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The Guardian
a day ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Sinners finally comes home to Clarksdale: a three-day festival premieres the film in its hometown
In April, the director Ryan Coogler released Sinners, a thriller about two brothers in the 1930s who return home to Clarksdale, Mississippi, to open a juke joint. Less than a month after the film was released, Sinners made over $200m in the US and Canada, something no original film has done in almost a decade. But residents in Clarksdale, a town with about 14,000 people, the majority of whom are Black, had no way to see themselves on screen in their community. There are no active movie theaters in or near the town. Tyler Yarbrough, a Clarksdale native and community leader, published an open letter on behalf of 'an intergenerational group of organizations, creatives, entrepreneurs, farmers, and community leaders' inviting Coogler and the Sinners cast to town. 'We are extending an open invitation to you, the cast, and the creative team behind Sinners to visit Clarksdale, to walk the streets your vision reimagined, to meet the people whose real stories echo through every frame, and to experience firsthand the living, breathing legacy that inspired your work and the people who are sustaining and reimagining its future,' Yarbrough wrote. 'We would also be honored to collaborate with you to host a public screening and celebration here in Clarksdale. A homecoming not just for the film, but for the history, culture, and future that continue to define our city and to connect Mississippi creatives with you and your work.' The letter quickly went viral after Capital B, a Black-led non-profit news organization, reported about it and it was picked up both by other news outlets and on social media. 'We're also hoping for them to see the people who are actually doing some badass shit right now when it comes to the juke joints, keeping them alive, when it comes to some of the farmers who are rethinking farming, from cotton to produce,' Yarbrough told the Guardian in early May. 'The blues is the foundation of all American music and American culture. There's so much power in that that originates here. As we think about our national story, our community story, I do think Clarksdale and the [Mississippi] delta, specifically, is going to be a part of this retelling of America to this connecting all Black people in this country back to this ancestral land too.' Coogler and Warner Bros heard and answered the call, and on 29 May, people in Clarksdale were finally able to see themselves in their own community. As a part of Clarksdale Cultural Capital, a three-day festival sponsored by Warner Bros and others, residents of Clarksdale have multiple free opportunities to see the movie in their home town. Coogler; his wife, a producer and co-founder of Proximity Media, Zinzi Coogler; Ludwig Göransson, the film's composer; Sev Ohanian, another producer and co-founder of Proximity Media; and executive music producer Serena Göransson attended and introduced the 29 May morning screening, which was held in the Clarksdale civic auditorium. Both Cooglers have family from Mississippi – Zinzi's grandparents are from the state as are one of Ryan's grandfathers and an uncle, who inspired him to make the film. 'This is a love letter to our elders, to our recent and relatively distant ancestors, and we are so proud to be here in Clarksdale to share this movie and this moment with you guys,' Zinzi Coogler said ahead of the first screening. 'We heard the call that there isn't a theater for the local community, and said, 'Wait, wait, wait, we will show up.'' Ryan Coogler, an Oakland, California, native, shared that he hadn't visited the Magnolia state before working on the movie. 'Coming here, it blew my mind,' he said of his first visit to the state. 'I got to meet musicians, I got to meet community members, business owners. It really changed me just to come here and do the research.' Coogler invited the audience to be responsive to the film, and they acquiesced – cheering, laughing and gasping at various times throughout the movie. When the film opened, and 'Clarksdale, Mississippi October 15, 1932' splashed across the screen, the audience was rapturous. Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram, a native of Clarksdale who is featured in the film and attended the screening, likewise received thunderous applause and cheers when he appeared on screen. After the morning showing, the Cooglers, Göransson, Ohanian and Miles Caton, who had his debut role in the film, and Lawrence 'Boo' Mitchell, Cederic Burnside, Tierinii Jackson and Bobby Rush, all musicians who worked on the film, participated in a question-and-answer session hosted by Clarksdale native Aallyah Wright, of Capital B. The community has bought into Sinners: A sign outside New Roxy, formerly a Black movie theater and now a music venue, reads: 'Welcome to Clarksdale, Sinners Festival.' Ground Zero, Morgan Freeman's juke joint, offered Sinners-themed drinks: the Smokestack, the Dance with the Devil and the Juke Joint Julep. 'We owe Clarksdale so much, as Mississippians, the world owes Clarksdale and Mississippi as a whole so much for being a staple in the global culture landscape. For me, Sinners was one of my very first experiences of seeing Mississippi in a full and beautiful light on the big screen,' Jasmine Williams, founder of 'Sipp Talk Media and one of the festival's organizers, said in a statement. 'I think this film coming home and being made accessible to the people that inspired it is so important, so people here understand our impact on the world.' On 29 May, Clarksdale residents had two opportunities to see the film: the 11 am showing and a 5pm showing, both of which were introduced by Coogler himself. Those screenings were part of Clarksdale Cultural Capital, a three-day festival full of panels, music performances and other events featuring people from Clarksdale, across the delta and Mississippi. The festival is sponsored by Warner Brothers, Visit Clarksdale, Capital B, Rootswell, Higher Purpose Hub, Mississippi Humanities, Griot Arts, and other local and regional organizations. Panels include Coffee With Kinfolk: Our Future of Clarksdale, Building a Blues Economy Rooted in Dignity and Cultural Diversity in the Mississippi Delta: Conversations With Choctaw and Chinese Americans, among others, while musical performances include music inspired by Sinners, held at Morgan Freeman's Ground Zero; a show by Keith Johnson, Muddy Waters' nephew; a Son House recording and jam session; and others.
