The Montclair Film Festival will hold a free screening of Venus And Serena and a Q&A with the film’s director, Michelle Major, in the Glenfield Middle School auditorium on Saturday, February 23 at 3 p.m.
Venus and Serena is an intimate look at tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams, two of the most influential African-American women of their generation. Ever since Venus and Serena Williams started playing in tennis tournaments, they’ve provoked strong reactions–from awe and admiration to suspicion and resentment. They’ve been winning championships for over a decade, pushing the limits of longevity in such a demanding sport. How long can they last?
In Venus and Serena, filmmakers Michelle Major and Maiken Baird gained unprecedented access into their lives during the most intimidating year of their career. Over the course of 2011, Venus grappled with an energy-sapping autoimmune disease while Serena battled back from a life-threatening pulmonary embolism. Neither Venus nor Serena let their adversities hold them back and drew their greatest strength from each other. The film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2012 and will be released later this year.
If you want to see the film, you can reserve seats online through the Montclair Film Festival’s Web site. Walk-ins are welcome but those with reservations will be seated first. Glenfield Middle School is located at 25 Maple Avenue in Montclair.
