American Fiction

After making a name for himself in journalism and TV, writer Cord Jefferson proves a director to watch with this adaptation of Percival Everett’s "Erasure", a satirical and thought-provoking examination of the publishing industry and how it consumes marginalized voices. Jeffrey Wright delivers a compelling performance as author and professor Thelonius “Monk” Ellison, whose life is falling apart. Ousted from his college and struggling to sell books, he’s forced by a family emergency to retreat for an extended period to his hometown. There, Monk channels his frustration into writing a lampoon of the popular Black books on the market, publishing under a pseudonym and becoming, to his chagrin, an overnight success. A stellar supporting cast joins Wright, including Sterling K. Brown in a standout role unlike anything you’ve seen him in before. (Mill Valley Film Festival)