Well firstly, the film is a Griot Soul* production – an American film company owned by female member of the black LGBT community, Darice Jones.
(*Griot: One who carries the cultural knowledge and identity of the people.)

Hosts, Outburst UK, promoted the event as the ‘UK Premier of the first feature-length romantic drama film about black same-gender loving women.’

A mouthful yes, but enough to get our curious minds going. More than enough for us to set-up a Facebook ‘event’; to send out hundreds of emails and text messages, and to generate momentous conversation - the essence, not far removed from Barrack’s ‘yes we can’ chant.

We were excited because one of our own had achieved once again. Support, respect and camaraderie were most definitely due.

What exactly she ‘wasn’t last night’ is something we could ask later. We just wanted to be there, be a part and do something different.

I didn’t have any expectations. I was excited and wanted the whole experience to wash over me in a good way. This came almost immediately whilst waiting in the lobby. I saw so many of my female friends – smiling faces, both old and new.

The next wave hit me straight after the opening credits; picture the sunshine, the picnic blanket, the green grass and two black females laying down, whispering sweet nothings and kissing ever so gently. All this and a beautiful soulful voice in the background.

If film-maker, writer and Director, Darice Jones, had intended to break barriers and change human conceptions of black lesbians, she smashed it right here. I wasn’t dreaming; I was actually watching something I never, ever thought I would see in a reputable public venue and it wasn’t rated XXX.

The very real story-line reminded us of the all-too-familiar in our lives and our relationships – the confusion, the infidelity, the age difference. Also, the importance of being able to let go before being able to move on, along with the positive message to always follow our dreams and be the best that we can be:

‘Shantel is slammed by drama as her relationship with Reyna, 10 years her junior, begins to crumble. Charming player Jack (Jacqueline) is determined to make Reyna hers. Shantel is forced to face Reyna’s despair and decide what kind of life she wants for herself.’ (From promo material).

Although the story carried no surprises and was therefore easy to watch, I still safely deposited the messages and laughed heartily at the jokes (and meant it). I also laughed heartily at the scenes which were probably not meant to be comedic. In fact everyone did - very loudly. Not to mention the heckling.

I put this (the heckling, or positive audience interaction in this case) down to the crowd feeling quite at home among their own, watching their own. Somehow I don’t think this would have happened if we were watching a mainstream romantic drama.

My heckling (something I would never normally do) was down to feeling a little bashful: “She’s not wearing matching underwear”, I shouted during the love scene.

What I really meant was, “this is so beautiful to see but I don’t think I can handle it because I feel as if I am spying on my best friends.” That’s how real and close to home those characters looked and felt, to me.

We went to see She Wasn’t Last Night not only because it was an innovative, ground-breaking venture, but also because of the promise (and delivery) of complete comfort within wonderfully familiar territory.

Darice Jones brought us together in this fashion and depicted our lives so clearly. She followed her film-making dreams and has shown us that ‘we can’ too.

And did we like the film? Perhaps the answer to this lies in the question: Do we like ourselves?

See Images from the event here.

Jai Henrietta
blessence magazine.com

Jai holds a post-graduate certificate in Magazine Journalism and is NCTJ qualified in News writing and Sub-editing.