Malcolm Washington and John David Washington to Receive Honors for THE PIANO LESSON at Chicago International Film Festival

Malcolm Washington, director and co-writer of the upcoming adaptation of August Wilson's The Piano Lesson, along with star John David Washington will be honored at the 60th Chicago International Film Festival for their work on the film, which is also set to open the festival.

According to Deadline, Malcolm Washington will be receiving the Breakthrough Award for the movie, which marks Washington's feature directorial debut. John David Washington will be given the Spotlight Award "in recognition of the emotional complexity and power he brings to his transfixing performance as Boy Willie.” The 60th Chicago International Film Festival is scheduled for October 16-27, 2024. 

From Oscar-nominated producers Denzel Washington and Todd Black, The Piano Lesson features an all-star cast including Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington, Ray Fisher, Michael Potts, Erykah Badu with Danielle Deadwyler, and Corey Hawkins. 

Potts, John David Washington, Fisher, and Jackson all reprise their roles from the 2022 Broadway revival, which broke records becoming the highest-grossing revival of a play on Broadway.

The original production of the play premiered at the Yale Repertory Theatre in 1987, also starring Samuel L. Jackson. In addition to winning the Pulitzer Prize for drama, The Piano Lesson won the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best Play, the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play, the Peabody Award, and was nominated for the 1990 Tony Award for Best Play.

The Piano Lesson film will be in select theaters this November 8th and available for streaming on Netflix starting November 22.