A new trailer and poster have been released for the heartbreaking historical drama, Till, based on the true story of Mamie Till-Mobley’s relentless pursuit of justice for her 14 year old son, Emmett Till, who in 1955 was lynched while visiting his cousins in Mississippi. In Mamie’s poignant journey of grief turned to action, we see the universal power of a mother’s ability to change the world.
The film is directed by Chinonye Chukwu, from a script written by Chukwu, Michael Reilly and Keith Beauchamp. Danielle Deadwyler stars in the film as Mamie Till-Mobley, Jalyn Hall plays Emmett Till, and they are joined in the cast by Frankie Faison, Haley Bennett, and Whoopi Goldberg.
The film’s director released the following statement about the story:
When I was approached to write and direct a story about Emmett Till, I found myself drawn to a singular figure at the center of his orbit. I saw an opportunity to subvert expectations and approach the narrative through another lens – from the maternal point of view of Mamie Till-Mobley. Had it not been for Mamie, her son’s memory would have evaporated into thin air. She was the catalyst for a modern day civil rights movement that has laid a formidable framework for future activists and Freedom Fighters. I felt compelled to champion Mamie’s legacy and center her in the spotlight where she rightfully belongs.
Mamie’s untold story is one of resilience and courage in the face of adversity and unspeakable devastation. For me, the opportunity to focus the film on Mamie, a multi-faceted Black woman, and peel back the layers on this particular chapter in her life, was a tall order I accepted with deep respect and responsibility. On the daily, Mamie combatted racism, sexism, and misogyny, which was exponentially heightened in the wake of Emmett’s murder. Mamie did not cower. Instead, she evolved into a warrior for justice who helped me to understand and shape my own similar journey in activism. And as a filmmaker, showing Mamie in all her complex humanity was of utmost importance.
The crux of this story is not about the traumatic, physical violence inflicted upon Emmett – which is why I refused to depict such brutality in the film - but it is about Mamie’s remarkable journey in the aftermath. She is grounded by the love for her child, for at its core, TILL is a love story. Amidst the inherent pain and heartbreak, it was critical for me to ground their affection throughout the film. The cinematic language and tone of TILL was deeply rooted in the balance between loss in the absence of love; the inconsolable grief in the absence of joy; and the embrace of Black life alongside the heart wrenching loss of a child.
I hope viewers will empathize with the humanities on screen and see our present cultural and political realities within this film. And I hope that Mamie’s story helps us all to realize the power within ourselves to continue to fight for the change we want to see in the world, just as she did.
This really is one of the most heartbreaking stories in America’s history. It hurts my mama heart to know that this happened, yet it is empowering to stand in the same rank as this incredible mother and try to do a fraction of the important work that she has done to fight against racism. Check out the trailer and poster for the film below, and watch Till in select theaters on October 14th, and everywhere October 28th.
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