The Apollo, one of the most significant Black cultural centers in American history, will host the world premiere of Tim Story’s “The Blacking” a few days before its opening on Juneteenth weekend.
The movie will premiere at the Tribeca Festival on June 13 as a part of the festival’s Expressions of Black Liberation program, according to a statement from Lionsgate and MRC. The famed Harlem music club, which has played host to legends like Ella Fitzgerald and James Brown, will host the special screening.
The Blacking’s director, Tim Storey, said in a statement: “Of course, we want it to be enjoyed by everyone, but it’s also a celebration and a dramatic event exclusively for Black culture.” This movie demonstrates how diverse we are as a race and how there are many things that separate us as well as unite us. That is why it means so much to us that we will be making our debut at the magnificent Apollo. This theater has served as the hub for much black entertainment production for almost a century before its shockwaves spread throughout the world. It is a special joy to celebrate our US premiere in a historic location as we get closer to the release of our movie over the Juneteenth weekend.
The Blacking, an adaptation of the 2018 comedy group 3Pete short film, is the tale of a group of black friends whose Juneteenth getaway is disrupted when they wind up stranded in a cabin with a murderer. At the Toronto International Film Festival in 2022, the horror comedy had its global premiere after being purchased by Lionsgate from MRC. (The Hollywood Reporter and Billboard are two brands that Penske Media Corporation, the parent company of IndieWire, operates in conjunction with MRC.) Early reviews have been positive, however many critics have criticized the film’s short for its audacious humorous voice. It has been praised for him not to do that. It was the inspiration.
Since “Get Out,” “The Blackening” is the first significant horror parody. Rafael Motamayor noted in his review of the movie for IndieWire, “The scares may be brief, but the laughter and Blackness commentary make this an exciting rollercoaster of a picture. “The movie makes fun of black people’s suffering, but it is very different from trauma porn. It’s a very dark comedy-horror film.
The Tribeca Festival takes place in New York from June 7 to June 18.
On June 16, “The Blackening” debuts in theaters across the country.