“I don’t like to feel confined by conventional boundaries”: Director Mariama Diallo on Master

Master is the debut feature from Mariama Diallo, a tense and taught horror film that tackles the issue of racial prejudice in universities. It follows the story of a group of black women at a prestigious New England university who have to deal with supernatural horrors and the very real manifestations of racism in academia.

Jasmine, a young black student who has just enrolled, must face racist pressure from her surroundings whilst also tackling the threat of an ancient legend that stalks her. Similarly, her new housemaster Gail must deal with personal subterfuge from her colleagues whilst confronting the terrifying occurrences that plague her new position. 

With an abundance of, not only real scares but also interesting characters, Master manages to be simultaneously exhilarating and engrossing. It has a fresh take on an established genre and most importantly, a lot to say on a very important issue. 

The Upcoming had a chat with its director Diallo about the film’s setting, its scares and how it related to her own personal experiences.

Joe Milo

Master is released on Amazon Prime Video on 18^th March 2022.

Watch the trailer for Master here: