Black Girl Missing (2023)
It tells the story of of a mother named Cheryl whose daughter is nowhere to be found. Authorities and media dismiss her as a runaway while focusing on another missing girl, who is white.
Lifetime’s latest ripped from the headlines feature is Black Girl Missing, a film from executive producer and actor Gracelle Beauvais. That’s right — this Real Housewife of Beverly Hills is back in front of the camera as an actor once more, and it’s in a role that she is especially passionate about. Beauvais plays a mother desperately trying to find her missing daughter Lauren (Iyana Halley), and the biggest obstacle in her way isn’t a sadistic kidnapper; it’s the police and news media.
Unlike most Saturday night Lifetime movies, Black Girl Missing is actually inspired by the headlines that don’t get written, headlines that are disproportionately about missing women of color. In her quest to find her daughter, Beauvais’ character goes up against a detective (Nick Thune) that doesn’t care enough to try and a news director (William Mapother) devoting all his coverage to a missing white girl because it’s bringing in ratings.
So how true is Black Girl Missing? We know that Black Girl Missing is based on a too real phenomenon, but is Cheryl and Lauren’s story based on a real missing persons case?
Is Black Girl Missing based on a true story?
No, Black Girl Missing is not based on a true story — or rather, it’s not based on one true story. As the filmmakers explain via text on screen before the movie begins, Black Girl Missing was “inspired by actual stories of missing women of color. The characters and events depicted in this motion picture are fictional. Any similarities to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.” So while the specific story is not a beat-for-beat recreation of something that actually happened, Black Girl Missing is still a story that happens all too often.
In an interview with Black Girl Nerds, star and EP Gracelle Beauvais spoke about how her lived experience impacted her decision to get involved with the film.
Kale Futterman, one of the writers and producers of the movie, came to me and said she had a story and wanted to see how I felt about it,” said Beauvais. “Before she even finished telling me, the first idea of the premise, I said I was in. It’s a no-brainer. I’m so frustrated when people ask me how I got ready for this role. One, I’m a mother. Two, the frustration of us never being seen enough was all I needed. I think so many times the headlines are not about us.
Black Girl Missing (2023)
Genre: Crime, Drama
Release Date: Mar 4, 2023 (United States)
Stars: Linda Park, Iyana Halley, Garcelle Beauvais
Source: Black.Girl.Missing.2023.1080p.AMZN.WEBRip.DDP2.0.x264-ZdS
Language: English
Subtitle Language: English
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt26453917/
