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A14 PEOPLE / ARTS
Thursday 18 January 2024

Ava DuVernay’s ‘Origin’ is a powerful, artful, interpretation of ‘Caste’

By LINDSEY BAHR wary. And she’s unafraid to
AP Film Writer pursue her hunch that ev-
Words like “important” and eryone, civilians and book
“vital” are thrown around editors alike, seems to be
possibly a little too much telling her isn’t worth it.
in film criticism. It’s not that This is a character who is
we don’t mean it — it’s just surrounded by love when
that sometimes we (ok, I) we meet her, with a fairly
can get a bit excited. And perfect and supportive
when watching and re- husband (Jon Bernthal), her
viewing good films in real aging mother Ruby (Em-
time, it’s impossible to know ily Yancy) and a cousin/
what is yet to come. Will confidant in Marion (Niecy
there be something else Nash-Betts). She is not im-
that makes that superlative mediately interested in an
seem silly in retrospect? Of- assignment about Trayvon
ten times, yes. Martin, and is a bit stuck
Ava DuVernay’s new film knowing that whatever
“Origin” is that something she does, she’ll have to
else. It is a powerful and give herself over fully to it.
artistic interpretation of an In “Origin,” a push comes
academic book that was This image released by Neon shows Jon Bernthal, left, and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor in a scene from in the form of loss and her
anything but an obvious “Origin.” Associated Press research takes on a vital
candidate for a narrative urgency to, not to be too
feature. The book in ques- encountered and “the key- we follow the character fully by Aunjanue Ellis-Tay- hyperbolic, figure out why
tion is “Caste: The Origins of note nonfiction book of the Isabel Wilkerson as she puts lor, an actor deep enough everything is rotten before
Our Discontents,” in which American century thus far.” the pieces together while to engage with the aca- she too leaves the earth.
Pulitzer Prize-winning au- That “Caste” was appeal- her life crumbles. With an demic and intellectual in- DuVernay takes us into her
thor Isabel Wilkerson offers ing to DuVernay, who has unconventional structure, quiries of the film, and char- findings as Wilkerson learns
an overriding theory about made documentaries like in which we are often trans- ismatic enough to make about a group of Harvard
power and hierarchy and “13th,” connecting slavery ported to different stories in what sounds like homework students, two Black, two
systemic dehumanization in to mass incarceration of different times, in the Amer- absorbing. Hers is the kind white, who integrate them-
social structures, connect- Black men, is not surprising. ican South, Nazi Germany of 360-degree Black wom- selves into a segregated
ing the Black experience What’s she’s done with it and early 20th century In- an that we don’t see lead- Southern community to
in America to the Dalits of is. Instead of rehashing the dia, “Origin” is nonetheless ing films very often: She is study it, a Nazi party mem-
India and Jewish people facts of the book, DuVer- alarmingly effective, a riv- at once confident and full ber who fell in love with a
in Nazi Germany. The New nay has turned “Caste” eting and haunting journey of doubt and vulnerability, Jewish woman, and an In-
York Times reviewer called into an investigative, fic- to a kind of enlightenment. accomplished but search- dian intellectual who rose
it one of the most powerful tionalized drama in which Wilkerson is played beauti- ing, determined and still out of his lowly caste and
non-fiction books he’d ever advocated for Dalit rightsq

Steely Dan, R.E.M., Timbaland, Hillary Lindsey and Dean Pitchford

get into Songwriters Hall of Fame

By MARK KENNEDY for Little Big Town and “Je- performing-songwriter cat-
AP Entertainment Writer sus, Take the Wheel” for egory.
NEW YORK (AP) — Steely Carrie Underwood. The induction ceremony
Dan, R.E.M., Timbaland, The class of 2024 also in- will be held on June 13 in
Hillary Lindsey and Dean cludes Pitchford, who New York City.
Pitchford will be inducted helped Kenny Loggins with Last year’s inductees in-
into the Songwriters Hall of the megahit “Footloose” cluded Snoop Dogg, Gloria
Fame, an incoming class of and also co-wrote “Fame” Estefan, Sade, Jeff Lynne,
musicians who have scaled and “Holding Out For a Glen Ballard and Teddy Ri-
the heights of country, clas- Hero,” and producer-writer ley. Some of those already
sic rock, pop, hip-hop and Timbaland, the mastermind in the hall include Carole
alt-rock. behind Justin Timberlake’s King, Paul Simon, Billy Joel,
Steely Dan co-founded by “SexyBack” and Missy El- Elton John and Bernie Tau-
Donald Fagan and the late liot’s “Get Yer Freak On.” pin, Brian Wilson, James
Walter Becker finally get On the ballot but unlucky Taylor, Bruce Springsteen
into the hall despite being this year were Public Ene- and Tom Petty.
a staple of classic rock with Donald Fagen, left, and Walter Becker of Steely Dan pose at my, Bryan Adams, George The Songwriters Hall of
songs like “Reelin’ in the New York’s S.I.R. Studios on Aug. 5, 1993, before a rehearsal for Clinton, Tracy Chapman, Fame was established in
Years,” “Do It Again” and their upcoming tour. Becker died in 2017. Blondie, Heart, The Doobie 1969 to honor those creat-
“Hey Nineteen.” They went Associated Press Brothers and David Gates. ing the popular music. A
into the Rock & Roll Hall of Eligible voting members songwriter with a notable
Fame in 2001. chael Stipe are behind of the World as We Know turned in ballots with their catalog of songs qualifies
R.E.M. the inducted mem- such alt-rock hits as “Losing It (And I Feel Fine).” And choices of three nominees for induction 20 years after
bers are Bill Berry, Peter My Religion,” “Everybody Nashville hitmaker Lindsey from the songwriter cat- the first commercial release
Buck, Mike Mills and Mi- Hurts” and “It’s the End helped write “Girl Crush” egory and three from the of a song.q