Luster

An aspiring artist, 23-year-old Edie struggles to navigate life as a Black woman in a predominately White society. The child of an unstable marriage, Edie is an orphan whose discovery of her mother’s body at 16 years old has scarred her and stunted her emotionally. Her mother’s death and her father’s neglect lead Edie to explore a relationship with an older man, which results in a pregnancy. Edie’s abortion haunts her seven years later as she continues to seek recognition and attention in the form of spontaneous sexual experiences, which leave her unsatiated. Isolated, Edie feels disconnected from those around her and seeks out relationships with older men who abandon her.

This pattern leads Edie to Eric, who is 23 years her senior. The two fall into a pattern of violent sexual escapades. After Eric abandons her, Edie once again obsesses over her older lover and is confronted by his wife, Rebecca, who seeks out Edie repeatedly. Through Rebecca’s care and attention, Evie begins to paint again successfully after deserting her art in the aftermath of her distant father’s death. Evie grows into a mentor figure for Akila, Rebecca and Eric’s adopted Black daughter, and matures as she begins to overcome her chaotic past.