CULTURE CLASSICS – Soul Food – Creators For The Culture

On this Thanksgiving day we had to hit you with one of the best #CultureClassics to watch with your family that reps The Culture and the holiday, Soul Food.

The name alone makes Soul Food theideal flick for Thanksgiving family viewing, but what makes it a #CultureClassic is that it’s a very realistic, warm, and overall positive portrayal of a black family that shows the good, the bad, and the ugly. Soul Food is a 1997 comedy-drama featuring an ensemble cast filled with some of the best black actors of the time. The film stars creators for The Culture Vanessa L. Williams, Vivica A. Fox, Nia Long, Michael Beach, Mekhi Phifer, Jeffrey D. Sams, Irma P. Hall, and Brandon Hammond. The film was written and directed by George Tillman, Jr.

The story centers on three sisters, their mother and their commitment to keeping the family tradition of Sunday dinner alive despite all of the drama going on in their lives. And as the film proceeds, those longstanding family traditions begin to fade as serious problems take center stage. It’s raw and honest but it’s also funny and is a film with heart and the message of family sticking together no matter what resonates with black families everywhere. The film was so beloved that it also spawned a hit television spinoff that aired for 4 seasons on Showtime. And don’t forget the classic “Mom” joint on the soundtrack made by one of the all-time great R&B groups Boyz II Men “A Song For Mama”.

#FunFacts: Tillman based the family in the film on his own family and the film produced by legendary R&B singer and songwriter Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, and his then wife Tracey Edmonds.