‘Newlyweeds’ director talks gentrification in Brooklyn and weed culture
theGRIO REPORT - Director Shaka King links together the experiences of his own life in his debut feature 'Newlyweeds'....
Racism like ‘carbon monoxide poisoning’
Overall, King finds himself pleased with the new scene, but troubled by the means to its end.
“It’s a reminder of racism in 2013, which is like carbon monoxide poisoning,” he explains. “It’s everywhere, but you can’t see it. Institutionally, the cops are hemming me up more than ever. My parents always ate well, but it didn’t matter that they didn’t have good food to eat in their neighborhood when it was just black people living there. That sucks when you think about those things. That’s depressing. My life is worth less unless white people are around.”
Through his artistic vision, King intends to reveal the intricacies of a community that’s been gentrified, idealized, and televised to create a balance of progressive and degenerative sorts.
In Newlyweeds, a fictionalized tale clashes with the harsh realism of its circumstances. The young romantic couple faces work and social obstacles, and even institutional hazards as they grasp their bond for dear life.
Anyone confusing it with simply a drug narrative will find himself caught off guard.
“It’s really a character piece,” says King. “Weed and weed culture is a part of the stylization of the film.”
Supporting drug legalization
Although the movie depicts the plight of a weed addict as destructive, King reiterates that anything can be a source of compulsion.
Irrespectively, he supports legalizing marijuana.
“It’s ruined so many communities by taking fathers and mothers away from their children,” King points out. “It could really boost the economy if it was legalized…Instead they’ve had to build prisons, and ruin communities, and line the pockets of very few.”
He adds, “It’s definitely contributed to the drug wars going on in Mexico, and the cartels murdering each other and murdering innocent people. It’s all because we buy it illegally. If we could just produce our own that country would be a lot better.”
For now, King will continue artistically constructing his life’s thesis, next working on another tale of drug obsession as it coincides with fame and fortune.
His interest appears to be in the fragmented souls, not yet defeated but seeking a path to liberation.
“This is the world,” he says.
Newlyweeds opens at Film Forum in New York September 18, L.A. and other theatrical dates to follow shortly after.
Follow Courtney Garcia on Twitter at @CourtGarcia
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