On Thursday, October 24, Netflix kicked off SpelHouse Homecoming weekend with a special screening of THE PIANO LESSON at Morehouse College in Atlanta.

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Students gathered to celebrate the film alongside its director and co-screenwriter, Malcolm Washington, as well as Morehouse alumni John David Washington & Samuel L. Jackson, and Spelman alumna, Danielle Deadwyler.

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The evening began with a personalized greeting from Denzel Washington, earning applause from the audience.

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Following the screening, acclaimed director Kenny Leon led a powerful discussion, diving into the rich themes of August Wilson’s legacy and the significance of HBCUs.

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Adding to the homecoming excitement, John David Washington made a surprise visit to the Morehouse football team, delivering an inspiring pep talk on the same field where he once played as a student.

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“Coming out of the play and the movie, I feel like such a more emboldened artist and I think as a person, and this [Morehouse] is partly what helped get me to this point, was this very campus, so this is a full circle moment for me. It’s surreal,” said John David Washington.

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THE PIANO LESSON arrives in select theatres on November 8 and begins streaming on Netflix on November 22.

Here’s more about the film:

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A battle is brewing in the Charles Household. At the center stands a prized heirloom piano tearing two siblings apart. On one side, a brother (John David Washington) plans to build the family fortune by selling it. On the other, a sister (Danielle Deadwyler) will go to any lengths to hold onto the sole vestige of the family’s heritage. Their uncle (Samuel L. Jackson) tries to mediate, but even he can’t hold back the ghosts of the past.

Adapted from August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterwork, THE PIANO LESSON explores the intergenerational dynamics of identity, resilience, and transcendence – revealing startling truths about how we perceive the past and who gets to define our legacy. The film is directed and co-written by Malcolm Washington in his feature directorial debut. From Oscar-nominated producers Denzel Washington and Todd Black, and featuring an all-star cast including Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington, Ray Fisher, Michael Potts, Erykah Badu with Danielle Deadwyler, and Corey Hawkins.