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Zola (film)

Zola is a 2020 American black comedy crime film directed by Janicza Bravo and co-written by Bravo and Jeremy O. Harris. It is based on a viral Twitter thread from 2015 by A'Ziah "Zola" King and the resulting Rolling Stone article "Zola Tells All: The Real Story Behind the Greatest Stripper Saga Ever Tweeted" by David Kushner. Starring Taylour Paige, Riley Keough, Nicholas Braun, and Colman Domingo, the film follows a part-time stripper who is convinced by her new friend to go on a road trip to Tampa, Florida to earn money dancing, only to get in over her head.

Zola
Zola film poster
Theatrical release poster
Directed byJanicza Bravo
Screenplay by
Based on
  • "Zola Tells All: The Real Story Behind the Greatest Stripper Saga Ever Tweeted"
    by David Kushner
  • Tweets
    by A'Ziah "Zola" King
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyAri Wegner
Edited byJoi McMillon
Music byMica Levi
Production
companies
Distributed byA24
Release dates
  • January 24, 2020 (2020-01-24) (Sundance)
  • June 30, 2021 (2021-06-30) (United States)
Running time
90 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$5 million[2]
Box office$5.2 million[3][4][5]

Zola premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2020, where it was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize. It was theatrically released in the United States on June 30, 2021, following a year's delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[6] It received highly positive reviews from critics, with praise directed towards the screenplay, performances (particularly those of Paige, Keough, and Domingo), and editing, and earned a leading seven nominations at the 37th Independent Spirit Awards, including Best Film, Best Director, and Best Screenplay with two wins for Best Female Lead for Paige and Best Editing for Joi McMillon.

Plot

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A'Ziah "Zola" King, a self-assured waitress and part-time stripper in Detroit, meets Stefani, an outgoing and crass fellow stripper, while serving her at work. Stefani invites Zola to dance with her at a club that night, and they become friends. The next day, Stefani proposes that Zola join her on a road trip to Tampa, Florida, the location of a strip club where Stefani claims they can make significant money. Zola sets out for Tampa with Stefani, her mysterious roommate X, and Stefani's dimwitted boyfriend Derrek.

On arriving in Tampa, Stefani, Zola, and X leave Derrek at a seedy motel while they visit the club where Stefani claims her friends earned over $5,000 in one night. They perform but do not get nearly as much as Stefani insisted they would. Zola learns that Stefani and X have posted photos of her and Stefani in a Backpage advertisement, offering them for sex. Zola tries to leave, but X threatens her, revealing himself to be Stefani's pimp.

X takes the women to an upscale hotel, where Stefani proceeds to have sex with a male client. Zola, who doesn't wish to participate, is incredulous when she learns X charges only $150 per client. Zola edits the Backpage ad, changing the rate to $500 to help Stefani earn more money. By the end of the night, Stefani has made over $8,000. X is initially insulted by Zola's intervention but quickly grows impressed. Meanwhile, Derrek, left to his own devices, befriends a man named Dion whom he meets at the motel. When X, Stefani, and Zola return to the motel, X is enraged to discover that Derrek told Dion their reason for visiting Tampa. Worried that Dion and his associates will rob them, X forces the group to flee.

After arriving at another hotel, X arranges for Stefani to see more clients at various locations, while a reluctant Zola stands by to ensure Stefani's safety. When Derrek realizes Stefani is again engaging in prostitution, he argues with her, revealing to Zola that Stefani has manipulated other dancers into unwittingly participating in similar prostitution rackets. Zola is angered and loses all trust in Stefani. Derrek and Stefani's quarreling is interrupted when X bursts in with Baybe, his lover, and madam, who is armed with a gun. After calming the situation, X gives Zola a gun for the women's protection, and Stefani and Zola are sent out so Stefani can continue to meet with clients.

After Stefani engages in a gang bang at a private residence, the two women visit another hotel, where a client has responded to their Backpage ad. When they knock on the client's door, he grabs Stefani and forces her into the room. A terrified Zola flees and calls X and Derrek on her phone. The three return to the room and find the men inside are Dion and an accomplice, armed with shotguns, who have posed as clients to rob Stefani of her earnings. At gunpoint, X offers the men $50,000 and possession of Zola, if they let him and Derrek leave with Stefani, who has been beaten unconscious. As Zola is digitally penetrated against her will by Dion, X manages to draw the gun Zola has in her purse and then shoots Dion in the throat. They flee the hotel, throwing Dion's guns into the Tampa Bay.

