Tina Mabry, Julie Dash, Kasi Lemmons And Gina Prince-Bythewood have signed on to direct the upcoming ABC civil rights anthology Women of the Movement, according to Deadline.
The producing team includes Jay-Z, Roc Nation’s Tyran “Ty Ty” Smith, Will Smith, and Aaron Kaplan (The Chi).
Writer Marissa Jo Cerar (Shots Fired, 13 Reasons Why) is serving as creator and executive producer on the project. “Gina, Tina, Julie, and Kasi have all made undeniable contributions to film and television. They are trailblazers whose work has inspired so many of us,” she said. “I put a lot of thought into building this roster of profoundly talented Black women, all of whom are committed to honoring Emmett and Mamie’s legacy above all else. Collaborating with these filmmakers is a dream realized. I am honored.”
The four directors will be telling the stories of the women behind the civil rights movement. Each installment will celebrate the sacrifices they made and the challenges they endured during the fight to force Americans to recognize the humanity of all of its citizens.
The limited series will premiere in 2021 and air for six episodes. It follows the life of Mamie Till-Mobley, the mother of lynching victim Emmett Till, who selflessly devoted her life to pursuing justice for his violent murder. Adrienne Warren (Orange Is The New Black, Blue Bloods) will play Till-Mobley. Tonya Pinkins (Madame Sectary, Wu-Tang: An American Saga), Glynn Turman (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, A Different World) have signed on to co-star.
Dash rose to prominence after her 1991 film Daughters of The Dust. The film’s aesthetic and themes inspired portions of Beyoncé’s Lemonade in 2016. Prince-Bythewood spearheaded Love & Basketball, Beyond The Lights, and The Secret Lives of Bees. Lemmons directed the iconic Eve’s Bayou and the Academy Award-nominated Harriet. Mabry was on the writing team for The Hate U Give, and the writer and director on the Tessa Thompson vehicle Mississippi Damned. Her previous projects have included some of our favorite small-screen selections. She’s directed episodes ofQueen of the South, Power, Dear White People, and Queen Sugar.