Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Projectcenters on the poet, with Giovanni herself on screen.
She had great difficulty with memory and we use that and its clear, Brewster said.
We use multiple devices to highlight that.
So we like to think its part of the ride that we take the audience on.
Stephenson noted that any gaps in Giovannis firsthand recollection may have been covered by her poetry at the time.
Being able to work with poetry is one of the most powerful mediums to engage with.
Giovanni did not always agree to read her own poems either.
ProducerTommy Olivershared the process of recruiting Henson.
Nikki didnt want to go back, Oliver said.
She didnt want to read a certain poem but it was important the film went to those places.
Thats where the idea of somebody like Taraji came up.
She saw the film.
She was genuinely happy to do it.
Space took on greater meaning to Giovanni.
She literally used space to cope as a child with a childhood which was rather traumatic, Brewster said.
Space becomes something a little more personal.
It becomes relationships with the people around us.
I think thats why the film moves people.
Now we have a tangible way of experiencing what she calls space but we call love.
you’re able to actually see it and feel it as the film gets to the third act.
Stephenson said she believes Giovanni truly wants to visit Mars.
With that journey still some time away, Stephenson found she could use it as a metaphor.
Its really about what does it mean to be humans?
What does it mean to be earthlings, as she says?
What are the barriers we must overcome to really make this journey to Mars something thats more transformational?
Beyond race, thats really about this earth that were living in.
How do we ground our relationships?
Check out the panel video above.