They eventually arrive at a large, luxurious home X shares with Baybe. X finally lets Zola leave and proclaims his possession of Stefani. Distraught, Derrek throws himself over a balcony, landing on the concrete below and injuring his head. Zola, Stefani, and X drive Derrek to the hospital. On the way, Stefani proclaims her love for Zola, but the exhausted Zola looks out the window and ignores her.

Cast

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Production

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In October 2015, Detroit waitress A'Ziah "Zola" King posted a 148-tweet thread about a trip she took to Florida with a stripper named Jessica; the story, containing details of prostitution, murder and an attempted suicide, quickly went viral, garnering the recognition of people such as Missy Elliott, Solange Knowles and Ava DuVernay.[7] About a month later, Rolling Stone's David Kushner published an article interviewing people involved in the story; while the article noted several inconsistencies, and King has admitted to embellishing some of the more sensational details, most of those involved have admitted to the general events.[7]

In February 2016, it was announced James Franco would direct the film from a screenplay by Andrew Neel and Mike Roberts. Franco, Vince Jolivette, Christine Vachon, David Hinojosa, and Kara Baker were to produce the film under their Rabbit Bandini Productions, Killer Films and Gigi Films banners, respectively.[8] In January 2018, it was announced that the film was initially set to begin production in February 2018, but was shelved following sexual misconduct allegations against Franco.[9][10] In June 2018, it was announced that Janicza Bravo would direct, replacing Franco, and that A24 would distribute.[11] In October 2018, Taylour Paige was cast in the lead role.[12] That month, Riley Keough, Nicholas Braun, Colman Domingo and Jason Mitchell joined the cast,[13][14] and in November 2018, Ari'el Stachel joined the cast.[15]

Principal photography began on October 29, 2018.[16] The entire film was shot in 27 days.[5] Production concluded on December 7, 2018.[17]

Release

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The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2020, where it was nominated for the Grand Jury Awards pre-screening.[18] Sony Pictures Releasing, under the Stage 6 Films banner, acquired the international rights (excluding Canada and Japan).[19][20] It was released in the United States on June 30, 2021.[21]

Reception

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Box office

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In the United States and Canada, Zola was projected to gross $2–4 million from 1,468 theaters in its opening weekend.[2] It made $505,000 on its first day of release and $282,000 on its second. It went on to debut to $1.2 million in its opening weekend and $2 million over the five-day frame, finishing ninth at the box office.[22] It fell 48% to $620,000 in its second weekend, finishing 10th.[23]

Critical response

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On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 88% based on 252 reviews, with an average rating of 7.5/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Zola captures the stranger-than-fiction appeal of the viral Twitter thread that inspired it – and announces director/co-writer Janicza Bravo as a filmmaker to watch."[24] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 76 out of 100, based on 46 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[25] PostTrak reported that 68% of audience members gave Zola positive score, with 46% saying they would definitely recommend it.[22]

Writing for The A.V. Club, Shannon Miller gave the film a grade of "B" and said: "Zola is first and foremost a zany, catastrophic road-trip dramedy, one that balances the whimsy of social media with the harrowing reality of being trapped in a dangerous situation."[26] Critic Owen Gleiberman of Variety called Zola "a true story so extravagant it feels like it must have been made up. It's a mini volcano of sex and violence and danger and deception. It's a close-to-the-bone portrait of women who work in the sex industry. It's a youthquake as real as American Honey. It's a piece of pure filmmaking bravura."[27]

Peter Debruge, also writing for Variety, praised the "virtuoso filmmaking and a pair of killer performances" but wrote: "Sure, it's fun to see a movie skewer the vapid soullessness of social media and the unregulated economy of male desire, but Zola ultimately rings hollow. The actors are fearless, and yet, how much do we know about these characters in the end? The answer: something of their values, but almost nothing of their lives."[28]

Writing for The Face, Ludwig Hurtado said the film was a canonical part of a genre he named "Tampa-core," which he described as presenting a "hyper-stylised vision of Florida" with "all the violence and drama of a classic western"; he included Waves and Spring Breakers as comparable titles.[29]

