Follow the Story of Inez and Terry in the Film, ‘A Thousand and One’

The Hub Entertainment Watch List: A Thousand and one

There are over 390,000 children and youth in foster care, according to childwelfare.gov. The children trapped in the system face mental and behavioral health issues as it is the largest unmet health need for them. One film, A Thousand and One, sheds light on the complexities of growing up in the system. 

The film tells the story of Inez, who is a struggling New York City woman recently released from prison and in need of stability. Viewers are introduced to 6-year-old Terry, who Inez has a clear connection to. Terry is in foster care upon her release from prison and Inez makes a decision that could easily land her back in if she is caught. Inez and Terry spend years together, hiding the fact that Inez impulsively abducted him from the hospital while he was still a ward of the state. The story develops and years go by, picking up with Terry being a teenager. However, Inez’s actions come back to haunt the duo and sends their home life spiraling downward. 

Teyana Taylor takes the lead in the film, playing the role of Inez, and William Catlett plays her love interest, Lucky. Viewers are introduced to three versions of the character Terry. There is the 6-year-old Terry, played by Aaron Kingsley Adetola, the 13-year-old who is played by Aven Courtney and the 17-year-old, played by Josiah Cross.

Taylor told USA Today that “Inez came in a perfect time to let out everything that I was going through” and touched on the resilience of the character by noting, “(Inez) never folded and I feel like through my life and my career, I never folded. I always kept pushing.” The film’s director, A.V. Rockwell, intended to tell the story of inner-city women whose voices may not always be heard or understood. “I wanted to use Inez’s journey to speak to that and make those women feel loved and seen and dignified,” stated Rockwell. 

The 1 hour and 57-minute film debuted in March 2023 and was distributed by Focus Features. A Thousand and One grossed more the $3.4 million at the box office, according to Box Office Mojo. Potential viewers can check out the film on platforms including Peacock, Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.