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| The Jackie Robinson Steppers performing in Our Song |
Crown Heights has never had a more loving and intimate cinematic portrait than Jim McKay's Our Song. Released 13 years ago, and screening next week in our ongoing Brooklyn Close-Up series, the film was hailed as "revolutionary" by The New York Times' A.O. Scott, who also praised McKay as an "indispensable filmmaker." Not only did the film introduce the American independent film world to a compelling new voice, but it also featured a trio of formidable young actresses (including Kerry Washington, who has gone on to work with everyone from Spike Lee to Quentin Tarantino) in their first screen performances.
With the upcoming release of the novel On the Come Up—a moving and beautifully wrought narrative, written by McKay's partner Hannah Weyer and based on the stories of actress Anna Simpson—both McKay and Weyer reflect on their friendship with their young star, the lessons they learned from observing the challenges she faced as a teenager, and the process of making the film with her.
Our Song screens Tuesday, July 23 at 7pm and will be followed by a Q&A and book signing with Jim McKay, Hannah Weyer, and Anna Simpson.
