CLEVELAND, Ohio — As The Color Purple makes its debut across the nation, here in Cleveland, there is a group of organizers who have thought outside of the box to create a lasting memory for viewers.
The event happened Tuesday evening at the Atlas Cinemas Shaker Square Six, where people like Bette Bell-Beasley attended.
“I never saw The Color Purple and this is more than a privilege,” said Bette Bell–Beasley.
Bell–Beasley is among many sitting in this crowd, who tells News 5 she’s not only showing up to watch The Color Purple for the first time.
She says she’s also in attendance to support her niece, Honey Bell–Bey.
“I wanted to have more than just a viewing of the movie. Anyone can go and view the movie. I wanted to have a venue where women in Cleveland can come out and see the movie free of charge, purple swag bags and make it a whole big conversation about trauma, recovery and healing,” said Bell–Bey.
Within what Bell–Bey calls a safe space, she says the goal of this event is to give women like these three panelists the opportunity to release while also providing better tools to help others like Wanda Coleman manage traumatic events in their lives.
“I think it’s important for women in general but black women particularly to know that we are here for one another,” said Wanda Coleman.
“We are still at the top when you talk about health disparities. We’re the top of the things that are killing us because we don’t talk about it. But can we come together and say, yes, we break but we also heal,” said Bell–Bey.
Since debuting on Monday, recent reports show the remake of The Color Purple has the largest Christmas Day opening for a film since 2009.
The movie also made its mark as the second-biggest Christmas Day opening of all time.
This leaves Bell–Bey excited but also wondering this question:
“What do we do past this moment. If women can come together for a movie can come together for a movement,” said Bell–Bey.
