‘Miss Juneteenth’ Trailer: Nicole Beharie Is An Ex-Beauty Queen Who Wants More For Her Daughter

Beauty pageants have gotten a bad rap, and they’ve frequently been a target of movies, including one of my all-time favorite comedies, Drop Dead Gorgeous. But Miss Juneteeth seeks to change the narrative a little bit. The competitions are also a means of empowerment for some women, others a way to pass on a family legacy, and further still a chance at a better life.

Debuting at Sundance where it was met with critical acclaim (I regret passing it up), Miss Juneteenth stars Nicole Beharie as a Texas single mother and former beauty queen preparing her teen daughter to win the same pageant she did years earlier. Because of the struggles she’s had just getting by, she will do anything to help her daughter win and have a chance at a better life.

The cast includes Kendrick Sampson, Alexis Chikaeze, and Liz Mikel. Making her feature directorial debut is Channing Godfrey Peoples, best known for her work on drama series Queen Sugar.

Miss Juneteenth hits VOD and select theaters, when else, on June 19th.

 

Travis Hopson
Travis Hopson has been reviewing movies before he even knew there was such a thing. Having grown up on a combination of bad '80s movies, pro wrestling, comic books, and hip-hop, Travis is uniquely positioned to geek out on just about everything under the sun. A vampire who walks during the day and refuses to sleep, Travis is the co-creator and lead writer for Punch Drunk Critics. He is also a contributor to Good Morning Washington, WBAL Morning News, and WETA Around Town. In the five minutes a day he's not working, Travis is also a voice actor, podcaster, and Twitch gamer. Travis is a voting member of the Critics Choice Association (CCA), Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA), and Late Night programmer for the Lakefront Film Festival.