"Mississippi Damned" is a powerful family drama set in the American South. It has already won awards at film festivals as varied as the American Black Film Festival, the Outfest Film Festival, and the Newfest Film Festival. And now, CIFF proudly presents the movie's Canadian premiere.
The first half of the movie takes place in 1986; the second half in 1998. We meet various members of an extended family, and the cycles of abuse, poverty, and violence that keep them trapped where they are. There are moments of kindness scattered throughout the movie; there would have to be, otherwise it would be too bleak. Watching "Mississippi Damned", I was reminded of one of my favorite Leonard Cohen quotes: "There is a crack in everything / That's how the light gets in."
There are a few recognizable faces in the movie; at least, they're recognizable if your TV habits are similar to mine. Among the great cast: Malcolm David Kelley (Walt on "Lost"), DB Woodside (from "24", "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", "Once & Again", others), Tessa Thompson ("Veronica Mars"), and the great Michael Hyatt (who played the monstrous mother Brianna Barksdale on "The Wire").
For more information, visit the movie's website.
"Mississippi Damned" screens Friday night at 7 pm, at Eau Claire; it has an encore screening on Sunday at 4:30 pm at The Plaza.
