The impact of Soul Food is still going strong almost 30 years later. On Sunday November 23, in partnership with Cult Classics Cinema curated by DJ Rosegawd, 1010 Wine Events and RC Bonds PR hosted a Soul Food Sunday Dinner Experience. This included a screening of Soul Food at the historic Miracle Theater, followed by a Q&A with Vivica A. Fox (Maxine), Brandon Hammond (Ahmad), and Morgan Méchelle Smith (Kelly). Attendees also got a first look at the upcoming documentary Sunday Dinner: The Soul Food Reunion documentary, directed by Brandon Hammond and executive produced with both Hammond and Fox.
Black films and their soundtracks have always gone hand in hand, telling stories not just through visuals, but through sound that captures the soul of a moment. Cult Classics Cinema is about re-sparking that powerful relationship by showcasing iconic Black films alongside the unforgettable music that defined them. It’s an opportunity for audiences to relive the classics they grew up on.
While others will discover them for the first time on the big screen, just as they were meant to be experienced. More than just a movie night, Cult Classics Cinema is an innovative approach to the evolving event space, blending nostalgia, culture, and community into one unforgettable evening.
How Soul Food Remains Timeless
Directed and written by George Tillman Jr., Soul Food released on September 26, 1997. A 40 year tradition of Sunday Dinners is in jeopardy when the families matriarch becomes hospitalized. Her three daughter’s relationship becomes more strained. It threatens to ruin more than their traditions. It also might ruin their family. What makes the legacy of this movie so great is outside of how culturally specific it is, its universal themes make audiences resonate with it. Family dynamics is something that everyone understands. And the soundtrack is truly elite!
“One finger won’t make an impact, but you ball all those fingers into a fist, and you can strike a mighty blow. Now, this family has got to be that fist.”
What makes this film so impactful is that we see it through the character of Ahmad’s point of view. We’re seeing this family and their story through his eyes. Hammond replied, “What George did great is show kids know more than we give them credit for. And the funny thing is I always marvel at this Viv. The film was Rated R. You know that right? It was a Rated R film but yet it was seen through the eyes,”
“Of an eleven year old child. Wow.” Fox included.
“I always found it interesting that George showed that perspective of these adult themes.” Hammond said.
“But it never bugged anyone. I didn’t realize it was Rated R.” Fox added.
The rating never takes away from the heart of this movie. It also shows how audience perception shifts with time and still sparks conversations today.
Sunday Dinner: The Soul Food Reunion
The documentary has been two years in the making with Fox being the early champion for the project. She also provided investment to help get the project off the ground. Their bond never fading even almost 30 years later. This documentary will include many interviews with the cast and Hammond will also share his own story after learning that he had an autoimmune diesease that affected his own acting career at its height and why he left it behind.
“I was told nobody wants to see a sick kid on TV. My agent told me that. You guys gotta remember I am in the formative years of my life. I was 14 years old. I internalized that so much. When I talked about wanting to do this documentary and you remember the lunch you had with me? So it was originally, I just wanted to get the cast back together. You know? Just celebrate this iconic film. Vivica she has texted me or called me said, Son I want to have lunch with you and talk with you. She said I love it I wanna do it. if you do this are you going to be ready to talk about why you stopped acting? Like really talk about it? So it became this thing of not just getting the cast back together but also telling my story to go along with that.”
“You have a wonderful support system to go into another chapter. I said you need to let people know so that that question is answered. So then that others that if they are going through something like this that you are still here. You’re still valuable. You are still strong and there’s another chapter for you. It may not be in front of the camera. It may be behind the camera but at least you’re free from it.” Fox included.
Soul Food Where Are They Now?
Soul Food won 5 NAACP Awards and the Soul Food series ran for five seasons on Showtime. Have you ever wanted to revisit where the characters are now. Viviva A. Fox would love for there to be a sequel to Soul Food to see where the characters are now in their lives. She already has the idea of where the story starts.
“Well the kids have grown up and left the house. And Kenny is now as a reward for Maxine being a good momma for such a long time sends her on a cruise. With the sisters and they going to have a good time. And then on the cruise they discover some other things and family secrets and things unfold again.”
“Because it was George’s life story right? I think Ahmad is a filmmaker. I feel like he’s telling stories either a documentarian because think of how inquisitive he was. He always was paying attention to that stuff and George is Ahmad. I feel like he’s involved in filmmaking, or storytelling, maybe a writer. Something that reflect who George is today. Of course he comes home and is still close to his momma. I think all that should be shown. I think Ahmad has his own family. Maxine is a grandmother. ”
Vivca also would love if the actors from the series would also make cameos within the sequel to acknowledge all the parts of this legacy.
Cover image from Stylecaster.com
