Before the streaming premiere of Emancipation on Apple TV+ in December, star Will Smith hosted a private screening of the film. Directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training day), Emancipation tells the true story of a runaway slave who seeks freedom at all costs. It is the first film starring Smith to be released since the actor was involved in the Academy Awards scandal in which he punched Chris Rock before winning the Oscar for his role in King Richard.
When he revealed he was having a private showing, Smith took over: Instagram to post some photos from the event. He can be seen with several familiar faces in one image, including Dave Chappelle, Rihanna, Kenya Barris, Tyler Perry, ASAP Rocky and others. Some of them have also used social media to praise the film.
“EPIC evening!! Thanx for coming to watch Emancipation. Hope you enjoyed it!!” Smith wrote in his original post.
“This night was truly one for the books!” Barris wrote on his own Instagram account when re-sharing the photo. “An amazing and brilliant group of friends got together and witnessed TRUE ART. The conversation after that was the effect of what we hope for as creatives in this industry. Love you Will Smith and thank you for hosting… Emancipation is true art, power and everything else a movie should be. You have one, Will Smith.’
Tyler Perry also posted on his Instagram Stories: “I’m still haunted by Emancipation. It’s really powerful, moving and captivating. And the conversation afterwards with this group was legendary. Thanks, Will Smith, for the preview.”
Will Smith could possibly win an Oscar for emancipation
After the incident at the Oscars, Emancipation was postponed on Apple TV+ due to the controversy. However, as the months have passed, opposition to Smith has waned considerably. By switching and letting go Emancipation after all, this year the film now qualifies for nominations at the Oscars in 2023. Smith may have another shot at the Best Actor nod, because while he won’t have access to all the events organized by the Academy for the next ten years, he’s still still eligible to be nominated for awards.
“During my career, I turned down a lot of movies that were set in slavery,” Smith said of why he Emancipation at a previous showing of the film. “I never wanted to show us like that. And then this picture came along. And this isn’t a movie about slavery. This is a movie about freedom. This is a movie about resilience. This is a movie about faith. This is a movie about a man’s heart – what might be called the first viral image.”
Referring to a famous image of the former slave on which the film is based, Smith added: “Cameras had just been shot and the image of the beaten Peter went around the world. It was a rallying cry against slavery, and this was a story that exploded and blossomed in my heart that I wanted to be able to deliver to you in a way that only Antoine Fuqua could deliver.
Emancipation will hit theaters on December 2, 2022, followed by a streaming release on Apple TV+ on December 9, 2022. You can watch the first trailer for the film below.