Accolades

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Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
Austin Film Critics Association January 11, 2022 Best Supporting Actor Colman Domingo Nominated [30]
Black Film Critics Circle December 22, 2021 Pioneer Award Janicza Bravo Won [31]
Black Reel Awards February 27, 2022 Outstanding Independent Film Janicza Bravo Won [32]
Outstanding Emerging Director Nominated
Outstanding Actress Taylour Paige Nominated
Outstanding Breakthrough Performance, Female Nominated
Outstanding Supporting Actor Colman Domingo Won
Outstanding Breakthrough Screenwriter Janicza Bravo and Jeremy O. Harris Nominated
Outstanding Editing Joi McMillon Nominated
Outstanding Ensemble Kim Coleman Nominated
Chicago Film Critics Association December 15, 2021 Best Supporting Actor Colman Domingo Nominated [33]
Best Supporting Actress Riley Keough Nominated
Gotham Independent Film Awards November 30, 2021 Outstanding Lead Performance Taylour Paige Nominated [34]
Outstanding Supporting Performance Colman Domingo Nominated
Independent Spirit Awards March 6, 2022 Best Film Janicza Bravo Nominated [35]
Best Director Nominated
Best Female Lead Taylour Paige Won
Best Supporting Male Colman Domingo Nominated
Best Screenplay Janicza Bravo and Jeremy O. Harris Nominated
Best Cinematography Ari Wegner Nominated
Best Editing Joi McMillon Won
Palm Springs International Film Festival January 2, 2020 Creative Impact Awards Janicza Bravo Won [36]
Philadelphia Film Critics Circle December 13, 2021 Best Supporting Actor Colman Domingo Nominated [37]
Best Script Janicza Bravo and Jeremy O. Harris Nominated
Sundance Film Festival January 23, 2020 Grand Jury Prizes – Dramatic Janicza Bravo Nominated [38]

Awards controversy

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In 2021, Zola was nominated for seven Independent Spirit Awards, including Best Screenplay.[39] A'Ziah "Zola" King was not nominated as a writer for the movie, nor was she invited to attend.[39] King was frustrated by this snub, writing on Twitter, "I think it's hilarious ZOLA is up for 7 awards and no one thought to invite me nor include me IN the writers award category. As if there would've been a film or a script to write if I didn't um… write it?"[39] She said that her issue was only with A24, as writers Harris and Bravo had been very supportive to her.[39]