CTV News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
After buzzy campaign, theatre-less Mississippi town that inspired ‘Sinners' will finally get to see the film
Clarksdale, Mississippi – which serves as inspiration for the setting of the Michael B. Jordan-starring film 'Sinners' – does not have a local cineplex, but the city is finally getting a long-awaited screening. Warner Bros. Pictures confirmed in a press release that screenings of the hit movie will be held in Clarksdale this week, with director Ryan Coogler and other members of the filmmaking team set to attend. (Warner Bros. Pictures, which produced and distributed 'Sinners,' is owned by CNN's parent company Warner Bros. Discovery.) The release stipulated that the screenings and related cultural events will be open and free to the public, but Clarksdale and Coahoma County residents will receive priority access. The drive to have a screening held in Clarksdsle was initially sparked by community organizer Tyler Yarbrough, who earlier this year asked the filmmakers and studio behind the project to host a screening in the city in an open letter. Yarbrough, along with Clarksdale mayor Chuck Espy, previously spoke to CNN's Victor Blackwell for an 'Art is Life' segment earlier this month, and shared their hopes that the screening would become a reality. 'Clarksdale is a ways away from a movie theatre,' Yarbrough said at the time, later adding that it took him about an hour and a half to drive to a theatre that was showing the film. Espy pointed to depopulation and lack of funds as contributing factors to the loss of Clarkdale's two movie theatres, also detailing that most community-and family-centered venues started gravitating toward Memphis, Tennessee, some 80 miles away. 'I'm really excited for the opportunity to have potentially cast members to come and to give people an opportunity to have a real feeling and a real dialogue, so they can immerse themselves in something that the country has not seen,' he shared, referencing the heritage of his city. 'A lot of people are at the table to try to bring this to fruition,' he also said. 'People from over a 2-hour radius are talking about coming to Clarksdale to see this event.' 'We are asking Michael B. Jordan the rest of the cast. We're talking about studio execs,' Espy said. 'Every single person that has touched this wonderful film launched a great release. We're asking them to come to Clarksdale.' 'Sinners,' a period piece/crime thriller/vampire horror hybrid from 'Black Panther' director Ryan Coogler, has dominated the box office and garnered positive reviews. In it, 1930s Mississippi is seen as a burgeoning and fertile place where blues music is created, as characters perform in moving cars and a juke joint is thrown together for the community to enjoy. 'Clarksdale is a melting pot. It has so many people that come from New Zealand, Australia, all around the world for the authentic feel of the blues,' Espy shared, later adding that the city's legacy 'has been going on for over a hundred years about the heritage of the Mississippi delta and the rich legacy of the blues.' 'So people come from all around the world just to touch the sacred soil of this city, to say 'I was there, where the blues was born.'' Yarbrough also mentioned how in a perfect world, he would be able to convince the 'Sinners' production team and cast to not only come for a screening and conversation, but also to explore some of what contemporary Clarksdale has to offer. 'We also wanted the cast to come down and experience our juke joints, to experience our museums like the Blues Museum,' among other things, he said. 'I really love a part of the movie that Coogler captured very well was just showing how the blues is the foundation. And you saw one scene where he intertwined all the different genres, from from hip-hop to pop to rock into this one scene, and there's a lot of power in that that locals need to see,' Yarbrough said. 'And so I think when it comes to this screening and everything, too, we're really trying to connect local folks, Deltans, to that power. So we can remember that we're powerful.' Written by Dan Heching, CNN
CNN
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Clarksdale, Mississippi mayor ‘excited' at prospect of a screening of ‘Sinners,' which is set there but lacks a movie theater
Clarksdale, Mississippi – which serves as inspiration for the setting of the Michael B. Jordan-starring film 'Sinners' – does not have a local cineplex, which led community organizer Tyler Yarbrough to ask the filmmakers and studio behind the project to host a screening in the city. Yarbrough, along with Clarksdale mayor Chuck Espy, spoke to CNN's Victor Blackwell, and shared their hopes that the screening will become a reality. 'Clarksdale is a ways away from a movie theater,' Yarbrough said in an interview, later adding that it took him about an hour and a half to drive to a theater that was showing the film. Espy pointed to depopulation and lack of funds as contributing factors to the loss of Clarkdale's two movie theaters, also detailing that most community-and family-centered venues started gravitating toward Memphis, Tennessee, some 80 miles away. 'I'm really excited for the opportunity to have potentially cast members to come and to give people an opportunity to have a real feeling and a real dialogue, so they can immerse themselves in something that the country has not seen,' he shared, referencing the heritage of his city. 