Beyoncé ‘Renaissance’ film premiere: Black Hollywood reacts
Ava DuVernay, Tyler Perry, Janelle Monáe and more attended the event in over the weekend in Los Angeles.
She’s telling everybody! Beyoncé’s highly anticipated “Renaissance” documentary had its official premiere over Thanksgiving weekend, bringing out the biggest and brightest names in Hollywood to celebrate Queen Bey’s latest masterpiece.
Titled “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé,” the project chronicles Beyoncé’s creative process behind her record-breaking ‘Renaissance World Tour,’ fusing concert and behind-the-scenes footage. Directed, written and produced by the “Break My Soul” hitmaker herself, the film had its debut at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Los Angeles, per Deadline.
The premiere was a star-studded affair, with actors, fellow musicians and more showing up in their best “Renaissance”-themed looks to celebrate the project. Celebs, including Gabrielle Union, Janelle Monàe, Lizzo, Chlöe and Halle Bailey and Tyler Perry attended, sharing looks on their various social media accounts. One particular post from filmmaker and industry titan Ava DuVernay has gone viral online, in which she details her experience watching the project and how it has inspired her.
The “When They See Us” creator gave Beyoncé her flowers in an Instagram story post, calling the “Alien Superstar” singer a “director in every sense of the word and beyond.” She wrote, “Every decision that a director makes in the course of our work, she does brilliantly. But then, add that she goes out and performs for hundreds of thousands of people at a genius level?” She added, “Now you’re talking about a phenom — no hyperbole.”
She called the performances “spectacular” both due to their entertainment value and also the craft behind them, shouting out the costumes, lighting and design. “It’s stunning,”DuVernay confirmed.
Her favorite part, however, made her “so emotional” that she felt as though Beyoncé was speaking to her. “She talks candidly about having to fight to be heard as a Black woman leader working at a high level of difficulty. Having to endure being second-guessed often and gaslit constantly.”
“We actually see moments of this happening to her on camera,” she continued. “People directly doubting, shortchanging, and gaslighting her. I haven’t seen that described in a film before.” DuVernay explained that this was something she has experienced in her own career “far too often,” but felt the “solidarity” after seeing the film and knowing another Black woman encounters similar instances.
Janelle Monáe also praised the project on her Instagram. In the caption of a post highlighting her polka-dot look she rocked for the premiere, the “Glass Onion” star wrote, “What a masterful and inspiring film on many levels. Thank you for sharing with us so much Bey.”
Tyler Perry also broke down his experience watching the film on his Instagram, saying that he is “so proud” of Beyoncé. “She keeps going above and beyond,” he wrote. “Showing up in full grace, full voice and adding higher layers to her own cake.”
Queen Bey’s “Destiny’s Child” sisters Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams also attended the premiere, as did past members of the girl group, LeToya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson. Rowland said the project is “not to be missed” on her Instagram, while Williams posted a video to her account processing her thoughts.
“Every time she shows the world something she just continues to show a new level of how hard she works and still balances her personal life, being a wife, mother, sister, friend, a daughter … she does it all.”
Tickets are on sale now for “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé,” which hits theaters Dec. 1.
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