Little Woods and the 10 best Tessa Thompson movies of all-time
By Mads Lennon
10. Mississippi Damned (2009)
Original Release Date: January 16, 2009
Box Office Earnings: Unfortunately, the film did not have a traditional box office amount as the film was unable to find distribution. It was released on Showtime in 2011.
Critical Acclaim: The film was praised by critics during its festival run. However, it doesn’t have a score on Rotten Tomatoes due to not finding distribution. That said, the few critics who did review the movie were impressed with the way it wrote about the stories of black men, women, and children.
About the Role: Tessa Thompson plays the role of Kari Peterson, one of the three main kids in the film. She won the award for Best Actor at the 2009 American Black Film Festival.
Simply the Best: Despite Mississippi Damned flying under the radar and failing to get theatrical distribution, this role was one of Thompson’s first break-out film roles. In the film, she and her teenage cousins, Leigh and Sammy, watch their mothers and aunts struggle to keep the roof over their heads.
Kari has a traumatic backstory but develops a skill for piano. However, she is forced to delay college in order to take care of her mother. Thompson’s character is the heart of the movie. The film was written and directed by Tina Mabry and based on her life growing up in Mississippi.