Queen and Slim making waves in cinemas

Universal Pictures and Make Ready have premiered ‘Queen & Slim’, in association with 3BlackDot and Bron Creative, a Makeready/De La Revolución Films/Hillman Grad/3BlackDot production. The film is produced by Frey, Waithe, Matsoukas, Michelle Knudsen, Andrew Coles, Brad Weston and Pamela Abdy. The executive producers are Pamela Hirsch, Kaluuya, Aaron L. Gilbert and Jason Cloth.

Starring Oscar nominee Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out), ‘Queen & Slim’ is a powerful, consciousness-raising love story that confronts the staggering human toll of racism and the life-shattering price of violence. The film, from Grammy -winning director, Melina Matsoukas and Emmy winning writer, Lena Waithe, premiered in Nigerian cinemas on 14 February 2020.

Waithe wrote the screenplay for the movie from a story by herself and bestselling author James Frey (A Million Little Pieces, Katerina).

While on a forgettable first date together in Ohio, a black man (Kaluuya) and a black woman (Jodie Turner-Smith), are pulled over for a minor traffic infraction. The situation escalates, with sudden and tragic results, when the man kills the police officer in self-defence. Terrified and in fear for their lives, the man, a retail employee, and the woman, a criminal defense lawyer, are forced to go on the run. But the incident is captured on video and goes viral, and the couple unwittingly become a symbol of trauma, terror, grief and pain for people across the country.

As they drive, these two unlikely fugitives will discover themselves and each other in the most dire and desperate of circumstances and will forge a deep and powerful love that will reveal their shared humanity and shape the rest of their lives.

The music in the film serves as an additional voice and showcases the range of talent across Black artists with a compelling blend of genres. The 16-song soundtrack also features tracks by Ms. Lauryn Hill, Lil Baby, Vince Staples featuring 6lack X Mereba, Tiana Major 9 and EARTHGANG, Coast Contra featuring BJ The Chicago Kid and Syd, plus classic songs by Roy Ayers, Bilal, Mike Jones and others. Blood Orange composed the film’s score and is featured on the soundtrack.