By: Alex Bloom
Looking at her filmography, it is no surprise that the first full-length movie Dee Rees directed was a documentary. Eventual Salvation (2008) tells the story of her grandmother’s return to Liberia. Rees went on to direct Bessie (2015), a biopic of Bessie Smith starring Queen Latifah, as well as her latest work: the Netflix original Mudbound.
Mudbound, adapted from book to screenplay by Rees, illustrated to me her command of history. She is able make history feel real with her attention to detail and well-developed characters. Mudbound employs a great deal of narration, something that rarely works well on screen (and sometimes it was too much), but the exposition coupled with compelling performances from the actors created truly nuanced characters. It is clear that Rees is not only a great director but a great writer, and critics definitely agree: Mudbound made her the first-ever black woman nominated for the best adapted screenplay Oscar.
In addition to adapting Mudbound, she wrote Bessie and Pariah (2011). She is also in the process of working on An Uncivil War, — which she is credited for writing and directing — a film that depicts the life of journalist Gloria Steinem. Rees’ works delve into a variety of issues that plague America today, from the legacy of colonialism and racism, to sexism, homophobia, and transphobia. Pariah told the story of an African American teenager and her struggle to hide her queer identity from a society that does not accept her. Mudbound showed the life two farming families in the 1940s south, one white and the other black, and how racism didn’t just vanish after slavery. She also directed one episode of When We Rise a mini-series about the US gay rights movement. Rees has an eye for history and a voice we need to hear more from in 2018, and she is sure to oblige.
