Are you excited to see The Book Of Clarence, director Jeymes Samuel’s follow up to his feature debut The Harder They Fall?

Global Grind Sr. Content Director Janeé Bolden was on the red carpet for the advanced Atlanta screening of the Legendary and TriStar film, THE BOOK OF CLARENCE, which brought out star LaKeith Stanfield and film writer and director Jeymes Samuel.

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The screening event invited local talent and tastemakers to walk the red carpet and celebrate the new film.

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“I knew it was gonna be something brilliant because I worked with him on The Harder They Fall and when I read the script I was like, ‘What?!’ and, ‘What time?!’ and , ‘Everybody’s Black?!’” Lakeith Stanfield told GlobalGrind exclusively. “Absolutely. I mean it’s a dream for an actor to exist in a space like that and give an interpretation of something that’s by proxy history, that shows our skin color being present there; but also the story of Clarence really drew me in. It was one that I identified directly with, and I feel like I’ve been through the same thing so I feel like hopefully other people will connect to it too.”

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With that said, we had to ask Stanfield what it is about Clarence that makes him so relatable.

“I think it’s the fact that he will stop at nothing to see that he can win in the ways that his mind tells him he can,” Stanfield revealed. “That he can actually manifest and he can bring things forward that he’s starting off in a place where it may seem like things are dreary but moving into a better place and I think everybody wants to eventually move to a better place, so I think we identify with that.”

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Jeymes Samuel also spoke to Global Grind about what he hopes audience will take away from the film.

“I want them to take away the fact that it’s all possible and knowledge is stronger than belief,” Samuel told Global Grind. “You can believe all you like — have knowledge, have knowledge of God, have knowledge of self, knowledge of the world, knowledge of your environment and of your life. Knowledge is stronger than belief and you can do it, man you can do it. I really want people to walk away inspired and with the knowledge of self, yeah motivated, spiritually motivated.”

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After the screening, attendees shared their excitement around the film being officially released next year! Be sure to head to the theaters to watch THE BOOK OF CLARENCE on January 12.