Origin

Ava DuVernay's "Origin" is a sweeping and ambitious drama that chronicles the life of Isabel Wilkerson, a renowned Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author. The film follows Wilkerson as she investigates the hidden hierarchy that connects the deep-rooted injustices of caste in America to the historical oppressions of other societies around the world. Through her research, she uncovers surprising parallels between the treatment of Black people in the United States, the Dalits in India, and the Jews in Nazi Germany.

Origin received generally positive reviews from critics, with many praising its ambition, DuVernay's direction, and Aunjanue Ellis's central performance. Some critics found the film's scope to be overwhelming or its narrative structure occasionally uneven, but the overall consensus highlighted its importance and thought-provoking exploration of systemic inequality.

• Praised for its bold ambition and exploration of a complex, interconnected history of oppression.
• Aunjanue Ellis delivers a powerful and nuanced performance as Isabel Wilkerson.
• Some found the film's narrative structure and expansive themes to be ambitious but occasionally unwieldy.

Google audience: Audience reviews generally appreciate the film's intellectual depth and the important themes it tackles, highlighting its thought-provoking nature. While some viewers found it to be a challenging but rewarding watch, a smaller segment felt the narrative could be dense at times.

Nominated for the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival.

The film is based on Isabel Wilkerson's acclaimed book "Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents."