In Theaters 07.15.2022 or Watch at Home 09.13.2022

Queen of Glory

Directed by Nana Mensah
Film Movement
2021
78 Minutes
USA
English
Comedy
Not Rated

Sarah Obeng (Nana Mensah, Netflix’s “The Chair“), a doctoral student at Columbia University, is weeks away from following her very married boyfriend to Ohio when her mother suddenly passes away. Her inheritance? King of Glory, a small Christian bookstore serving a Ghanaian immigrant community in the Bronx. Tasked with arranging her mother's funeral according to her family's traditional expectations, Sarah must simultaneously navigate her plans to relocate as well as the unexpected return of her estranged father, all while grappling with the bookstore. Aided by an only-in-New York ensemble of Eastern European neighbors, opinionated aunties, and a no-nonsense ex-con employee, Sarah must face her new responsibilities while figuring out how to remain true to herself. Winner of the Tribeca Film Festival Best New Narrative Director Award for director-star Mensah, QUEEN OF GLORY is a "tightly-conceived, witty and compassionate love letter to the Bronx" (The Hollywood Reporter) that's at once a view into a tight-knit community, and an intensely relatable drama-comedy for anyone with a family.

Director & Cast

  • Director: Nana Mensah
  • Starring: Nana Mensah
  • Starring: Meeko Gattuso
  • Starring: Oberon K.A. Adjepong
  • Starring: Adam Leon
  • Starring: Russell G. Jones

Trailer

Photos

Reviews

  • "Nana Mensah's winning indie.. generates endearing pathos from a story whose familiarity is offset by its humor and authenticity. "
    Nick Schager, Variety
  • "Mensah’s tightly conceived, witty and compassionate dark comedy is a love letter to children of Ghanaian immigrants and to the Bronx."
    Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter
  • "In Queen of Glory, writer-director-star Nana Mensah has put forth a striking New York story that is both hopeful and true to life. Mensah proves herself as a triple-threat, marking the beginning of a bright new face in indie film."
    M.J. O’Toole, Hammer to Nail
  • "The personal nature of the narrative gives the film its heart, but Mensah’s eye for life’s messy complications gives it its spirit. Queen Of Glory exults in Sarah’s courage to unlock her authentic self, as well as in a filmmaker’s exuberance at finding her voice."
    Tim Grierson, Screen Daily
  • "Queen of Glory is a quietly affecting film that depicts the ways in which new and surprising loved ones can enter our lives, even after our most treasured people have left them. It marks out Mensah as a major talent on multiple fronts."
    Greg Hyde, Spectrum Culture
  • "[A] subtle delight.... The child of Ghanaian parents herself, Mensah traverses the polyglot turf well, infusing details with astute affection and understated laughs. "
    Lisa Kennedy, The New York Times
  • "Mensah looks in loving yet critical detail at the milieu in which she herself was raised and, working with the cinematographer Cybel Martin, realizes a distinctive style that’s as memorable as the drama: she stages overlapping layers of activity in static frames that conjure poise amid turmoil."
    Richard Brody, The New Yorker
  • "[Nana] Mensah couldn't have crafted a more impressive display for her many talents."
    Stephen Saito, Moveable Fest
  • "Masterfully uses dilemmas of culture and selfhood to craft a wonderful, intimate story of discovery. Both behind the camera and in front of it, Mensah is incredible to watch."
    James Hanton, The Indiependent
  • "A love letter to the first-generation immigrant experience.... Queen of Glory is the movie to watch this summer."
    Wisdom Iheanyyichukwu, Refinery 29
  • "Queen of Glory is a confident, vibrant debut from writer, director, and star Mensah."
    Carmen Paddock, One Room With A View
  • "With a careful balance of simplicity and spark, Queen Of Glory sees worlds and cultures collide in a wonderfully human display of modern America."
    Isobel Nutbrown, Loud and Clear
  • "Sarah, exceptionally portrayed by Nana Mensah (also known from her acting in “The Chair”, “The King of Staten Island”, “New Amsterdam”, “Stranger Things”), takes us on a poignant journey in this charming and original dramedy."
    Ellen J. Wanjiru, Blackfilm.com