Question 1

What is the central conflict in 'If Beale Street Could Talk'?

Accepted Answer

A pregnant African-American woman works to clear her falsely imprisoned fiancé's name and prove his innocence.

Question 2

Which festivals or awards did 'If Beale Street Could Talk' appear at in 2018?

Accepted Answer

It was featured at the Toronto International Film Festival and Mar del Plata International Film Festival, and won awards from Indiewire Critics' Poll, Los Angeles Film Critics Association, National Board of Review, New York Film Critics Circle, and San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle.

Question 3

What is the origin of the film's title 'If Beale Street Could Talk'?

Accepted Answer

It references the 1916 W.C. Handy blues song 'Beale Street Blues', named after Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee, which appears on a Louis Armstrong album.

Question 4

How did the director and cinematographer approach the film's visual style?

Accepted Answer

They looked at Roy DeCarava's work to translate James Baldwin's language and Harlem's clean energy into visual writing and photography.

Question 5

Who is the dedication 'for Jimmy' in the end credits referring to?

Accepted Answer

It's for James Baldwin, the writer of the novel the film is based on, with the director Barry Jenkins evolving the phrasing from 'Dedicated to James Baldwin' to 'for Jimmy'.

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If Beale Street Could Talk

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