A Thousand and One: how to watch, reviews, awards and everything we know about the movie (2024)

A Thousand and One: how to watch, reviews, awards and everything we know about the movie (1)

The 2023 Sundance Film Festival put a number of titles on movie lovers' radars that for this 2023, including Past Lives. But one of the most well-received movies at Sundance 2023 was the US Drama Grand Jury Prize-winner, A Thousand and One.

The feature debut for its writer/director A.V. Rockwell, A Thousand and One has been described as "an admiring portrait of survivorship, determination and resourcefulness" with a "powerhouse performance" at its center.

Here is everything that you need to know about A Thousand and One.

How to watch A Thousand and One

A Thousand and One is streaming right now on Prime Video, so anyone with an Amazon subscription can watch it at no extra cost. Otherwise, viewers can rent the movie via digital on-demand.

A Thousand and One plot

This drama spans multiple years as it deals with the dynamics and importance of the relationship between a mother and her son. Here is the official synopsis:

"A Thousand and One follows unapologetic and free-spirited Inez, who kidnaps her 6-year-old son Terry from the foster care system. Holding onto their secret and each other, mother and son set out to reclaim their sense of home, identity and stability, in a rapidly changing New York City."

A Thousand and One cast

Playing Inez is Teyana Taylor. Taylor is a singer/actress who made her big screen debut in Stomp the Yard 2: Homecoming and has other credits that include Madea's Big Happy Family, Star, Coming 2 America, Miracles Across 125th Street and Entergalatic. Her performance has earned rave reviews, with some calling it "Oscar-worthy." Taylor was also crowned winner of The Masked Singer US season 7.

There are going to be three actors that portray the character of Terry across different stages of his life. They are Aaron Kingsley Adetola (Rise) as Terry at age 6, Aven Courtney (The Last O.G.) as Terry at age 13 and Josiah Cross (King Richard) as Terry at age 17.

Also starring in the movie is Will Catlett as Lucky. Catlett has previously starred in The Devil You Know, The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey and Black Lightning.

A Thousand and One trailer

Watch the trailer for A Thousand and One directly below, which certainly previews the powerful emotions that people have been talking about.

A Thousand and One reviews — what the critics are saying

A Thousand and One has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 97% and is "Certified Fresh." In particular Taylor's performance and Rockwell's handling of the subject matter are praised.

A Thousand and One awards

Here are the awards that A Thousand and One has either been nominated for or one to date:

Film Independent Spirit Awards

  • Best First Feature — AV Rockwell (nominee)
  • Best Lead Performance — Teyana Taylor (nominee)

Gotham Awards

  • Best Feature (nominee)
  • Best Breakthrough Director — AV Rockwell (winner)
  • Outstanding Lead Performance — Teyana Taylor (nominee)

National Board of Review

  • Breakthrough Performance — Teyana Taylor (winner)
  • Top 10 Independent Films of the Year

Sundance Film Festival

  • Grand Jury Prize (winner)

A Thousand and One director

A Thousand and One marks A.V. Rockwell's feature movie debut as a writer and director. Her experience prior to this movie was with short films, including a 2018 short, Feathers, that screened at Sundance and the Toronto International Film Festival.

A Thousand and One: how to watch, reviews, awards and everything we know about the movie (4)

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Michael Balderston

Michael Balderston is a DC-based entertainment and assistant managing editor for What to Watch, who has previously written about the TV and movies with TV Technology, Awards Circuit and regional publications. Spending most of his time watching new movies at the theater or classics on TCM, some of Michael's favorite movies include Casablanca, Moulin Rouge!, Silence of the Lambs, Children of Men, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest and Star Wars. On the TV side he enjoys Only Murders in the Building, Yellowstone, The Boys, Game of Thrones and is always up for a Seinfeld rerun. Follow on Letterboxd.

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A Thousand and One: how to watch, reviews, awards and everything we know about the movie (2024)

FAQs

Who's streaming A Thousand and One? ›

How to Watch A Thousand and One. Right now you can watch A Thousand and One on Peacock Premium or Peacock Premium Plus. You are able to stream A Thousand and One by renting or purchasing on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, and Fandango At Home.

