NANNY

In this immersive, psychological fable of displacement, Aisha (Anna Diop), an undocumented woman who recently emigrated from Senegal, is hired to work as a nanny for Rose, the daughter of an affluent couple (Michelle Monaghan and Morgan Spector) living in New York City. Haunted by the absence of the young son she left behind, Aisha hopes her new job will provide her with the resources she needs to bring him to the U.S.  Aisha becomes increasingly unsettled by the family’s strained marriage and volatile, erratic home life. As her son’s arrival approaches, a violent presence begins to invade both her dreams and her reality, threatening the American dream she is painstakingly piecing together. She is haunted by frightening visions from West African folklore -- water deity Mami Wati who makes Aisha feel as if she’s drowning and Anansi the Spider, who plays tricks on her mind. Aisha feels her sense of self, most notably as a mother, slipping away. Sierra-Leonean-American Writer-Director Nikyatu Jusu, an Assistant Professor of Directing and Screenwriting at nearby George Mason University, has crafted a mesmerizing feature debut.  Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival.  Q & A with Actor Anna Diop following the screening.   

97 min.