“Night Catches Us” is going to be released on February 1, 2011 and is available for pre-order on DVD for $19.99 or Blu-ray for $21.99 at Amazon.

The trailer for “Night Catches Us” has been released – the film will be released on December 3, 2010.

I have added some production stills and posters (mostly in HQ) from three of Kerry’s recent films; “Mother and Child”, “Night Catches Us” and “For Colored Girls”.

Actress Kerry Washington has had a varied career in Hollywood, appearing in such film as the Chris Rock comedy “I Think I Love My Wife,” the drama “The Last King of Scotland” and the superhero movie “Fantastic Four.”

This weekend, she’s taken on a new role as the “festival ambassador” for the 14th annual Urbanworld Film Festival, an event held in New York City dedicated to promoting multicultural cinema. She also attended the festival premiere of her new film “Night Catches Us,” a drama from first-time director Tanya Hamilton.

Speakeasy talked to Washington about the festival and her new movie.

Speakeasy: What is Urbanworld about?

I think that film is really the dominant way that we tell stories now. It’s important to me that everyone has a seat at the table when it comes to storytelling. That everybody is allowed to see themselves on the screen and experience everyone else’s culture. Urbanworld is a festival that allows that to happen—it supports independent filmmakers of color, urban filmmakers, filmmakers that are telling stories that may not be told by studio heads and people in the mainstream.

Your new film “Night Catches Us” is a period piece that involves the Black Panthers. What drew you to this script?

I was intrigued by idea that here was a piece that took place within the context of the Black Panther party, but it was not a film about what we normally think about the Black Panthers. It’s not a film filled with stereotypical imagery. It goes beyond the imagery to tell a story of real human beings who are dealing with real human issues. So it’s not just Afros and machine guns and black fists. It’s about two people—my character and [co-star] Anthony Mackie’s character—who are trying to make sense of their lives 10 years after being involved in the movement. Those are universal issues we’re all dealing with: how do you make peace with the past?

What was it like working with Tanya Hamilton?

She’s really fun, she’s been developing the film for many years. It was nice to be part of the process that helped make it happen. It was exciting to be part of her first film.

Source

Magnolia Pictures has acquired the theatrical rights to Night Catches Us which was a hit with critics and audience members at this years Sundance Film Festival. The film which re-units co-stars Anthony Mackie and Kerry Washington (they both worked together on the film She Hate Me almost six years ago together) and also stars Jamie Hector and Wendell Pierce.

Set on the steamy streets of Philadelphia during the summer of 1976, the film which marks filmmaker Tanya Hamilton’s debut, follows Marcus Washington (Mackie), an ex-Black Panther who returns home to confront his past which includes Patricia Wilson (Washington). The romantic drama deals with real issues during a politically complex and emo