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6d ago

Ryan Coogler Brings 'Sinners' Home with Three-Day Clarksdale Festival

A three-day celebration brought screenings with cast Q&As alongside cultural showcases of Delta heritage, illustrating local aspirations for education and economic revitalization.

The Clarksdale Civic Auditorium was packed full of people for a special screening of Sinners in Clarksdale, Mississippi on Thursday, May 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Sophie Bates)
Clarksdale native Edna Nicole performs at Red’s Juke Joint in celebration of a special screening of “Sinners” in Clarksdale, Mississippi, U.S. May 29, 2025, where the Ryan Coogler film is set. REUTERS/Kevin Wurm
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Director Ryan Coogler sits with a panel for a Q-and-A after a screening of Sinners in Clarksdale, Mississippi on Thursday, May 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Sophie Bates)

Overview

  • A petition led by community organizer Tyler Yarbrough persuaded Warner Bros. to equip Clarksdale’s civic auditorium for the May 29 screening of the film set in the town.
  • Hundreds of residents and visitors filled the makeshift cinema to watch the 1930s Mississippi Delta–set vampire drama despite the absence of a permanent local theater.
  • Ryan Coogler was joined by composer Ludwig Göransson and several cast members for a post-screening Q&A to discuss the film’s fusion of horror, music and Jim Crow–era themes.
  • The special screening served as the centerpiece of a three-day festival featuring panels on Black heritage, live performances and youth workshops celebrating regional culture.
  • Mayor Chuck Espy said the event’s spotlight on Clarksdale could drive new performance, educational and economic opportunities for the majority Black community.