What is the meaning behind the movie A Thousand and One? ›

In an interview with Filmmaker Magazine, Rockwell says that the point of A Thousand and One is to show "how hard it is to keep Black families together, and the different things that try to rip us apart." Through Inez, Terry, and Lucky, that message is expertly translated to the screen, with each character experiencing ...

Why does Inez smile at the end of A Thousand and One? ›

“Inez has been through a lot, but she never let her faith walk stop, which is the reason why you get to the end of the film, she could walk away with a smile on her face knowing that she did her part and did everything she could, knowing that he's gonna be something.

Is the movie 1001 a true story? ›

"A Thousand and One" Isn't a True Story, but It Pulls From Writer-Director A.V. Rockwell's Experiences - IMDb. Gritty, raw, and moving, "A Thousand and One" is already generating buzz among critics for its depiction of a mother and son struggling to survive in an increasingly gentrified and evolving New York City.

Is A Thousand and One on Prime Video? ›

Watch A Thousand and One | Prime Video.

What is the One Thousand and One movie about? ›

Does Inez go to jail? ›

Inez and Lucky both spend time in prison, though it's never mentioned why. Inez also claims she's been to jail multiple times because of Lucky. Inez can act immaturely and lose her temper. Sometimes, it's a pride issue, but more often, it's caused by her own insecurities.

What happened to Inez at the end of A Thousand and One? ›

After Inez forges Terry's documents and becomes his legal guardian again, she reunites with Lucky and the two eventually get married.

Did A Thousand and One win any awards? ›

A.V. Rockwell's feature debut A Thousand and One won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

Why did Inez kidnap Terry? ›

Inez is energetic and resourceful; while housed in a shelter, she gets freelance work doing hair. Believing that Terry has been neglected and mistreated in foster care, she kidnaps him and takes him to Harlem.

Does Inez try to seduce Estelle? ›

Inèz tries to seduce Estelle by offering to be her "mirror" by telling her everything she sees but ends up frightening her instead. It is soon clear that Inèz is attracted to Estelle, Estelle is attracted to Garcin, and Garcin is not attracted to either of the two women.

What did Inez see back on Earth? ›

Looking back to earth, Inez observes her old apartment, sealed and dark. She proposes that the three of them tell their stories to figure out why they're in hell together. When Garcin and Estelle dance around the truth, she calls them out as liars. Then Inez concludes that each will act as a torturer to the other two.

Why is it called A Thousand and One movie? ›

Soon she finds them a rundown Harlem apartment — the number on the door, 10-01, is one explanation for the movie's title. Over the next several years, this apartment will be their home, but it's a precarious one, where every happy moment feels both fleeting and hard-won.

Why is A Thousand and One rated R? ›

A THOUSAND AND ONE has lots of strong foul language, including many “f” words. So, MOVIEGUIDE® advises extreme caution. However, although Inez lives with Lucky before they get married and Lucky has a child out of wedlock with another woman, the movie has no sex scenes and only brief male nudity.

Where was A Thousand and One filmed? ›

Some of the film was shot in Brooklyn, because we had to go to places like Brownsville or East New York to find streets that felt untouched from the '90s. We also tried to designate different time periods by colors. With the '90s, we wanted a red or warm palette, so we scouted locations with those tones.

Who is streaming a thousand tomorrows? ›

Binge all 6 Episodes now, Exclusively on Pure Flix!

Is Are You the One on Netflix or Hulu? ›

Currently you are able to watch "Are You The One?" streaming on Paramount Plus, Paramount Plus Apple TV Channel , Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel, Hulu or for free with ads on Pluto TV.

Is A Thousand and One on Apple TV? ›

Watch A Thousand and One with a subscription on Peacock, rent on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV, or buy on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV.

Is 1001 a good movie? ›

Rockwell maintains simmering tension beneath a rock-solid character-driven story... Taylor is the secret weapon here. She's gorgeous and ferocious and never hits a false note. Overall, A Thousand and One is a solid film, with a good script, particularly from a dialogue standpoint.

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