Growing up as a Black person in Mississippi is already tough. But being a Black woman in Mississippi is even tougher. All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt is writer/director Raven Jackson’s stunning debut that charts the heartbreaks, love, grief, and hope of a Black woman in Mississippi, from childhood through adulthood.
Featuring a breakout performance by Charleen McClure, a poet making her feature acting debut, the film earned its share of rave reviews out of Sundance. The response has been backed up by the support of Barry Jenkins, who not only produces the film but has been championing Jackson’s screenplay since the Indie Memphis Black Filmmaker Residency for Screenwriting in 2019.
The cast also features Obi-Wan Kenobi breakout Moses Ingram, Reginald Helms Jr., Zainab Jah, Sheila Atim, and Chris Chalk.
Here’s the synopsis: A lyrical, decades-spanning exploration across a woman’s life in Mississippi, the feature debut from award-winning poet, photographer and filmmaker Raven Jackson is a haunting and richly layered portrait, a beautiful ode to the generations of people and places that shape us.
In the gorgeous imagery on display you can see Jackson’s photography background at work. This is a beautiful movie that A24 will be bringing to the New York Film Festival before opening in theaters this fall.
