In 'JuJu: The Web Series,' Millennial African-American Witches Come Into Their Power
JuJu: The Web Series is a fantasy whose time is actually long overdue - a supernatural narrative centering African-American women.
Created, written, and directed by filmmaker Moon Ferguson, JuJu is the story of Ally (Cydni Jenkins), Gigi (Nedge Victome), and Yaya (Cassandra Borgella), three millennial African-American women who are best friends busy navigating modern life in New York City.
In the pilot episode, the women are celebrating Ally’s 28th birthday with a surprise party when a strange woman crashes the festivities. Cloaked in mystery and the supernatural, the stranger’s arrival heralds the women discovering their arcane heritage - but a sinister force threatens them from the shadows.
From left to right: Cassandra Borgella as Yaya, Cydni Jenkins as Ally, and Nedge Victome as Gigi
The pilot episode of JuJu succeeds in its function of introducing the main characters and the world they inhabit in an interesting and relatable way: at a birthday party where their distinct personalities and interpersonal dynamics are revealed.
Although a fan of fantasy, series creator Ferguson admits feeling a sense of disconnection from the genre because the majority of its most popular characters do not look like her or share her perspective.
Juju is her answer to that: a supernatural saga driven by the lived experiences of African-Americans, rooted in the heritage, spirituality, and traditions of the African diaspora.
If the pilot episode is any indication, the story is off to a very promising start.
The three leads share electric onscreen chemistry together. You believe they are lifelong friends. Dierdra Mcdowell is also captivating as the stranger whose entrance into the women’s lives is the catalyst for them coming into their considerable power - both personal and mystical.
Watch the official series trailer here to get a glimpse inside the world of JuJu…
JuJu: The Web Series is another much welcome - and desperately needed - torchbearer for compelling onscreen genre narratives displaying true inclusive representation both in front of and behind the camera.
May the series cast its spell far and wide.
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