What can one life teach us about humanity? “All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt” peels away the layers of a woman’s complicated life. The film’s story follows Mackenzie, also known as Mack, as she traverses a life full of love, heartbreak, grief, and hope. It stars Charleen McClure, Moses Ingram, Reginald Helms Jr., Zainab Jah, Sheila Atim, and Chris Chalk. McClure is a poet and educator who makes her feature debut in ‘All Roads’ — the outstanding performance shows the star can excel in other projects.
Director Raven Jackson utilized a photography background to find inspiration. “These photographs became so important to the story, especially photographs of my mom,” she said. “They opened a window into the character of Mack for me, and helped ground me more into the land of the film.” In our review, we noted Jackson’s striking approach to the material. “At her heart, Jackson is a humanist filmmaker; she finds such pleasure, assurance, and empathy in human embrace and Black love,” he wrote.
Critics are not the only viewers to notice Jackson’s talent for the medium. Barry Jenkins found promise in the script’ earliest stages — selecting it as his pick among the 2019 Indie Memphis Black Filmmaker Residency for Screenwriting.
Here’s the film’s official synopsis:
“A lyrical, decades-spanning exploration across a woman’s life in Mississippi, the feature debut from award-winning poet, photographer and filmmaker Raven Jackson is a haunting and richly layered portrait, a beautiful ode to the generations of people and places that shape us.”
The power of humanity is on display in A24’s “All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt.” The Sundance Film Festival entry, and just announced New York Film Festival selection, opens in theaters this fall. Watch the new trailer below:
