Memory is a selection of images, some elusive, others printed indelibly on the brain. Jackson, lynn whitfield, debbi morgan it was filmed in covington, madisonville and napoleonville. Multiple links are listed since a different versions exist and b many scripts posted become unavailable over time. With those opening words, eve s bayou coils back into the past, into the memories of a child who grew up in a family both gifted and flawed, and tried to find her own way to the truth. With those opening words, eves bayou coils back into the past, into the memories of a child. In the opening scene, the narrator tells us about the origin of this swampy but beautiful little place. Before trimark would green light eves bayou, they wanted to make sure lemmons was capable of making a feature length film, so they asked her to direct a film short. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. More than 2,500 films have been shot in louisiana, featuring the likes of dolly parton, brad pitt and the king himself, elvis presley. Eves bayou, kasi lemmonss 1997 debut as a screenwriter and director, should be seen by every movie lover, every filmmaker, every storyteller. Read the eves bayou movie synopsis, view the movie trailer, get cast and crew information, see movie photos, and more on movies. Louis role in the film includes fathering three kids. Eves bayou is an excellent drama chronicling the complex lives of a. Told from the perspective of 10yearold eve batiste over the course of one explosive summer, the young girl uncovers some of her familys most frightening hidden truths which begins a chain reaction that could tear her family apart.
Beginning with this preamble, eves bayou takes us to the tennessee williams country of the deep south and introduces us to. The batistes are a wealthy and educated southern family, landowners and descendants of the woman for whom the town, eves bayou, was named. Eves bayou is a modern masterpiece of southern gothic. It is set to be released on november 7 and i am strongly encouraging everyone to go and support this film. Its a nearly perfect narrative feat, but it only generated minor waves among film critics upon its release although roger ebert did name it his best film of 1997, and failed to garner mainstream awards nominations it did better at the. A pandoras box of longburied batiste clan secrets has been opened beneath the shade of the magnolia trees, and eve struggles through the summer to save her family. In kasi lemmons film eves bayou, a work about family, love, and sex, about faith and superstition, about vision and blindness, about secrets and revelations, diahann carroll plays elzora, a fortune teller, a voodoo practitioner. Cast of eves bayou talks about films lasting legacy essence. The philandering of her suave doctor father, louis samuel l. Eves bayou sets the dramatic piece in the heart of traditionally black and voodoo inhabited louisiana. The issues she portrays are ones that maybe many black individuals like to ignore andor avoid, and this film shows how maybe some of those people, both adults and children, cope with these matters, except portraying it through the. Jackson, is the dapper local physician with a roving eye. Eves bayou was set during the segregation era and are there are no white people in the cast, which is refreshing as well as truetolife.
Summer heats up in rural louisiana beside eves bayou as the batiste family tries to survive the secrets theyve kept and the betrayals theyve endured. All of these moments unfold in a film of astonishing maturity and confidence. This film is now showing on cable here in australia, and is a far better than average offering. Eves bayou synopsis favorite movie button overview. One of the essential works of the 1990s and recently selected for the library of congress national film registry, eves bayou is a film of. Eve s bayou is a 1997 american drama film written and directed by kasi lemmons, who made her directorial debut with this film. Want to see where your favorite movie was filmed in. The films gracious homes and moss draped louisiana backwater exemplify the drama that draws so many visitors to the south each year. In 1962, eve batiste smollett, named for the founder of their. The film is set in louisiana during the early 1960s. Eve s bayou is a modern masterpiece of southern gothic. Mlk holiday gets screen treatment at brattle, while film archive remembers eves bayou. On africanamerican women in film, in eves bayou, for. I must confess that the movie drew my attention only after i came to learn that my late friendmentor roger ebert picked it as the best film of 1997.
Over the course of a long, hot louisiana summer, a 10yearold black girl, eve batiste jurnee smollett, discovers that her familys affluent existence is merely a facade. Jackson served as a producer, and starred in the film with lisa nicole carson, jurnee smollett, lynn whitfield, debbi morgan, meagan good and diahann carroll in 2018, it was selected by the library of congress for preservation in the national film registry. Eves bayou starred jurnee smollett, meagan good, samuel l. After a daughter witnesses her father having an affair, she begins a chain reaction that could tear her family apart. A long time ago, a slave woman named eve saved her french masters life through her powerful medicine, and she was rewarded with not only freedom but also a piece of land. Eves bayou became the most successful independent film of 1997, playing well to both arthouse cinephile crowds and more mainstream moviegoers. Haunting, disturbing, and beautifully filmed, eves bayou demands and rewards multiple viewings.
