About Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am

This 2019 documentary gives an intimate and compelling look into the life of the legendary Toni Morrison. Directed by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders, the film offers a rich exploration of Morrison's life, her works, and the powerful themes she confronted throughout her literary career. The documentary is both an art and a biography, capturing Morrison’s life from her childhood in the steel town of Lorain, Ohio to '70s-era book tours with Muhammad Ali, from the front lines with Angela Davis to her own riverfront writing room.

Making / Production

The movie is directed by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders who has artistically woven this masterpiece. Its making involved in-depth interviews with Morrison and conversations with her peers, friends, and critics, making it a rivetingly spirited and thorough portrait of her life and works.

Actors

• Toni Morrison: The author plays herself in this documentary, sharing insights into her life and illustrious career.
• Oprah Winfrey: Interviews and discusses Morrison's impact as an author and as a symbol of Black identity.
• Hilton Als: Provides literary criticism and context for Morrison's work.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The documentary was premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival.
• It includes insightful interviews, not only with Morrison herself but also with her friends and peers, including Oprah Winfrey and Angela Davis.
• Morrison was the first African American woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Awards

Though the documentary itself didn't win any awards, it profoundly underlined Toni Morrison's notable achievements including her Pulitzer Prize for fiction for her beloved novel 'Beloved' and her unprecedented award of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993.

Quotes

• “If you are free, you need to free somebody else." - Toni Morrison
• "I