With an even heavy for me film viewing week, John Singleton presented a similar argument at the New York City post-screening Q&A celebrating the 25th anniversary for his first feature film “Boyz n the Hood,” presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. The question I am re-presenting is where are the varied voices in cinema willing to make this happen - especially with genre-bending fare? And I am not even praising Potrykus for taking this stance that should be taken by people creating art. I am far from the first writer on Shadow and Act, and beyond, to present the ‘issue’ in film development regarding color-blind casting, or in this case, a director/writer who purposely steps out of their race-based - and for others within this argument gender-based - bubble to present (arguably) complex characters with agency and intentionality.
Filled with disdain for authority, he’s escaped a society that has no place for him, but when he turns to black magic to crack nature’s secret, he rouses a malevolent force that threatens to dismantle both his otherworldly goals and his very being.”Īs one can glean from the description, Potrykus’ fare is also very offbeat - often described as absurdist - so to say that a white director making a film of this moody and horror-tinged nature with a deliberate Black cast is also very offbeat. Starring Ty Hickson of “Gimme the Loot,” with Amari Cheatom of “Newlyweeds” fame in the only supporting role (outside of a cat and possum - you’ll understand when you see the film), the director remarked during the film’s Q&A that he wanted to depart from his track of micro-budget urban films starring white male protagonists and be a director intentionally directing a film with Black talent while also shooting in a natural setting.īAMcinemafest describes “The Alchemist Cookbook” thusly: “Young outcast Sean has isolated himself in a trailer in the Michigan backwoods, setting out on alchemical pursuits with his cat Kaspar as his sole companion. Last night, filmmaker Joel Potrykus had the NYC debut of his latest film “The Alchemis t Cookbook” at the eight annual BAMcinemaFest.
This is a reprinting of my article that appeared on Shadow and Act. Ty Hickson off the deep end in ‘The Alchemist Cookbook’