Classic Hollywood Love Stories, Nancy Wilson Albums & Old Family Photos Inspire SYLVIE'S LOVE
WDCB’s Gary Zidek talks to writer & director Eugene Ashe about his new film, SYLVIE’S LOVE.
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“I felt that my old family photos and album covers from that time (late 50s & early 60s) told a very different story of Black life than what I was seeing on screen.” - writer & director Eugene Ashe talking about the inspirations that led to creating SYLVIE’S LOVE.
Filmmaker Eugene Ashe
Star-crossed lovers hoping to find their place in the world are at the center of the new film SYLVIE’S LOVE. Set over the course of several years between the late 50s and early 60s, SYLVIE’S LOVE is a throwback to the type of sweeping love stories that would often be released by major studios. Tessa Thompson stars as the titular Sylvie, a young woman who helps out at her father’s Harlem record store as she awaits her fiancé’s return from the Korean War and dreams of a career in television. Her outlook changes when she meets Robert a talented young jazz musician, played by former NFL star Nnamdi Asomugha. Sparks fly as Sylvie and Robert begin to spend time with each other, but career ambitions and family expectations end up weighing on the couple as they attempt to navigate their futures.
Tessa Thompson as Sylvie Parker in SYLVIE’S LOVE
Classic Hollywood romances like BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S and COME BLOW YOUR HORN, Nancy Wilson album coves and old family photographs influenced writer and director Eugene Ashe’s vision for SYLVIE’S LOVE. Jazz also plays a role in shaping the film’s aesthetic, all of the music played by the fictional ensemble in the movie are originals composed by Fabrice Lecomte.
Nancy Wilson circa 1963
