'Nanny,' written and directed by Nikyatu Jusu, stars Anna Diop and Michelle Monaghan in a terror tale of a Senegalese woman working as a caregiver for a white couple.
Jusu spoke to The Times about her Sundance prizewinner, the kaleidoscopic nature of Blackness and executives paid ‘not to watch foreign cinema.’
Aisha has a child too, a boy named Lamine, but he’s a continent away — for now only a figure on video chat, a source of hope and a reminder of her crushing loneliness as she establishes a quick bond with her charge, Rose . The goal is to earn enough to bring Lamine to New York, if only the controlling, career-driven, and emotionally needy Amy — edgily played by Monaghan — could remember to pay Aisha on time, and what she’s owed.
Aisha is the three-dimensional hero of Jusu’s narrative, after all, not its prey, which is where “Nanny” distinguishes itself in a trope-filled genre, never more so than when Malik’s keenly observant grandmother shows up — like a well-rooted tree bearing fruit for a weary traveler — to inform Aisha about these supernatural interlopers warping her reality: one a trickster, the other a water spirit, both figures from West African folklore who can zero in on inner turmoil.
With Diop’s anchoring portrayal intertwining buoyancy and ache, “Nanny” gets to stand out as a character study, one of brightness beset by malevolence, and perhaps strengthened by it. Though Jusu doesn’t quite stick the landing — there’s a wallop at the end that isn’t dealt with as emotionally as you might need it to be — it’s still a work of compassion and unease heralding a thoughtful, genre-probing talent.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Nanny director Nikyatu Jusu on her approach to horror filmHow Nanny tapped Western African folktales, South Korean cinema, and the director's mother to create a fresh horror thriller
Read more »
Ryan Coogler, W. Kamau Bell & Nikyatu Jusu To Be Feted At Sundance’s Inaugural ‘Opening Night’ EventFilmmakers Ryan Coogler (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever), W. Kamau Bell (We Need to Talk About Cosby) and Nikyatu Jusu (Nanny) have been named as the inaugural trio of honorees for Opening Night: A…
Read more »
Alabama Guv Blames ‘Criminals’ for Failed Lethal InjectionsAlabama Gov. Kay Ivey has ordered a moratorium on executions—but not before blaming “legal tactics and criminals hijacking the system” for two failed lethal injections.
Read more »
Opinion: This Russell Wilson fan has seen enoughOpinion | 'Upon further review, Russell Carrington Wilson is a personal disappointment.'
Read more »
Alabama pausing executions after 3rd failed lethal injectionAlabama Gov. Kay Ivey sought a pause in executions and ordered a “top-to-bottom” review of the state's capital punishment system Monday after an unprecedented third failed lethal injection. Ivey's office issued a statement saying she had both asked Attorney General Steve Marshall to withdraw motions seeking execution dates for two inmates and requested that the Department of Corrections undertake a full review of the state's execution process. Ivey also requested that Marshall not seek additional execution dates for any other death row inmates until the review is complete.
Read more »