and impressions of space, Giovanni urges us to imagine a future where Black women lead, and equity is a reality… Present-day Nikki reckons with the inevitable passing of time, while an evocative melding of vérité and archival images act as openings into her mindscape, transcending time and place.” Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project is co-directed by filmmakers Joe Brewster & Michèle Stephenson (Stateless), both directors of the doc films Slaying Goliath, American Promise, The Changing Same, Drawn to the Mat, and many other projects previously. Produced by Joe Brewster, Michèle Stephenson, and Tommy Oliver. Made by Confluential Films and Rada Studio, in association with JustFilms | Ford Foundation; in association with Bertha Doc Society. This initially premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival right at the start of this year. HBO will release this Nikki Giovanni doc streaming on Max starting January 8th, 2024 this winter. Who wants to watch?
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