"Sisterhood is complex."

That is one of the greatest take-a-ways from director Maya Cozier's upcoming film She Paradise. The film, set in Trinidad, follows the story of Sparkle: a seventeen year old girl, played by Onessa Nestor, who joins a Soca dance troupe. Through the repetative juxtaposition of sisterhood and toxisity, empowerment and explotation, the film explores the complexities involved in womanhood, sisterhood, and progress. We got an opportunity to speak with Cozier and unpack the beautiful intricacies of the film.

One of the first and most notable moments of the film is the pact of sisterhood that Sparkle is drawn into. She is told by the other women in the dance group, Kimberly Crichton who plays Diamond, Denisia Latchman who plays Shan, and Chelsey Rampersad who plays Mica, that she is one of them now. They are together. She can't leave them behind, no matter what. Should this be considered friendship and protection or toxcicity and manipulation? According to Cozier, the answer can be both and neither.

We didn't really set out to tell a moral tale. It is this kind of acknowledgment that the characters are even flawed. There is a moment where Diamond kind of victim blames Sparkle and, and so, you know, I think being able to kind of capture the complexity and all the nuances of sisterhood, both good and bad, it was important for us...When they welcome Sparkle in, it is kind of like an ownership thing, like 'You're a part of us, you have to follow these rules,' but I also do think that there's this kind of tough love element to Diamond where even though she can see what she can get out of Sparkle or out of the situation...she sees a little bit of herself in Sparkle.


The intricacies of the female experience are carefully curated by Cozier. In this heightened environment especially, the disparity between the glamour of the dancing world contrasts the harassment, sexualization, and hardship the women have to endure. When the women bond together, however, music plays. They are in sync. There is joy. When the music stops, reality enters. Is the dancing the She Paradise? Is the whole concept of a She Paradise a facade?

There was a kind of irony around calling it 'Paradise', you know, in the first place, and I think, yeah, there is this idea of the Carribian as this vacation destination...a place that you can go to relax, have fun, and leave. It's also a place that you can extract inspiration from and beauty from and then leave. Very little thought is given to people who actually have to live there, work there, and survive there, and, particularly...womens' experiences there. And yes, it's a space ripe - I mean, I don't want to specifically to the Carribian, you know, I think women globally...we all have to deal with the patriarchy for lack of a better word, and so there is a lot of irony in the title.

The irony breeds the power and reality that is serves as the throughline of the incredible film.This incredibly compelling film will be released on November 19th on DIRECTV.