After a regretful night of passion that neither of the two characters really remember, Joanne, who just cheated on her boyfriend wants to forget her encounter with Micah as soon as possible. The pair is forced to meet up again after Micah founds Joanne’s wallet in a taxi. They spend the rest of the day walking around San Francisco, talking about discrimination and what it means to be black in America. Their initial walk of shame transforms into a colorful and poetic adventure through the slowly gentrifying city.
Colours play a crucial role in Medicine for Melancholy, sometimes lavish, sometimes bright, Barry Jenkins treats the colours of the image to symbolize Micah and Joanne’s reflections on identity politics. As the two reduce their existence to a matter of race, the colours fade from the screen. When they decide to stop looking at their life through such a narrow view, the colours return. The black and white tones also symbolize San Francisco losing its colours, slowly getting whiter and whiter.
Medicine for Melancholy is Barry Jenkins’ first feature film, building the foundations for colorful and sensitive Moonlight and the tv show Dear white people. The film received critical acclaim after its release, getting multiple nominations and awards at the Mar del Plata Film Festival and San Francisco Film Critics Circle.
For such a tender film about romance, closure and poetics of love, it is only appropriate to share the experience with your loved ones: and the more, the merrier! If you have a lot of close friends, family or lovers to share Medicine for Melancholy with, don’t miss out on our Double Date offer: 4 tickets for € 38,50!
About Roffa Mon Amour
Welcome to your most magical open air film festival in summer in Rotterdam. For 12 days in August, the festival celebrates cinematic talent from around the world, presenting films at night at a playful location. Roffa Mon Amour thrills and moves you with a selection of colorful, daring films from new and known filmmakers, live Cinema Concerts, introductions, and Q&As. At a very special festival location, you travel from Tunis to Hong Kong to back again from New York to Rotterdam.
Next to the annual film festival, Roffa Mon Amour presents various other film events and collaborations throughout the year, as we open an inspiring and unpredictable world of cinema to a curious audience. Discover films that shock or hurt, that make you fall in love, or transport you to another world, all from well-selected locations in our beloved Rotterdam.
About Roffa Mon Amour
Welcome to your most magical open air film festival in summer in Rotterdam. For 12 days in August, the festival celebrates cinematic talent from around the world, presenting films at night at a playful location. Roffa Mon Amour thrills and moves you with a selection of colorful, daring films from new and known filmmakers, live Cinema Concerts, introductions, and Q&As. At a very special festival location, you travel from Tunis to Hong Kong to back again from New York to Rotterdam.
Next to the annual film festival, Roffa Mon Amour presents various other film events and collaborations throughout the year, as we open an inspiring and unpredictable world of cinema to a curious audience. Discover films that shock or hurt, that make you fall in love, or transport you to another world, all from well-selected locations in our beloved Rotterdam.