References

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  1. ^ "Zola". Sundance Film Festival. Archived from the original on August 18, 2021. Retrieved December 11, 2019.
  2. ^ a b D'Alessandro, Anthony (June 29, 2021). "Universal Will Own Top Three Spots At July 4th Box Office In Rare Feat". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  3. ^ "Zola (2021)". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  4. ^ "Zola (2021)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  5. ^ a b Feinberg, Scott (February 1, 2022). "Oscars: Six Contenders on the Challenges and Rewards of Making 2021 Indies". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  6. ^ Rodriguez, Karla (July 8, 2021). "A24's 'Zola's' Movie: The Real Story Behind The Viral Twitter Thread's Journey to the Big Screen". Complex. Retrieved August 3, 2023.[permanent dead link‍]
  7. ^ a b Kushner, David (November 17, 2015). "The Story Behind the Greatest Stripper Saga Ever Tweeted". Rolling Stone.
  8. ^ McNary, Dave (February 4, 2016). "James Franco to Direct 'Zola' Stripper Movie Based on Twitter Saga". Variety. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
  9. ^ Harris, Hunter (January 10, 2018). "I Wonder Why James Franco's Stripper Saga Movie Is Maybe Not Happening". Vulture. Archived from the original on October 31, 2018. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
  10. ^ Siegel, Tatiana (January 10, 2018). "How the #MeToo Movement Could Kill Some Sexy Hollywood Movies". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
  11. ^ Sneider, Jeff (June 14, 2018). "Exclusive: A24 and James Franco's Stripper Movie 'Zola' Lands 'Lemon' Director Janicza Bravo". Collider. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
  12. ^ Galuppo, Mia (October 9, 2018). "Taylour Paige Cast as Lead in A24's 'Zola' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  13. ^ Sneider, Jeff (October 9, 2018). "Exclusive: Riley Keough, Colman Domingo Join Taylour Paige in A24's Stripper Saga 'Zola'". Collider. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
  14. ^ N'Duka, Amanda (October 30, 2018). "Jason Mitchell Joins A24's 'Zola' Movie". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
  15. ^ N'Duka, Amanda (November 19, 2018). "Ari'el Stachel Joins 'Zola';' Dirk Gently's Fiona Dourif Cast In 'Unsinkable'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 20, 2018.
  16. ^ Byron, Katie (October 29, 2018). "Day 1 on Zola, here's a picture of @janicza in pre prep. She totally has Royal energy and I am stoked to be in her court of creative ladies 💜". Retrieved October 30, 2018 – via Instagram.
  17. ^ Bravo, Janicza (December 7, 2018). "Goodbye for now. Us by @kingofbingo". Retrieved December 9, 2018 – via Instagram.
  18. ^ Siegel, Tatiana (December 4, 2019). "Sundance Unveils Female-Powered Lineup Featuring Taylor Swift, Gloria Steinem, Abortion Road Trip Drama". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
  19. ^ Kay, Jeremy (January 27, 2020). "Sony takes international rights to Sundance stripper tweetstorm saga 'Zola'". Screen Daily. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
  20. ^ "Zola". Stage 6 Films. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  21. ^ Ferme, Antonio (March 31, 2021). "'Zola': Movie Based on Viral Twitter Thread Gets First Trailer". Variety. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  22. ^ a b D'Alessandro, Anthony (July 3, 2021). "Universal Launches July 4th Fireworks At B.O. With Trio Of Pics Set To Gross $75M+ Combined Over Four Days". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 4, 2021.
  23. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (July 11, 2021). "Disney Claims $215M+ WW Victory At The B.O. & Disney+ Premier With 'Black Widow' Weekend: Will Distrib Model Endanger A Movie's Life Cycle? – Update". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 12, 2021. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
  24. ^ "'Zola (2020)'". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  25. ^ "'Zola'". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  26. ^ Miller, Shannon (June 28, 2021). "With Zola, an epic Twitter thread becomes a stylish A24 road-trip caper". The A.V. Club. Retrieved July 4, 2021.
  27. ^ Gleiberman, Owen (July 4, 2021). "Six Reasons Why 'Zola,' a Virtuoso Walk on the Wild Side, Is the Must-See Movie of the Summer (Column)". Variety. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  28. ^ Debruge, Peter (January 24, 2020). "'Zola' Review: Janicza Bravo's Tweetstorm Tornado". Variety. Retrieved July 4, 2021.
  29. ^ Hurtado, Ludwig (2021-08-06). "Are Tampa-core movies the new westerns?". The Face. Retrieved 2023-10-12.
  30. ^ Neglia, Matt (January 4, 2022). "The 2021 Austin Film Critics Association (AFCA) Nominations". Next Big Picture. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  31. ^ Davis, Clayton (December 22, 2021). "'King Richard,' Will Smith and Tessa Thompson Win at Black Film Critics Awards 2021". Variety. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
  32. ^ "'The Harder They Fall' Sets Record with 20 Nominations from the Black Reel Awards". Black Girl Nerds. BGN Staff. 16 December 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
  33. ^ Jevens, Darel (December 15, 2021). "Chicago film critics choose 'The Power of the Dog' for top award". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  34. ^ "Gotham Awards 2021 Nominations: 'Pig,' 'Green Knight,' 'Passing' Compete for Best Feature". Gotham Awards. October 21, 2021. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  35. ^ Davis, Clayton (November 23, 2021). "Beanie Feldstein, Regina Hall and Naomi Watts to Announce Film Independent Spirit Award Nominations (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  36. ^ "History of Palm Springs International Film Festival Ceremony". www.psfilmfest.org. Retrieved 2022-01-07.
  37. ^ Heimlich, Rich (13 December 2021). "2021 PFCC Annual Awards – Philadelphia Film Critics Circle". Retrieved 2022-01-07.
  38. ^ Patten, Dominic (December 4, 2019). "Sundance 2020: Premieres Shine With Taylor Swift Docu, Viggo Mortensen's Directing Debut, New Dee Rees, The Go-Gos & Olivia Colman". Deadline. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  39. ^ a b c d Rice, Nicholas (January 31, 2022). "Real-Life Zola Aziah King Calls Out A24 for Awards Show Snub: 'No One Thought to Invite Me'". Peoplemag. Retrieved 2023-08-04.
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