Photo Credit: Johnny Nunez 
In Is God Is, what began as a stage play evolved into one of the most talked-about theater works of the last decade, eventually earning Obie Awards and captivating audiences far beyond its original production. Now, Aleshea Harris brings her story to the screen for her feature directorial debut, expanding the scope of a project that explores emotional aftermath of violence.
Starring in the film are Kara Young and Mallori Johnson, who portray twin sisters Racine and Anaia; who set out on a mission tied to the father responsible for permanently altering their lives. With this, Harris pulled from road movies, Westerns, and folklore. While adapting the material for film required rethinking how the story moved, Harris felt the foundation already lent itself naturally to cinema.
“When I was writing the play, I went back and rewatched Kill Bill,” Harris said. “I think the thrust of this story as a revenge story, that’s something we see a lot on the screen.” For Harris, translating the work became an opportunity to push the world outward. “It benefits from having access to an actual road and a car and watching these people journey,” she explained. “It was a baptism by fire, it was a lot to learn, but I think it’s a beautiful new expression of the same story.”
Much of the film’s story rests on the dynamic between Young and Johnson, whose performances carry the audience through the sisters’ evolving relationship. Harris knew early on the roles would require actors capable of holding the core of the script while making the bond believable. “We had to buy their relationship and we had to buy their complexity,” she said. “Kara and Mallori surprised me with their ability to fall in sync and be convincingly sisters, even though they don’t look alike.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 27:(L-R) Tessa Thompson, Kishori Rajan, Justen Ross, Vivica A. Fox, Kara Young, Aleshea Harris, Mallori Johnson, Erika Alexander, Janelle Monae, Riva Marker, Xavier Mills and Josiah Cross attend the “Is God Is” New York Premiere at Brooklyn Academy of Music on April 27, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images)
Harris also uses the film to highlight emotions Black women are often discouraged from expressing openly. Rage runs throughout Is God Is, and Harris allows the women in the story to exist without apology. Racine and Anaia’s “twin-tuition,” as Harris explained, along with their mother Ruby, each carry different responses to trauma, but all are navigating the same question surrounding revenge and accountability.
At the same time, Harris balances those darker elements with care between the characters. Love exists throughout the story, especially in the relationship between the sisters, whose connection remains constant even as they begin to see their mission differently. Harris described the film as “the kind of story she needed to see herself,” one where Black women are allowed complexity without being reduced to a single emotion or stereotype.
Behind the camera, Harris earned strong support from an experienced cast that includes Vivica A. Fox, Sterling K. Brown, Erika Alexander, and Janelle Monáe, among a list of others..“I feel so fortunate that they were enthusiastic and that they trusted me,” she said. “And we had a good time.”
As Is God Is moves from stage to screen, Harris remains focused on what first drew her to the story years ago. “I needed its refusal to apologize,” she said. “And, I needed its scarred but beautiful twins.”
TOPICS: Aleshea Harris Is God Is
The post EXCLUSIVE: Aleshea Harris Brings Her Acclaimed Play ‘Is God Is’ To The Big Screen appeared first on Essence.
Author: Okla Jones
Read the original article on Essence.
Leave a Reply