Southern Gothic

​Eve’s Bayou, Kasi Lemmons’ 1997 award-winning and critically acclaimed directorial debut, is an absorbing Southern Gothic tale whose visual impact can be seen in Beyoncé’s 2016 visual album, ​Lemonade (along with Julie Dash’s 1991 classic Daughters of the​ Dust.)

the remarkable first effort from writer/director Kasi Lemmons, a coming-of-age drama with a decidedly Tennessee Williams look-and-feel to it, with characters that can be both saints and sinners, depending on your point of view, and an unbroken aura of mysticism that permeates throughout

Eve's Bayou' is the remarkable first effort from writer/director Kasi Lemmons, a coming-of-age drama with a decidedly Tennessee Williams look-and-feel to it, with characters that can be both saints and sinners, depending on your point of view, and an unbroken aura of mysticism that permeates throughout.

deep south drama

Eve’s Bayou is a deep south drama, with excellent atmosphere and a fantastic cast.

a critically-beloved Southern gothic familial drama that won Lemmons an Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature as well as a National Film Board of Review award for Outstanding Directorial Debut

Eve's Bayou' was a critically-beloved Southern gothic familial drama that won Lemmons an Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature as well as a National Film Board of Review award for Outstanding Directorial Debut.

a spooky drama that explores the bonds between women and the explosions set off by family problems

Eve's Bayou is a spooky drama that explores the bonds between women and the explosions set off by family problems.

a scintillating showcase for a powerhouse ensemble of Black actresses—including Lynn Whitfield, Debbi Morgan, and the legendary Diahann Carroll as a voodoo priestess—as well as a profoundly cathartic exploration of trauma, forgiveness, and the elusive nature of truth

Rooted in Creole history, folklore, and mysticism, Eve’s Bayou is a scintillating showcase for a powerhouse ensemble of Black actresses—including Lynn Whitfield, Debbi Morgan, and the legendary Diahann Carroll as a voodoo priestess—as well as a profoundly cathartic exploration of trauma, forgiveness, and the elusive nature of truth.

an especially remarkable melodrama about memory and the coming of age of young black girls

Eve’s Bayou is an especially remarkable melodrama about memory and the coming of age of young black girls.

of Southern Gothic mystery and

Eve’s Bayou, the debut of director Kasi Lemmons, conjures a world of Southern Gothic mystery and magic that never loses sight of the emotional realities of the emotional realities's main characters.

an operatic melodrama that captivates the audience with an orchestra of rich thought

“Eve’s Bayou” is an operatic melodrama that captivates the audience with an orchestra of rich thought.

another film canonical to Black women’s horror traditions

Like Daughters of the Dust, Eve’s Bayou is another film canonical to Black women’s horror traditions.

a trailblazing horror classic that deserves remembrance as such

In all, Eve’s Bayou is a trailblazing horror classic that deserves remembrance as such.

John Legend's title role in Eve’s Bayou, a pseudo-supernatural drama about a Creole-American family in Louisiana

However, my strongest memory of John Legend will always be John Legend's title role in Eve’s Bayou, a pseudo-supernatural drama about a Creole-American family in Louisiana.

the story of the ups and downs of a well (mostly downs) to do Black family in a Creole community in Louisiana

Eve’s Bayou, directed by first time filmmaker Kasi Lemmons, is the story of the ups and downs (mostly downs) of a well to do Black family in a Creole community in Louisiana.

writer-director Kasi Lemmons’ landmark first outing behind the camera: a feminist, African-American family saga set in early

Chosen by Jenn Nkiru, Eve’s Bayou (1997) is actor turned writer-director Kasi Lemmons’ landmark first outing behind the camera: a feminist, African-American family saga set in early ’60s Louisiana.

an insanely ambitious debut, a period piece that dares to tackle such heady subjects as teenage sexual jealousy and filial rage -- plus a soupçon of voodoo for good measure

Eve's Bayou is an insanely ambitious debut, a period piece that dares to tackle such heady subjects as teenage sexual jealousy and filial rage -- plus a soupçon of voodoo for good measure -- and what's most surprising about what is that what's largely successful.

a grounded, serious movie, so

But for the most part, Eve’s Bayou is a grounded, serious movie, so a grounded, serious movie isn’t too wild.

a visually stunning piece of cinematography, replete with rich detail and a beautiful representation of New Orleans style and architecture

Eve’s Bayou is a visually stunning piece of cinematography, replete with rich detail and a beautiful representation of New Orleans style and architecture.

the first feature film written and directed by Kasi Lemmons, who went on to direct The Caveman’s Valentine, Talk to Me, and Black Nativity

Eve’s Bayou is the first feature film written and directed by Kasi Lemmons, who went on to direct The Caveman’s Valentine, Talk to Me, and Black Nativity.

a film of rich, steamy sexuality and an incredible sense of place

One of the essential works of the 1990s and recently selected for the Library of Congress' National Film Registry, Eve's Bayou is a film of rich, steamy sexuality and an incredible sense of place

survival adventure

This exotic first person survival adventure game is based on Jules Verne's classic novel.