Chevalier

Continuing April 28 - May 4:

Though his life and accomplishments were largely erased under Napoleon, the extraordinary figure at the center of Chevalier really did exist. Born on the island of Guadeloupe, Joseph Bologne was the son of George (Jim High), a white plantation owner, and Nanon (Ronke Adekoluejo), an enslaved woman of Senegalese origin. As a boy, his father brought him to Paris to offer him the finest education, and he floated in spheres rarely accessible to people of color in 18th-century French society. As a young man, his talent, ambition, and drive to surmount the racist barriers around him propelled him to become both a champion swordsman and notable musician. He was invited to play violin at Versailles by Marie Antoinette herself, and his greatest goal was to become leader of the prestigious Paris Opera.

So why has it taken so long for his story to be told? Chevalier may not entirely answer that question, but it does attempt to fill a historical gap. With brazen spirit and a bit of panache (it starts with a musical showdown that’s choreographed like a rap battle), this modern-minded costume drama uncovers the story of a true original.  

(US / 2022 / Directed by Stephen Williams)
PG-13 / 1 hr 47 mins