As You Are, an indie film which debuted at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, stars Amandla Sternberg as Sarah alongside Owen Campbell as Jack, and Charlie Heaton (Stranger Things) as Mark.
The film, set in 1994 and apparently named after Nirvana’s “Come As You Are,” is reminiscent of teenage angst and multi-patterned, baggy clothing. The film follows three teenagers exploring sexuality and dating with seemingly shaky moral compasses. Without giving too much away, the trailer suggests that someone doesn’t make it out of this love triangle alive. 
The film opened for viewings on March 3rd in LA and NY and recently had screenings in Seattle.
Sternberg, known for her role as the lovable Rue in The Hunger Games, has managed to blossom from more digestible YA roles into a role where she can explore feminism in her own right. Amandla Sternberg has continued to remain vocal on issues pertaining to beauty and hair within the black community. So, it’s not surprising that she contributed to the growth and development of Sarah on screen. According to wmagazine, Sternberg asked the film’s writer and director, Miles Joris-Peyrafitte, if he’d considered the role of women in the film. He admitted that he hadn’t which only confirmed that she was the right choice for the role.
Sternberg told wmagazine that the film “got to explore gender dynamics but also have these little feminist tidbits here and there,” especially with female sexuality. The “Don’t Cash Crop My Cornrows” actress has a track record of vocalizing female empowerment through discussion, her roles in film, and even her comic, Niobe: She is Life. She sees directing in her future and wants her projects to “have an impact.”
Sternberg seems to be standing by her goals with other projects in the works, even a film adaptation based on a YA book. However, many are still trying to catch her in “As You Are.” But screenings are hard to come by. Additional screenings are currently in the works, but if you want to see the movie play in your local theater, you can. The “As You Are” team partnered with TUGG to allow fans to view the movie in their hometown. Click here to find out how to host a screening.
