The first look at ‘The Piano Lesson’ has arrived.
Already hitting a sweet note with critics who have been buzzing about the movie since it was announced, the film is produced by Denzel Washington and is the directorial debut from Malcolm Washington.
On-screen, it’s led by Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington, and Danielle Deadwyler.
An adaptation of August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece, the production is set in 1936 Pittsburgh following the Great Depression and centers on the layered narrative of the Charles family.
A fiery feud erupts; one that sees a prized heirloom piano tear two siblings apart. On one end, a brother (Washington) seeks to generate a fortune for the by selling it. However, his sister (Deadwyler) makes clear her desire to hold on to it as the sole beacon of the family’s heritage. Their uncle (Jackson) attempts to mediate, yet even he cannot fend off the complicated ghosts of the past.
‘The Piano Lesson’ explores identity, resilience, transcendence, perception, and truth in all its layers.
Its star-studded cast also includes Erykah Badu, Corey Hawkins, Ray Fisher, and Michael Potts.
‘The Piano Lesson’ lands on Netflix worldwide on November 22. Before then, the film will play in select theaters from November 8 and will also screen at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 10.
Watch the trailer below…
Speaking on ‘The Piano Lesson,’ Malcolm Washington said:
“I honor the spirit of August Wilson and the legacy he left behind for all of us. A legacy that thrives in the power of Danielle Deadwyler’s Berniece, the dynamism of John David Washington’s Boy Willie, and the understated brilliance that is Samuel L. Jackson’s Doaker.
“Every family has a history, stories from the past that inform the present; an origin story. Ultimately this story is much bigger than me and my family — it, like the Black American experience, is an interconnected web of stories that span space and time. I hope that when audiences experience our film, they see themselves on the screen and hear the voices of their ancestors calling to them, offering peace and protection.”
