http://www.laweekly.com/2011-12-29/film-tv/Dee-Rees-Pariah-interview/
One of the biggest success stories of the 2011 Sundance Film Festival was writer-director Dee Rees’ film Pariah, about 17-year-old black lesbian Alike (pronounced Ah-lee-kay, played by Adepero Oduye) and her struggles to forge an identity from the constricting butch/femme palette. Her best friend, Laura (a scene-stealing Pernell Walker), has her back but unintentionally complicates things; Alike’s also caught between a dad who adores her and a mom whose own demons create a volatile household. It’s a sharp, moving, visually gorgeous film, insightfully written and directed by Rees.
Rees spoke with the Weekly about adapting Pariah from her same-titled 2007 short, issues affecting queer youth, the semi-autobiographical elements of the film, and Spike Lee’s role in getting Pariah made.