'A lot of people are at the table to try to bring this to fruition,' he also said. 'People from over a 2-hour radius are talking about coming to Clarksdale to see this event.' Neither Espy nor Yarbrough said any plans for the screening have been finalized, but Yarbrough mentioned 'several conversations' he has been a part of with 'Warner Bros. executives.' He said the screening is 'looking very promising' to happen sometime between now and Juneteenth, but no details have been confirmed. 'We are asking Michael B. Jordan the rest of the cast. We're talking about studio execs,' Espy said. 'Every single person that has touched this wonderful film launched a great release. We're asking them to come to Clarksdale.' CNN has reached out to Warner Bros. Pictures for comment about the potential screening. 'Sinners,' a period piece/crime thriller/vampire horror hybrid from 'Black Panther' director Ryan Coogler, has dominated the box office and garnered positive reviews. The film is produced and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, which is owned by CNN's parent company Warner Bros. Discovery. In it, 1930s Mississippi is seen as a burgeoning and fertile place where blues music is created, as characters perform in moving cars and a juke joint is thrown together for the community to enjoy. 'Clarksdale is a melting pot. It has so many people that come from New Zealand, Australia, all around the world for the authentic feel of the blues,' Espy shared, later adding that the city's legacy 'has been going on for over a hundred years about the heritage of the Mississippi delta and the rich legacy of the blues.' 'So people come from all around the world just to touch the sacred soil of this city, to say 'I was there, where the blues was born.'' Yarbrough also mentioned how in a perfect world, he would be able to convince the 'Sinners' production team and cast to not only come for a screening and conversation, but also to explore some of what contemporary Clarksdale has to offer. 'We also wanted the cast to come down and experience our juke joints, to experience our museums like the Blues Museum,' among other things, he said. 'I really love a part of the movie that Coogler captured very well was just showing how the blues is the foundation. And you saw one scene where he intertwined all the different genres, from from hip-hop to pop to rock into this one scene, and there's a lot of power in that that locals need to see,' Yarbrough said. 'And so I think when it comes to this screening and everything, too, we're really trying to connect local folks, Deltans, to that power. So we can remember that we're powerful.' CNN's Hyan de Freitas contributed to this story.
CNN
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Clarksdale, Mississippi mayor ‘excited' at prospect of a screening of ‘Sinners,' which is set there but lacks a movie theater
Clarksdale, Mississippi – which serves as inspiration for the setting of the Michael B. Jordan-starring film 'Sinners' – does not have a local cineplex, which led community organizer Tyler Yarbrough to ask the filmmakers and studio behind the project to host a screening in the city. Yarbrough, along with Clarksdale mayor Chuck Espy, spoke to CNN's Victor Blackwell, and shared their hopes that the screening will become a reality. 'Clarksdale is a ways away from a movie theater,' Yarbrough said in an interview, later adding that it took him about an hour and a half to drive to a theater that was showing the film. Espy pointed to depopulation and lack of funds as contributing factors to the loss of Clarkdale's two movie theaters, also detailing that most community-and family-centered venues started gravitating toward Memphis, Tennessee, some 80 miles away. 'I'm really excited for the opportunity to have potentially cast members to come and to give people an opportunity to have a real feeling and a real dialogue, so they can immerse themselves in something that the country has not seen,' he shared, referencing the heritage of his city. 'A lot of people are at the table to try to bring this to fruition,' he also said. 'People from over a 2-hour radius are talking about coming to Clarksdale to see this event.' Neither Espy nor Yarbrough said any plans for the screening have been finalized, but Yarbrough mentioned 'several conversations' he has been a part of with 'Warner Bros. executives.' He said the screening is 'looking very promising' to happen sometime between now and Juneteenth, but no details have been confirmed. 'We are asking Michael B. Jordan the rest of the cast. We're talking about studio execs,' Espy said. 'Every single person that has touched this wonderful film launched a great release. We're asking them to come to Clarksdale.' CNN has reached out to Warner Bros. Pictures for comment about the potential screening. 'Sinners,' a period piece/crime thriller/vampire horror hybrid from 'Black Panther' director Ryan Coogler, has dominated the box office and garnered positive reviews. The film is produced and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, which is owned by CNN's parent company Warner Bros. Discovery. In it, 1930s Mississippi is seen as a burgeoning and fertile place where blues music is created, as characters perform in moving cars and a juke joint is thrown together for the community to enjoy. 