"Woke" New Indie Film Breaks Barriers Off Black Sci-Fi

** No Spoilers**

Woke, a new short film from filmmaker Raeshelle Cooke, subtly weaves a futuristic, sci-fi drama around compelling social issues. Set in the year 3000, Woke delivers an immersive VFX experience about “the last Black woman on Earth”. Notably, both the director and lead actress are Black women, an uncommonly rare sight in the world of sci-fi film.

The 20-minute story begins with an eye-popping bang as DANAI (Teajuana Scott), the heroine/protagonist, suddenly regains consciousness in an unfamiliar world. Discovering a pair of hi-tech news goggles, she slowly becomes aware of the events leading to the destruction of all Black women. Secretly pursued by a curious war survivor, SIDNEY (Sam Krueger) a “Caucasian” man, she is shocked by his version of events which leads to several highly confrontational physical and verbal combat scenes.

The actors convincingly portray two paranoid war survivors, both dependent on and suspicious of each other. They deliver their dialogues with confidence, even-toned verbal acuity, and the emotional vocal arcs of traumatized strangers who are wary of each other yet relieved to share painful and deeply personal information about themselves. Their characters arc fully from angry and oppositional to understanding and cooperative, adding a very human touch to a high tech story.

The VFX and sci-fi sounds are expertly interspersed without overpowering the story or drowning out the dialogue. The suspense is maintained by a “spooky” soundtrack that kept my heart pumping and is fully appropriate for the setting, which is an abandoned woods.

Technically, the camera and editing are very good. Multiple smooth, quick cuts keep the action moving and raises the level of tension between the two characters. Fresh camera angling offered many visually surprising moments, giving the feeling that something or someone evil could emerge from the woods at any time.

The story and script are unique and brilliantly executed. While the main theme is the aftermath of an apocalyptic race war, the personal stories that emerge, of childhood trauma, loneliness and sexuality, make this a highly relatable and personal piece. The director perfectly times serious moments with some unexpected comic relief that lifts the scenes without taking away from the heavier subject matter. The dialogue is crisp and sparse, building a realistic, balanced banter between the characters that gradually intensifies into a conclusive verbal sparring. The ending marries personal and social suffering tinged with hope while remaining suspenseful and surprising.

Woke is the first true breakout sci-fi film from a Black female director that deserves a serious look by a larger audience. It offers both die hard sci-fi fans and socially conscious audiences a fresh and dynamic piece with plenty of unexpected twists and turns to keep anyone excited and involved.

I absolutely give this film Five stars on 5-star rating scale. I was engrossed, intrigued, fascinated, and surprised. This short film is a rare accomplishment. It seriously addresses multiple social issues within a fictitious setting while building a viable conflict and allowing the audience to wonder how the characters will ever make it to “the end”.

Marvelous directing and I highly recommend it to everyone!

To view the trailer for Woke, click here.