A Thousand And One marks the directorial debut of A.V Rockwell, as well as recording artist Teyana Taylor’s first lead role. Both excel in this absorbing parenthood drama, which unsurprisingly received the U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.
Inez (Taylor), a spirited young woman, finishes a spell at Rikers Island prison and returns to her New York neighbourhood eager to make a living. She reconnects with her six-year-old son Terry (Aaron Kingsley Adetola) who is in foster care, and rather than risk having to track him down again after it’s suggested he’ll be moved to another home, Inez decides to kidnap him. Instead of the film unfolding into a tense and inevitable standoff between parent and protective services, the search for Terry soon dies down and complete with counterfeit documentation, Inez is left to raise her son.
In depicting the passage of time between the mid-90s and early 00s, the changing face of New York is a dominant thread. The voices of former Mayors Rudy Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg boom across sweeping rooftop shots, used as a framing device to illustrate how their controversial policies shaped the lives of black and brown communities. Both men’s approach to policing resulted in fueling tensions around police brutality, while Bloomberg oversaw rezoning measures and a surge in new developments that began the process of pushing poorer people from their homes, resulting in the gentrified Brooklyn of today. A scene where Inez marvels at her affable new landlord’s promises to replace broken furniture and faulty fittings evokes a truly stomach-churning feeling, as if witnessing a soon-to-be slasher victim letting the killer waltz right through their front door.
Taylor brings an impressive level of nuance to her role, portraying a woman who is unapologetic about the decisions she’s had to make, yet achingly human in the moments where she swallows down her pain to keep a life together for those she loves. Gary Gunn’s breathtaking score underpins much of A Thousand And One’s stirring emotion. With a stirring opening theme that feels both romantic and dreamlike, its delicate notes soon blend with a more urgent pacing and pronounced beat. Reprised skilfully throughout the feature, it embodies Rockwell’s love letter to New York and the hustle of its communities who dare to press on against all odds.
While a poignant feature, A Thousand And One falters slightly with its third act, becoming somewhat meandering and feeling longer than its sub-two-hour runtime. Taylor captivates whenever she’s on-screen, and even with a strong performance by Josiah Cross as a teenage Terry, the film misses her when she’s featured less.
A Thousand And One is a powerful ode to resilience and community, as well as a passionate rebuke against the forces that produce devastating consequences for those they sweep aside. A heartfelt snapshot of a life that reflects the experiences of so many real people, this is an impressive debut for Rockwell and Taylor – what comes next for both will be worth your attention.
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ANTICIPATION.
Past Sundance Jury prize winners have included the Oscar-winning CODA, so this is certainly worth paying attention to. 4
ENJOYMENT.
A sense of inevitability looms large, but an engaging feature nonetheless. 3
IN RETROSPECT.
Teyana Taylor shines in a tale of the past that feels no less relevant and affecting today. 4
Directed by
AV Rockwell
Starring
Teyana Taylor, Aaron Kingsley Adetola, Aven Courtney
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