'Clarksdale is a melting pot. It has so many people that come from New Zealand, Australia, all around the world for the authentic feel of the blues,' Espy shared, later adding that the city's legacy 'has been going on for over a hundred years about the heritage of the Mississippi delta and the rich legacy of the blues.' 'So people come from all around the world just to touch the sacred soil of this city, to say 'I was there, where the blues was born.'' Yarbrough also mentioned how in a perfect world, he would be able to convince the 'Sinners' production team and cast to not only come for a screening and conversation, but also to explore some of what contemporary Clarksdale has to offer. 'We also wanted the cast to come down and experience our juke joints, to experience our museums like the Blues Museum,' among other things, he said. 'I really love a part of the movie that Coogler captured very well was just showing how the blues is the foundation. And you saw one scene where he intertwined all the different genres, from from hip-hop to pop to rock into this one scene, and there's a lot of power in that that locals need to see,' Yarbrough said. 'And so I think when it comes to this screening and everything, too, we're really trying to connect local folks, Deltans, to that power. So we can remember that we're powerful.' CNN's Hyan de Freitas contributed to this story.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Sinners' Is Set in Clarksdale, Where There's No Theater. Locals Are Asking for a Screening.
Tyler Yarbrough didn't see Sinners once, but twice. The film, which has made $161 million at the box office, is authentically Mississippi Delta through and through, he said. From the Chinese Delta history to the Black businesses, residents say director and filmmaker Ryan Coogler, who has Mississippi roots, did his homework. On both visits to the movies, Yarbrough, who is from Clarksdale, Mississippi, had to drive nearly 80 miles to see the film, a luxury not afforded to many. There's limited public transportation in the area and many lack the financial resources to afford a car in the majority Black town of 14,000 where the median income is $35,000. There's no active movie theater in the small town. The Delta Cinema closed in 2003, one of a string of closures of downtown businesses that year, the Clarksdale Press Register reported. Constructed in 1918, the Paramount Movie Theater — formerly a segregated theater — has been acquired by youth nonprofit Griot Arts Inc., which plans to revamp the space as an arts education center. And the New Roxy, once a former Black movie theater in the New World District — the historic Black downtown — is now a music venue. Read More: 'Sinners' Honored Juke Joints. Today, They're Fighting to Stay Open. Clarksdale serves as the centerpiece of the film, and much of America's civil rights and blues history. However, many creatives, organizers, and businesses are often overlooked in the telling or production of these stories, Yarbrough said. The 26-year-old community activist jumped into action. He started a petition in hopes of hosting a public screening and extending an invitation to Coogler, the cast, and the creative team 'to walk the streets your vision reimagined, to meet the people whose real stories echo through every frame, and to experience firsthand the living, breathing legacy that inspired your work and the people who are sustaining and reimagining its future.' Less than 24 hours since Yarbrough started a petition, more than 400 people have signed it. Additionally, folks like Matthew Cherry, an Academy Award winning filmmaker and director of Hair Love, and Hannah Beachler — the first Black person to win an Academy Award for Best Production Design, and who worked on Creed, Black Panther, and Sinners — have reshared the post, which has garnered more than 30,000 views. In a phone call, Yarbrough also mentioned the idea of holding a public forum with the Sinners team with other creatives, residents, and farmers who are working toward revitalizing the Mississippi Delta. This investment could empower local folks to tell their own stories and benefit the community economically, residents say. People with resources and power should be intentional about creating opportunities and giving back to communities in meaningful, tangible ways, said Jasmine Williams, founder of digital storytelling platform Sipp Talk and a resident of Jackson, Mississippi. She mentioned the possibilities of hosting workshops or youth convening on filmmaking, in addition to a screening. As one resident put it: 'If you're going to be talking about Mississippi, bring some money to Mississippi.' At the very least, Yarbrough said he believes this could serve as a homecoming for Sinners, and other Black Americans, to return 'home.' 'There needs to be a coming home to these Black creators who are making these million-dollar films and being connected with our folks on the ground,' he said. 'I think it's deeply important. And I think not only is it important for the folks who live here, but also for just Black America to like, really come home.' The post 'Sinners' Is Set in Clarksdale, Where There's No Theater. Locals Are Asking for a Screening. appeared first on Capital B News.
