The mind behind A24’s Zola put the studio blast on for not including her in its awards campaign, including getting invited to the Film Independent Spirit Awards. Now those since her tweets, she says things have been cleared up.
A’Ziah King, the woman who created the 2015 viral Twitter thread about her wild trip to Florida that inspired the film Zola, wrote a new series of tweets about A24. In a Twitter thread Jan. 30, King wrote how she hasn’t been included as a writer for awards consideration even though her thread led to the film.
“I think it’s hilarious ZOLA is up for 7 awards & no one thought to invite me nor include me IN the writers award category,” she wrote as she retweeted a tweet from Film Independent’s Spirit Awards. “As if there would’ve been a film or a script to write if I didn’t um…write it? The most of any film this year & any film @A24 has EVER made btw. A ki.”
She continued airing her frustration with A24 and the film industry, writing, “y’all full of s**t. Honestly. I think its HILARIOUS everyone else is on my Television promoting & speaking on my experience as if it’s their moment & not a moment I created for us all. I think its hilarious my intelelct, trauma & talent is being overshadowed & hijaked. I AM the moment! Excuse me while I laugh.”
When news of King's thread becoming a film started bubbling up on the internet, commenters were worried about what kind of rights King would have regarding her intellectual property being on Twitter.
Some of the worries included if she would be given a writer or story credit. It seemed like A24 was ready to treat King properly by being involved in production, given a “based on” credit, and named as an executive producer.
Since King's initial tweets, she has later said that she has since been invited to the Spirit Awards.
The shade room post a tweet & suddenly I have 2 tickets coming
I bet I do …. I’ll see y’all there
— Zola (@_zolarmoon) January 31, 2022
Oh..,she has a wardrobe & travel budget now too?
… cute— Zola (@_zolarmoon) January 31, 2022
She spoke about the film last year with S&A
“For whatever reason, I don’t know why this shocks people, but people are shocked that I’ve been a part of the entire process and people are shocked that I feel I’ve been treated fairly,” she told Shadow and Act in 2021. “Like…I didn’t have a negative experience at all. So I don’t know why that surprises people. I’m like, ‘Do you know me? Like, what else would have been the outcome?’ I’m very secure in my voice. So, my story is going to get told, period. Of course, I should be a part of it. That’s the biggest thing I get asked that so much, people want to hear a horror story and I don’t have one. Besides the one I already told.”
