Alma's Rainbow
Directed by Ayoka Chenzira
Alma’s Rainbow is a coming-of-age comedy-drama about three Black women living in Brooklyn. Ayoka Chenzira’s feature film explores the life of teenager Rainbow Gold (Victoria Gabrielle Platt) who is entering womanhood and navigating conversations and experiences around standards of beauty, self-image, and the rights Black women have over their bodies. Rainbow attends a strict parochial school, studies dance, and is just becoming aware of boys. She lives with her strait-laced mother Alma Gold (Kim Weston-Moran), who runs a hair salon in the parlor of their home. When Alma’s free-spirited sister Ruby (Mizan Kirby) arrives from Paris after a 10-year absence, the sisters clash over what constitutes the “proper” direction Rainbow’s life should take. Alma has fooled herself into believing she has no need of male companionship and advises her daughter to follow her example. Ruby encourages both her niece and her sister to embrace life – and love – fully and joyfully. Alma’s Rainbow highlights a multi-layered Black women’s world where the characters live, love, and wrestle with what it means to exert and exercise their agency.
Restoration by the Academy Film Archive, The Film Foundation, and Milestone Films. Restoration supervised by Mark Toscano. Funding provided by the Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation. Lab: Roundabout Entertainment and Audio Mechanics. With thanks to Vincent Pirozzi.
Reviews More Reviews
"A gorgeous clarion call for our young Black girls, heralding the community, creativity and confidence that is the pride of our culture.”
“Chenzira's much celebrated and award winning early work is essential viewing today as much as it was when first released in 1994.”
"Ayoka has been and remains an important filmmaker whose works inspire and celebrate the richness of Black culture. Through her vision, we witness the pain and beauty of the Black experience in a way that encourages hope and love. We need this."
“Explores the interior lives of Black women with loving acuity… and a whole lot of heart and humor.”
“Unspools the complex relationships between two generations of women.”
"An integral part of ’90s Black cinema.”
“A richly seasoned dish with humorous seasoning."
“Heartfelt, visually stunning, and poignant for Black girls and women.”
“Timely and urgent. A complex portrait of Black womanhood that was all too uncommon for the era.”
Press & Exhibitors
Below please find additional information and promotional materials for this film. Use the buttons on the left to request to book this film for theatrical or educational/community screenings.
For all press requests, please contact us at [email protected].
Technical Info
- Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
- Color: Color
Press & Promotion:
playdates
Venue | City | State | Date |
---|---|---|---|
5th Avenue Cinema | Portland | OR | 1674795600January 27 - January 29, 2023 |
American Cinematheque | Los Angeles | CA | 1659844800August 7 - August 20, 2022 |
Amherst Cinema | Amherst | MA | 1664510400September 30 - October 7, 2022 |
Austin Film Society | Austin | TX | 1662868800September 11 - September 15, 2022 |
BAM Rose Cinemas | Brooklyn | NY | 1659067200July 29 - August 12, 2022 |
CineSpeak | Philadelphia | PA | 1663905600September 23 - September 24, 2022 |
Cleveland Cinematheque | Cleveland | OH | 1662868800September 11 - October 21, 2022 |
Cornell Cinema | Ithaca | NY | 1661140800August 22 - August 26, 2022 |
DeBartolo Performing Arts Center | Notre Dame | IN | 1662004800September 1 - September 4, 2022 |
Detroit Institute of Arts | Detroit | MI | 1665720000October 14 - October 17, 2022 |
Film POP | Montreal | QC | 1664683200October 2 - October 3, 2022 |
Gene Siskel Film Center | Chicago | IL | 1660881600August 19 - August 26, 2022 |
Globe Cinema | Calgary | AB | 1661918400August 31 - September 1, 2022 |
Indiana University Cinema | Bloomington | IN | 1659931200August 8 - August 9, 2022 |
Laemmle Theatres | Los Angeles | CA | 1660276800August 12 - August 26, 2022 |
Northwest Film Forum | Seattle | WA | 1668056400November 10 - November 18, 2022 |
Philadelphia Film Society | Philadelphia | PA | 1668834000November 19 - November 20, 2022 |
Revue Cinema | Toronto | ON | 1659844800August 7 - August 11, 2022 |
Roxy Cinema | New York | NY | 1660190400August 11 - August 18, 2022 |
Smith Rafael Film Center | San Rafael | CA | 1668920400November 20 - November 22, 2022 |
SNF Parkway Theatre | Baltimore | MD | 1659672000August 5 - August 12, 2022 |
Suns Cinema | Washington | DC | 1661832000August 30 - September 1, 2022 |
The Little Theatre | Rochester | NY | 1662696000September 9 - September 30, 2022 |
The Nightlight Cinema | Akron | OH | 1662177600September 3 - September 24, 2022 |
Wexner Center for the Arts | Columbus | OH | 1662004800September 1 - September 2, 2022 |
Winnipeg Cinematheque | Winnipeg | MB | 1662609600September 8 - September 19, 2022 |