Past Film/Video | Contemporary Screen

Zola

(Janicza Bravo, 2020)

Opening night of the Columbus Black International Film Festival

Introduced by Meaca Moore
Reception at 5:45 PM

Two women stand in front of a mirrored surface and beneath rows of multicolored lights. The woman on the left has long blond hair in a ponytail and the woman on the right wears a pink top. They are both staring each other down.

The Wexner Center is proud to once again host the opening day screenings for the Columbus Black International Film Festival, now in its fifth year! Join us for the recently released acclaimed films The Weekend and Zola.

“Y’all wanna hear a story about why me & this bitch here fell out??????? It’s kind of long but full of suspense.”—A’Ziah “Zola” King, Twitter

Inspired by a real-life, 148 tweet thread with details of murder, prostitution, and suicide that went viral, Zola follows two strippers, Zola and Stefani, as they embark on a road trip from Detroit to Tampa to work at a club with the potential to make far more money than they're currently earning.

Along for the ride are Stefani’s mysterious friend “X” and her boyfriend Derrek. The gig is not what was promised, and Zola quickly discovers that it was a scheme by Stefani and Derrek to involve her in prostitution. As Ava DuVernay tweeted about the original thread, “Drama, humor, action, suspense, character development.”  (90 mins., DCP)

Columbus poet Meaca Moore introduces the screening.

Join us for a Columbus Black International Film Festival Opening Night reception with a cash bar in the Wex's lower lobby from 5:45–7 PM.

"A disconcerting, curious, abrasive, intelligent, surprising, and likely polarizing joy...The smart, hyper-stylish, coded and colorful direction of Janicza Bravo, who wrote the script with playwright Jeremy O. Harris, is what really makes it all swagger and singe."
Rolling Stone
Two women stand in front of a mirrored surface and beneath rows of multicolored lights. The woman on the left has long blond hair in a ponytail and the woman on the right wears a pink top. They are both staring each other down.

Zola | Image courtesy of Andy Battaglia, A24

Two women taking a selfie. The woman holding the cel phone sticks out her tongue while the other woman looks on stonefaced.

Zola | Image courtesy of Andy Battaglia, A24

Image of a man in a pink sport coat over a red shirt, with the collar open at the neck. He has a closely trimmed beard and he holds a green bottle in one hand and sunglasses in the other. He sits on a patio in front a group of palm trees

Zola | Image courtesy of Andy Battaglia, A24

The Columbus Black International Film Festival is sponsored by the Columbus Foundation and the Greater Columbus Arts Council.

FILM/VIDEO PROGRAMS MADE POSSIBLE BY
Cardinal Health
Kaufman Development

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY
Rohauer Collection Foundation

WEXNER CENTER PROGRAMS MADE POSSIBLE BY
The Wexner Family
Greater Columbus Arts Council
Mary and C. Robert Kidder
L Brands Foundation
American Electric Power Foundation
The Columbus Foundation
Ohio Arts Council
Bill and Sheila Lambert
Adam Flatto
Huntington
Institute of Museum and Library Services
Nationwide Foundation
Vorys, Sater, Seymour, and Pease
Arlene and Michael Weiss

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY
Carol and David Aronowitz
Michael and Paige Crane
Axium Packaging
Fenwick & West LLP
Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams
KDC/ONE
M/I Homes
Ohio State Energy Partners
Regina Miracle International Ltd.
Washington Prime Group
Alene Candles
Lisa Barton
Fuel Transport
Russell and Joyce Gertmenian
Liza Kessler and Greg Henchel
Nancy Kramer
Matrix Psychological Services
Paramount Group, Inc.
Bruce and Joy Soll
Clark and Sandra Swanson
Business Furniture Installations
CASTO
E.C. Provini Co, Inc.
Garlock Printing & Converting
M-Engineering
New England Development
Our Country Home
Performance Team
Premier Candle Corporation
ProAmpac
Steiner + Associates
Textile Printing
Andrew and Amanda Wise

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Past Film/Video

Zola