As the film begins, eve batiste played by jurnee smollett is one of the three children of louis batiste played by samuel l. Lynn whitfield, jurnee smollettbell, meagan good, jake smollett and director kasi lemmons talk about the film on its anniversary. Eves bayou a dreamscape of sex and tragedy november 11, 1997 web posted at. Eves bayou is a film that really believes in psychic portents and in magic, both white and black. Eves bayou cast and crew cast photos and info fandango. In fact the area is named after a slave called eve.
The story centers around 10 year old eve baptiste as she. Although it received heaps of praises from critics and audiences when it was released in 1997, eves bayou has been rather obscure during last 20 years. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing eves bayou near you. Eve, though, manages to find some solace with her quirky psychic aunt. The films gracious homes and moss draped louisiana backwater exemplify. Mlk holiday gets screen treatment at brattle, while film archive. Eves bayou 1997 over the course of a long, hot louisiana summer, a 10yearold black girl, eve batiste jurnee smollett, discovers that her familys affluent existence is merely a facade. Janis joplins agent wouldnt allow the set with her band. The film was shot on location in covington and madisonville, with the otis house at fairviewriverside state park serving as the familys estate. The kasi lemmons film paved the way for many black creatives. There were some holdouts who didnt want to be filmed.
Jackson, jurnee smollettbell, meagan good, lynn whitfield. Eve batiste is constantly abused and belittled by her father louis batiste. Written and directed by kasi lemmons, the film is a powerful family drama set in the sixties in the south of the usa. Eves bayou is a 1997 american drama film written and directed by kasi lemmons, who made her directorial debut with this film. With those opening words, eves bayou coils back into the past, into the memories of a child who grew up in a family both gifted and flawed, and tried to find her own way to the truth. Eves bayou 1997 2018 additions to the national film.
Eves bayou filming back in the mid1990s the film crew for the motion picture eves bayou visited covington to shoot several scenes for the movie. Mozelles benign, if scary gift is counterbalanced by the vengeful voodoo worked by her rival. Writerdirector kasi lemmons weaves an intricate story of love, death, and coming of age in the bayous of louisiana. At its core, eves bayou is the story of eve jurnee smollett, a 10yearold middle child in a prosperous family, nestled in a creole community in. Watching the film, one cant help but to long for a warm, sultry, southern summer night. The secrets that hold us together can also tear us apart. Eves bayou is a beautiful portrait of black identity vulture. Eves bayou is a drama set in louisiana in 1962 that follows a wealthy and sophisticated creole family. A hothouse blend of creole folklore, magic, and mysticism, eves bayou provides a scintillating showcase for a powerhouse ensemble of black actresses. Eves bayou tells the story of the batiste family of louisiana. Am interested in viewing any of the homes or other locations in the covington area that were part of the filming of this drama shot in the late 90s. Eves bayou 1997 your fan site for actress meagan good.
Eves bayou marks a striking feature debut for director kasi lemmons, layering terrific performances and southern mysticism into a measured meditation on disillusionment and forgiveness. The differing ways the women in the family handle eves pronouncement of her fathers infidelities. Eve nickname red was given to her by her uncle harry. Christened the best film of 1997 by the late film critic roger ebert, eves bayou continues to leave a spellbounding mark on audiences on its 20year anniversary the film, written and. Jackson, creates a rift, throwing eves mother, roz lynn whitfield, and teenage sister, cisely meagan good, into emotional turmoil. Eves bayou, a 1997 film by kasi lemmons, teaches the true definition of family. It stars samuel l jackson as a small town doctor with a wandering eye. This is an incredibly fascinating film by kasi simmons. Kasi lemmons eves bayou is an intensely emotional family drama that mixes elements of southern gothic with the kinds of characters and tensions that prevail in the plays of tennessee williams.
A 1997 southern gothic drama starring jurnee smollett, samuel l. Eves bayou is an especially remarkable melodrama about memory and the coming of age of young black girls. Eves bayou, one of the very best films of the year, is the debut of. Eve s bayou, a 1997 film by kasi lemmons 920 words. Using an excised part of the eves bayou script, which she later lengthened, lemmons filmed dr. Written and directed by actress kasi lemmons silence of the lambs, drop squad and produced by samuel l. Eves bayou is a beautiful portrait of black identity. While eves bayou is a distinctly black film for its evocation of louisiana culture, it doesnt take interest in discussions of racism or overt political machinations, instead rooting itself. Jackson served as a producer, and starred in the film with lisa. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. Eve s bayou was a step forward in black writers and directors making their own work. Music fans should play attention to a scene at the local watering hole. To culture and scenery alligators, swamp lands, voodoo, jazz, historic french and spanish traditions, this is a list of movies.