By: Miguel Ernesto Yusty

Ma Rainey's Blues is a feature film based on the life of African American singer Ma Rainey, popular in the USA during the 1920s. The film approaches the label of masterpiece, telling a complex story with an economical use of sets and captivating performances. One of the keys to its high quality is the presence of Denzel Washington in the cast. It is directed by George C. Wolfe, a Tony Award winner with a background in the performing arts, who has skillfully combined the best of theater with the insights offered by cinema.

The film is a dialogue between actors Viola Davis and the late Chadwick Boseman. She portrays a renowned Black singer who asserts her authority over the white music industry executives. Boseman plays a young artist who brings fresh ideas but is forced to submit to humiliation in exchange for promoting his music. The struggle between tradition and innovation culminates in a tragic end for the young man, which, as if the film were an oracle, foreshadows the actor's death in the months that followed.

MOTHER OF THE BLUES is originally a play, and its film version uses few sets, allowing for a refinement of cinematic techniques. Consequently, it received two Oscars, one for costume design and another for hairstyling, in addition to nominations for the two actors mentioned. Its run at a long list of top-tier festivals proves that MOTHER OF THE BLUES applies the expression "less is more" with discipline, becoming one of the masterpieces of an era in which platforms like Netflix dictate what can and cannot be seen.