The Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul and the Capri Theater present Medicine for Melancholy, the debut film of director Barry Jenkins (Moonlight), at 7 p.m. on Thursday, January 5. Tickets to First Thursday Films @ the Capri are $5; purchase in advance at mspfilm.org or at the door the night of the show. The Capri is located at 2027 West Broadway.
With the recent release of Barry Jenkins’ latest film Moonlight (Oscar contender; Golden Globe and Independent Spirit Awards nominee), interest has surged for his first film, Medicine for Melancholy. This movie “established Jenkins as a new and exciting voice and inspired other young, aspiring black filmmakers such as Justin Simien (Dear White People) and Terence Nance (An Oversimplification of Her Beauty) to keep plugging away at their craft.” (Aisha Harris, Slate Magazine.)
Medicine for Melancholy stars Wyatt Cenac (of Daily Show fame) as Micah and Tracey Heggins (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn) as Jo’. The film chronicles the one-day romance of these two young San Franciscans who are grappling with the challenges of being a minority in a rapidly gentrifying city. “These are two people who, like the main character of Moonlight, seem incredibly lonely, and, in their own ways, they’re all trying to find a way not to be so lonely anymore.” (Harris, Slate)
Twin Cities-based writer David Grant will lead the audience discussion after the film. As a screenwriter, Grant has written for Russell Simmons’ Def Pictures, HBO and the Showtime Network, among many others. He also mentors screenwriting students as an adjunct faculty member in the Augsburg College MFA in Creative Writing Program, and teaches screenwriting at Independent Feature Project North. The post-film conversation is sure to be thought-provoking and engaging with Grant at the helm.
The First Thursdays series continues with Malcolm X, starring Denzel Washington, on February 2, and the family drama Lamb on March 2. All moviegoers are offered a “buy one, get one free” pass to the series through June. A full schedule is available at thecapritheater.org and mspfilm.org.
This screening of Medicine for Melancholy is part of Black Cinema: Under the Skin, a program of films by Black filmmakers exploring Black culture and experiences, funded by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul receives additional support for this series from the law firm of Grey Plant Mooty and the Minneapolis Foundation. More information at thecapritheater.org and mspfilm.org.