One of the recurring trends of A24 in 2021 was the release of movies that had long been shelved due to the pandemic. With nobody able to visit theaters, the viability of producing work proved difficult However, it wouldn’t take long until the studio was back on their feet and would be shipping films out. Following Saint Maude (2021) at the start of the year, Zola (2021) marked another acclaimed indie acquisition that found them finding their footing. Even if it wasn’t bound to be their most successful film, it was a title that ushered in the summer with familiar vibes and promised a return of the unexpected cinematic contributions they were known for.
The story begins in October 2015 on Twitter. Aziah “Zola” King had decided to share the story of a recent journey to Florida. As the tag line would suggest, it was kind of long but full of suspense. Clocking in at 148 posts, Zola’s journey gained the attention of many on the website, especially those in Black Twitter who hailed it as poetic, calling it “The Thotyssey” in reference to Homer’s “Odyssey.” Celebrities like Solange Knowles and Ava Duvernay were quick to share it. The story was popular enough to be picked up for a Rolling Stone article called “Zola Tells All: The Story Behind the Greatest Stripper Saga Ever Tweeted” that attempted to fact check Zola’s larger tale. The results may have been hyperbolized for the sake of entertainment, but Zola claims the bulk of it was true.
Despite many dismissing it as “The Twitter Story,” interest in a film adaptation popped up almost immediately. The initial interest came from A24 stalwart James Franco, who was used to chaotic comedies set in Florida after Spring Breakers (2013). Predictably, many disagreed with this decision. It wasn’t until the sexual harassment allegations around the time of The Disaster Artist (2017) took him off the project.
The actual director, Janicza Bravo, claims to have been obsessed with the story since the first day. While she came to the series late, she found herself engaged and eager to make a film. Because this was her first studio film, she went through a lengthy process to get hired that included persuading the financiers how she would design everything. Her goals were to not denigrate sex work and, in some cases, find less explicit ways to discuss themes of patriarchal dominance and cultural appropriation. Given that her previous work focused on unpleasant archetypes, she found it easy to explore the darker themes through comedy.
At her side was co-writer Jeremy O. Harris, who was also busy garnering attention for his Tony-winning Slave Play. The two immediately clicked and proceeded to write the script for Zola in a way not dissimilar from the medium they were exploring. Because both were busy in different environments, they would often text or e-mail each other ideas and pages in order to help create the larger text. It ended up being a common practice among the cast and crew. Despite Zola being highly involved with the project, her pregnancy meant she was unable to be there in person. Similarly, she would be in contact with Taylour Paige through Instagram, believing that she shared a kinship in how to play the character.
The journey of Paige appearing in the film had a few hurdles. Because of Franco’s initial involvement, she believed that the script she was sent was racist and unpleasant. However, once Bravo came aboard, her tune started to change. Following a tryout for Hustlers (2019), she found herself more comfortable and interested in Zola. Along with Zola’s blessing, she decided to work at a strip club in order to gain confidence and feel part of the role. Paige also claimed that it was as useful for character development as it was giving her much-needed income. Bravo would go further and use make-up tips from the various strippers she encountered around making the film.
Meanwhile, Riley Keough had the difficult role of playing a character that could be considered problematic. Given that Stefani was designed as a white girl who appropriated black culture and talked with a blaccent, she was worried about being perceived as insensitive. As a result, she spent a long time working with a dialect coach to land on something that felt true enough to character. Given that Bravo was also supportive of it allowed for a certain level of comfort to be brought to her character.
Rounding out the cast was Succession actor Nicolas Braun as well as returning A24 alum Coleman Domingo (Euphoria). In a moment of coincidence, Domingo had worked with Paige on Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020) seven months afterward. The film would not only be released prior to Zola by almost seven months, but would receive Oscar nominations. Also in the mix was composer Mica Levi, who had first come to prominence with Under the Skin (2014). While the two scores are vastly different, it was a return the found them exploring fairytale motifs mixed with southern flair and a nightmarish undertone.
Throughout post-production, Bravo discussed the difficulty of fully removing herself from the film. For example, moving into editing meant she had to change mentality around the director side of herself. Whenever she had conflicts, she claimed that she returned to the source material, finding it to be the most useful tool. It was a story that Zola told with dignity and she strived to keep it. She believed that it was much entertainment as it was a compelling way of exploring one woman’s trauma through her own lens. Given that it would be well over a year between its Sundance premiere and theatrical window, it meant that she found herself stuck in conversations that often felt redundant.
After the delay, the film came out during June 2021 and would gross $2 million theatrically. While some speculate that the low numbers was a byproduct of theaters struggling to welcome back patrons after quarantine, it was successful enough to draw attention. Among the highlights was a list on Indiewire critic David Ehrlich’s Top 25 movies of 2021. It also lead the film to feature seven Indie Spirit Awards nominations, including a win for Paige and Best Editing. However, the Best Screenplay nomination found Zola upset. This lead to her posting on Twitter her frustration with A24 for not including her since she believed the film wouldn’t exist without her.
Overall, the film was considered successful. The film would achieve an 88% rating on critics aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes. Among those supporting the film was David Gonzalez of The Cinematic Reel who claimed, “Zola is a transformative roller-coaster ride that is incredibly entertaining, energetic, and downright fascinating.” Zoe Rose Bryant of Loud and Clear Reviews also expressed interest when detailing, “Zola is the defining dark comedy of the digital age, thanks to Janicza Bravo’s daring direction and peerless performances from Taylour Paige and Riley Keough.” The few who disagreed included Sandra Hall of Sydney Morning Herald who detested, “All in all, the tale of what happened in the aftermath of her extended saga sounds a lot more fun than the adventure itself.” Overall, it was a high mark in A24’s rebound year and further proof they would be one of the leaders of the post-pandemic theatrical model. The studio would also release a hardback version of Zola’s original posts with the title card reading “#TheNovel” to show how highly they thought of the work.
For what it lacked in box office receipts, Zola more than made up for as one of the studio’s most provocative films of 2021. As of this publication, Bravo hasn’t announced a film follow-up. However, she has worked on TV doing shows like Atlanta, Mrs. America, and most recently with Poker Face. The cast continues to work elsewhere and Levi has reteamed with Under the Skin filmmaker Jonathan Glazer for his follow-up The Zone of Interest (2023). Overall, it was a film that put the group back in the comfortable land of Florida to produce another mesmerizing ode to debauchery and madness. Despite its messy origin, it more than proved that any story is worth telling no matter where it comes from. Likewise, their follow-up found them returning to the well of documentaries for a subject who may strike many as unlikely, but would help to establish their brand of representing vanguards of their field.
Coming Up Next: Val (2021)
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