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Passing, the 2021 black-and-white drama adapted from a book of the same name, is a story of a reunion of two childhood friends, Irene and Clare. Set in 1920 New York City, the film tells the story of a black woman whose world comes crashing down when she meets a childhood friend who was ‘passing off’ as a white woman. Their renewed acquaintance threatens each other's realities.
Starring Tessa Thompson as Irene and Ruth Negga as Clare, Passing, directed by Rebecca Hall, premiered at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival on January 30. It will be available for streaming on Netflix from November 10.
Here are three reasons why this elegant adaptation by Rebecca Hall is a must-watch.
1) Rebecca Hall makes her directorial debut with 'Passing'
The stunning actress has starred in titular roles in many films like Vicky Christina Barcelona and The Night House, working with brilliant directors like Woody Allan and Christopher Nolan. She makes her directorial debut with Passing, and knowing her prowess as a storyteller, the movie is certain to be a fascinating watch.
The film is in some ways a deep-dive into Hall's personal life. Her own great-grandfather was born enslaved and her mother belonged to a mixed-race background.
After the film premiered, Hall opened up about her racial background and how she herself, at one point in her life, 'passed off as white.'
2) The novel and the author's past
Passing has been adapted from a novel of the same name written by American author Nella Larson. The novel includes perspectives from Larson's own life and the reader is made to draw parallels between her and the character Clare.
Larson, born in Chicago to immigrant parents, dealt with the complexities of race in her own life. Like Clare, she was unwanted by her own white relatives, and it was only later that she was introduced to the Black bourgeois life.
Though Passing is a work of fiction, it is a true story of colored women who would try and pass off as white to escape the abuses of living a black life, thus revealing the constructed-ness of racial identities.
3) An intriguing cast
The choice of cast for this film is very interesting indeed. The film stars Tessa Thompson and Ruth Negga in the lead roles of the two friends. Negga, the Ethiopian-Irish actress, is famous for her film Loving and AMC TV series Preacher. She recently made her Broadway debut alongside Daniel Craig in Macbeth.
Thompson is popularly known for starring in sci-fi shows like Westworld and Thor: Ragnarok. It is a fresh change for her fans to see her feature in a period piece. The American actress started off her acting career with theater before making her way to television.
It will be interesting to see the dynamic duo on screen and how their chemistry plays out in the first-time-director's debut Passing.
