It’s never too late to reinvent yourself in The Forty-Year-Old Version, the feature debut of writer, director, and actor Radha Blank.
Drawing from her own life, Radha envisions a woman not dissimilar to herself: a promising playwright who, after being put on a prestigious 30 Under 30 list, saw her career fizzle. Now teaching and approaching 40, she’s trying to find the spark to not only keep going but to thrive artistically. Thinking a change of medium will help, she decides to try out rapping, a definite change of pace but one she finds is the jump start she needs.
Now, this isn’t exactly how Radha’s life has gone, but she is a playwright-turned-filmmaker, having done a little bit of TV work as prep. She does have plenty of first-hand experience navigating the stories people want and how her interests as a Black woman may not fit that mold, which is a significant part of what she wanted to explore with Forty-Year-Old Version, and it’s something people have responded to.
This movie got rave reviews after its premiere at Sundance and garnered Radha a directing award at the festival. The flashy black-and-white cinematography and very personal story certainly made it an easy sell in that insular world, and now that it’s being released on Netflix, everyone can finally partake.
The Forty-Year-Old Version is directed by Radha Blank and stars Blank, Peter Kim, and Oswin Benjamin. It will be released on Netflix in the US on October 9th, 2020. For international release dates, click here.
Will you check this one out? Let us know in the comments!
Does content like this matter to you?
Become a Member and support film journalism. Unlock access to all of Film Inquiry`s great articles. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about cinema – get access to our private members Network, give back to independent filmmakers, and more.
Join now!
