Director Melina Matsoukas is speaking out after fans noticed her film Queen & Slim had not earned a single nomination for the Golden Globes.
“We held three screenings for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) and almost no members attended,” Matsoukas told Variety. “For me, it’s reflective of their voting body. It’s not reflective of the society in which we live in or the industry as it stands today. They don’t value the stories that represent all of us, and those stories are so often disregarded and discredited, as are their filmmakers.” She continued, “It’s extremely discouraging. It’s extremely infuriating. And it just represents an archaic system that is full of people who don’t value us.”
A representative for the HPFA disputed the claim that members did not watch the film. They said that their screeners could have seen the film at home. “The HFPA maintains that Queen & Slim was in the conversation amongst the membership,” the organization told Variety in a statement.
Queen & Slim stars Get Out’s Daniel Kaluuya as Slim and marks Jodie Turner-Smith’s first starring role as Queen. The film also marks the first feature-length project penned by Lena Waithe. The film has grossed nearly $30 million.
Back in June, Waithe told Complex what movies inspired the film Queen & Slim. “Bonnie & Clyde changed the conversation. Thelma & Louise is iconic,” she said. “But the thing that they aren’t realizing is another reference for me would be Set It Off. In terms of black people being at a very difficult place with their back being against the wall and nothing that they [can] do [but] to keep going.”
Matsoukas has directed Beyonce’s “Formation,” Rihanna’s “We Found Love,” and Lady Gaga’s “Just Dance.” Queen & Slim is her first feature film. Hopefully, Matsoukas can have better luck at the Academy Awards.