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Miss
Ella
In
the tradition of blockbuster telefilms Mama
Flora's Family and Alex Haley’s Queen,
Miss Ella is a fascinating parable of two sisters whose
intertwining lives lead to tragedy.
Based
on the true events of the screenwriter’s own family, Miss
Ella tells the compelling life story of the struggles and
triumphs of a young African-American widow in early 20th century
Alabama as she tries to raise her six children amidst poverty,
bullets and prejudice. Though
Ella is honest, hard-working and determined, life nevertheless
proves to be a dramatic struggle in a Southern town where wrong
and right are often literally black and white.
Ella’s life is further complicated, and contrasted, by
her sister Rose, a vain and self-centered woman who courts
trouble and, ultimately, tragedy down at the local blues joint.
Miss
Ella,
which was selected for the IFP Screenwriters Lab and was a
Chesterfield semi-finalist, is perfect for Black History Month
as it's not only a historical African-American story, but also
it's a celebration of family.
In fact, its development is rooted in knowing one's own
family history. Miss
Ella is based on
the book of the same name
written by the screenwriter’s father, Terry F. Culpepper, about his grandmother.
He has
traveled the country encouraging the African-American community
to research their family history.
A
Single Rose
is a
short film based on Miss
Ella that centers on the character of Rose.
If you are interested in viewing A
Single Rose, reading the script or would like to order the
book, please contact
us.
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