Soul Damage film screening set for Yazoo

After months of planning and preparation, Yazoo City will be the host of a movie screening for the film Soul Damage.

Yazoo City native and author of Soul Damage, Maximus Wright, has been planning to host an event for the movie since it finished production.

Many Yazooans may remember attending Soul Damage the Play, when it was performed in Yazoo City last year. The red carpet event was held in order to raise funds to help finish the filming process.

The screening for Soul Damage the Movie will be held on Sunday, February 17, beginning at 3 p.m. inside the Yazoo Community Complex, located at 516 East Canal Street in Yazoo City.

Tickets are on sale now for the event, which are $15 for VIP admission, and $10 for general admission.

With over 600 seats available inside the complex auditorium, Wright hopes that many people in Yazoo City will come out and support the event and the message the movie entails.

"We are going to have a panel discussion after the screening," Wright said. "We are going to be talking about some of the issues that we are trying to address in the film with the cast and crew."

Wright added that joining him in the discussion will be many actors from the film, who will be able to shed light on the issues that stand out in the film, such as child abuse and addiction.

So far, Soul Damage has received a lot of positive feedback from viewers. Two screenings at Malco in Madison were sold out earlier this year, we well as a screening at Tougaloo College.  Wright also said that a successful screening in Atlanta has now led to talks of a potential premier in that city as well.

"Everywhere we have been going has been really good," said Wright. "The biggest thing that people are saying is they knew it was going to be good, but they didn't think it was going to be that good."

Wright added that some of the feedback from viewers about Soul Damage have said that the "storyline and comedy was superb," and that it "competes with anything that is on network television."

While Soul Damage has not been nominated for any awards or been entered into any film contests, Wright said that its trailer has been viewed by notable celebrities such as Morgan Freeman and Tyler Perry, who were both pleased with what they saw.

Wright said that screening the movie for Soul Damage is important to him because he wants the people of his hometown to understand and have an honest discussion about the hard subject matter shown in the film.

"The biggest thing I want them to realize is, these are our stories and they are worth telling," he said. "I also want to inspire the next generation of filmmakers that this is possible; no matter how outlandish it may seem."

To go along with the movie, Wright said that copies of his original book, Soul Damage, will be available at the screening for a book signing, as well as his new prequel to the series, My Name is Lola, which is currently being filmed.

Tickets for the Yazoo City screening of Soul Damage can be purchased online at www.yazoosoul.eventbrite.com, or by calling 601-398-6733.

Hard copies of tickets will be available for purchase from individuals in Yazoo City soon.