Sundance 2022: 20 Films You Need To Know About
13. Master
Mariama Diallo's directorial debut is a horror film concerned less with supernatural shenanigans - though there's certainly some of that too - than the sheer existential terror of being a Black person trying to get ahead in a mostly-white university.
In Master, Zoe Renee stars as new student Jasmine, who attempts to navigate the crushing casual racism of her fellow students, juxtaposed with new dean Gail Bishop (Regina Hall) coming to learn about the institution's deeply troubling past.
While you might think you know where Master is going, Diallo's film cleverly tinkers with genre expectations to deliver a high-wire third act that offers a damning indictment of structural oppression.
Regina Hall is especially great in a film that marks the arrival of a compelling new cinematic voice.
Master releases on Amazon Prime Video on March 18.