Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1397791
38 C I N E M O N T A G E F E A T U R E Floyd. That was a really difficult process and extremely stressful. It kind of gave me flashbacks to working on "13th" as an assistant editor. There were scenes I cut and would watch, then put my head down and cry because the material is just so deep. It's so heavy. There's a lot of therapy that goes on when working on something like that. I think I was able to deal with some trauma of my own with police abuse and things that have happened to me in the past. There's something special that goes on when you're doing something like that. It can be extremely difficult, but it's also rewarding. And then to see the reactions of not just the fans — I think that season, activists were talking about it — was extremely gratifying. I'll add a bit about the experience of working on the show during such a turbulent time and knowing that the crew was out there making this thing and doing everything that they could to keep everyone safe. They did a fantastic job. Ava and her team were constantly keeping a finger on the pulse of what was happening, and we were working that into the themes of the show. In terms of the other seasons, ob- viously the show is great and there's drama and there's things happening, and we do touch on social justice issues and current issues, but there was some- thing about making it in the moment a n d e x p e r i e n c i n g t h i n g s t o g e t h e r as a show. Peterkin: I d i d n' t wo r k o n s e a s o n f i ve, b u t "Queen Sugar" is always trying to ad- dress what's going on in the community and the world at large, channeling it into the characters and how the outer world affects their lives. I've been through a few things myself with police, growing up in New York, and after I saw "When They See Us," I ran into Ava at the ARRAY campus. She asked, 'What'd you think? Tell me everything.' I wrote her sort of a mini-essay of my experiences and what I've gone through, and she just gave me the most heartwarming loving response. Av a h a s a l w a y s b e e n a m e n t o r a n d super-supportive. Q You must feel really proud of your work on the show, but I'm sure it was also pretty exhausting to take on that kind of stress, especially at that time. Aquino: There's something about Ava as a leader in the community, and when she voices her opinion and her perspective on things that are happening in the world, like George Floyd, it's powerful and it's meaningful. And I think it resonates. What she says makes an impact, and the same is true for what she does. She cre- ates things like Array Crew that aims to diversify the industry. Thanks to Array, we are making progress in how Black people, Latinx, indigenous people, and the LBGTQ+ communities are represent- ed in front of and behind the camera. What's been magical about working on this show is that you always feel like you're part of something, like you're making a difference. Peterkin: I always get emotional about "Queen Sugar." Same as Alexander, I binge - watched season one, and I just couldn't stop watching it. "Queen Sugar" has a continuous thread throughout every season; the characters are trying to push forward towards progression—inner progression within the characters them- selves, and in their relationships to their family and the community at large. That's a common thread throughout ever y season, and I think that's great television and great for our society to help us to all be better people. Q Is there a favorite scene you've cut that meant a lot to each of you personally? Ivany: I think for me the very last scene in [episode] 506 is a scene where Ralph Angel (Kofi Siriboe) and Darla (Bianca P H O T O : C H R I S T O P H E R F R A G A P A N E Sean Peterkin.