Iconic actor Pam Grier comes to Olympia Film Society March 16 for film screening, Q&A

Olympia is set to welcome an icon of the big screen later this month at the Olympia Film Society. Action star and pioneer of the Blaxploitation genre Pam Grier will hold a Q&A session along with a screening of her films “Coffy,” and “Friday Foster” on Saturday, March 16, at OFS.

Grier is known for her work in the 1970s portraying some of the first assertive, strong Black female lead characters to hit theaters in the U.S., as well as her portrayal of the title character in the 1997 Quentin Tarantino film “Jackie Brown.”

Released in 1973, “Coffy” tells the story of a nurse-turned-vigilante played by Grier who hunts down the crime bosses responsible for harming her friends and family members. The movie earned a loyal following over the years (it’s a favorite of Tarantino’s, according to Entertainment Weekly) and was one of the earliest action movies to portray a strong Black female lead.

“Friday Foster” was released two years later. Grier stars as the title character, who teams up with Yaphet Kotto’s Colt Hawkins to stop a plot designed to kill Black leaders across the country.

Grier will answer questions from the audience after each of the screenings.

Where: Olympia Film Society, 206 5th Avenue SE, Olympia, WA 98501

When: Saturday, March 16. The screening of “Coffy” starts at 4:00 p.m., with a Q&A after the 91 minute film. “Friday Foster” starts at 8:00 p.m. Doors open an hour before each screening.

Cost: Tickets to each screening are $30 ($25 for OFS members), but you can buy tickets to both for $50.

Length: “Coffy” is 91 minutes long, while “Friday Foster” is 90.

This story was originally published March 7, 2024 at 12:40 PM.