The Color Purple (2023)

The Oscar-nominated musical adaptation of the beloved classic The Colour Purple traces the extraordinary decades-long story of three women who share an unbreakable bond. Set against the backdrop of Georgia in the early 1900s, the story centres on Celie, who endures countless hardships in her life, but ultimately finds extraordinary strength and hope in the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood.

Directed by Ghanaian Blitz Bazawule (The Burial of Kojo, Black Is King), The Colour Purple is based on the Tony-winning Broadway stage musical, which was in turn based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning 1982 novel of the same name by Alice Walker.

The film has an 81% critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with Variety saying, “The Colour Purple [feels] even more monumental than it did in Spielberg’s hands. And that’s saying something…”

Grammy-winning artist Fantasia Barrino makes her major motion picture debut as Celie, earning BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations. As Sofia, Danielle Brooks (Peacemaker, Orange Is the New Black) was nominated for this year’s Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Oscar nominee Taraji P Henson (Fight Night, Empire) plays Shug Avery.

The Colour Purple was the most-nominated film at this year’s Black Reel Awards, taking home nine wins, including Outstanding Ensemble, Breakthrough Performance (Barrino), and Supporting Performance (Brooks).