Origin

Origin is a 2023 American biographical drama film written and directed by Ava DuVernay. It is based on the nonfiction book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson, which describes racism in the United States as an aspect of a caste system. The film stars Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as Wilkerson, alongside Jon Bernthal, Vera Farmiga, Audra McDonald, Niecy Nash-Betts, Nick Offerman, and Blair Underwood.
Origin was selected to compete for the Golden Lion at the 80th Venice International Film Festival, where it premiered on September 6, 2023. It had a limited theatrical release by NEON on December 8, 2023, and is scheduled to expand to a wide release on January 19, 2024. The film received positive reviews from critics, most of whom regarded it as a return to form for DuVernay.
== Synopsis ==
Grappling with tremendous personal tragedy, writer Isabel Wilkerson sets herself on a path of global investigation and discovery as she writes Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents.
== Cast ==
* Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as Isabel Wilkerson
* Jon Bernthal as Brett Hamilton
* Vera Farmiga
* Audra McDonald
* Niecy Nash-Betts as Marion
* Nick Offerman as a plumber
* Blair Underwood as Amari
* Donna Mills
* Leonardo Nam
* Stephanie March
* Connie Nielsen as Sabine
* Finn Wittrock as August Landmesser
* Victoria Pedretti as Irma Eckler
* Mieke Schymura
* Emily Yancy as Isabel's mother
* Jasmine Cephas Jones as Elizabeth Davis
* Isha Blaaker as Allison Davis
* Myles Frost as Trayvon Martin
* Gaurav J. Pathania as Dr. B. R. Ambedkar
* Suraj Yengde as himself
== Production ==
In October 2020, it was announced that Ava DuVernay would direct, write, and produce a film adaption of Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents for Netflix. After Netflix was no longer attached and other studios passed, DuVernay turned to financing from Ford Foundation, Emerson Collective and Pivotal Ventures, among others. In January 2023, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Niecy Nash-Betts, Jon Bernthal, Vera Farmiga, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Nick Offerman and Connie Nielsen joined the cast of the film. A month later, they were joined by Audra McDonald, Myles Frost, Blair Underwood, Victoria Pedretti, Isha Blaaker, Finn Wittrock, Leonardo Nam and Donna Mills.
Principal photography began in December 2022 in Savannah, Georgia. The film ends with New Zealand musician Stan Walker's song "I Am", which is sung bilingually in English and Māori.
== Release ==
Origin had its world premiere at the 80th Venice International Film Festival on September 6, 2023, where it was nominated for the Golden Lion award but lost to Poor Things. Prior to this, NEON acquired distribution rights to the film. It also screened at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival on September 11, five days later. It had a limited theatrical release in New York and Los Angeles on December 8, 2023, and will later expand to a wide release on January 19, 2024.
== Reception ==
Origin garnered positive reception from critics, most of which saw the film as a return to form for DuVernay following her previous effort, A Wrinkle in Time (2018). On Rotten Tomatoes, 80% of 76 critics' aggregated reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.2/10. The website's consensus reads: "A moving drama that's unafraid to ask big questions, Origin honors its source material with powerful performances in service of a deeply emotional story." Metacritic assigned the film an average score of 76 out of 100, based on 22 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.
== Videos ==
ORIGIN - Official Teaser Trailer - Coming Soon
ORIGIN - Official Trailer - In Theaters January 19
Category:American films
Category:2023 American films
Category:2020s films
Category:2020s American films
Category:NEON films
Category:English-language films
Category:Drama films
Category:American drama films
Category:2023 drama films
Category:2023 American drama films
Category:2020s drama films
Category:2020s American drama films
Category:Biographical films
Category:American biographical films
Category:2023 biographical films
Category:2023 American biographical films
Category:2020s biographical films
Category:2020s American biographical films
Category:Films based on nonfiction books
Category:Films directed by Ava DuVernay
Category:Films shot in Georgia (U.S. state)
Category:Biographical drama films
Category:Films about racism
Category:Films about race and ethnicity
Category:Films starring Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor
Category:Films starring Jon Bernthal
Category:Films starring Vera Farmiga
Category:Films starring Audra McDonald
Category:Films starring Nick Offerman
Category:Films Starring Blair Underwood
Category:Films starring Connie Nielsen
Category:Films starring Niecy Nash-Betts
Category:Articles with red links