Cinema : A congolese woman enters the world of american cinema
The actress Phylicia Pearl Mpasi, originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, has made her entry into the American cinema in the remake of « The Color Purple », as reported by the Congolese Community of Washington Metro on Wednesday.
She has been selected for a significant role in the musical remake of « The Color Purple » one of the greatest American films released in 1985 and considered a powerful portrayal of violence within the African-American community. « The Color Purple » is an adaptation of Alice Walker’s novel of the same name, published in 1982 and awarded the Pulitzer Prize.
Mpasi had heard that the latest version of « The Color Purple » was in production and came across an audition notice on the very day she buried her beloved grandmother.
« In our family, she was ‘Celie,’ someone who experienced a lot of trauma in her life », explained Mpasi to the crowd during a Q&A session hosted by Variety. « We are from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the first time I went home was to bury her. And the day we put her to rest, I saw the announcement for this audition online, and I said to myself, ‘Grandma, thank you!’ How did you work so fast » ?
Congolese from the Washington DC metropolitan area and surrounding areas came out in large numbers to support her during the official film release ceremony on December 26, 2023, in Germantown, Maryland, before extending their congratulations and best wishes for success.
Upon its release, the film received generally positive reviews and became a commercial success.
