GARY, Indiana — After months of work, West Side Leadership Academy became the site of something rare: a movie premiere that felt like a homecoming.
Monday night brought an exclusive early look at Michael, the upcoming biopic tracing Michael Jackson’s rise, with a focus on his roots in Gary. In attendance were Michael’s brothers Jackie Jackson, Marlon Jackson, and Jermaine Jackson; his nephew and the film’s star, Jaafar Jackson; and his son Prince Jackson, along with film executives.
“We had to bring it back home,” said Jackie Jackson, a founding member of the Jackson 5. “To show that Gary has a lot of talent that has come out of it and a lot still here.”
Thousands of residents packed the school grounds, tickets in hand, hoping to secure a seat before the lights dimmed. Music from Michael’s catalog filled the air as residents danced and sang their way to their seats.
“This is where it all started for my family,” said Jaafar Jackson. “Without this, I wouldn’t be here.”
“The first week of being involved in this project, I said to my team, ‘We’ve got to kick everything off in Gary, Indiana,’” said producer Graham King. “I’m hoping there are a lot of kids around here that have some raw talent, and this film would give them some hope and inspiration.”
The push to bring the screening to Gary began months earlier, led by organizers with the Gary International Black Film Festival, who argued there was no better place to launch the film than in Michael Jackson’s hometown. That effort eventually reached City Hall, where Mayor Eddie Melton helped carry it across the finish line, turning a community push into a hometown premiere.
“We knew him before the world knew him,” said Toni Simpson with the Gary International Black Film Festival.
See images from Tuesday’s screening of “Michael” in Gary, Indiana.
Jafaar Jackson, who is Jermaine’s son, smiled as he looked among the crowd of Gary residents who welcomed him as if he were raised among them.
“The energy in this room is something that I’ll never forget,” he said. As the main character of the film, he’s spent the past few years capturing his uncle’s essence through stories, memories, and videos with his family. “To be able to tell his story in a cinematic way is an honor of a lifetime.”
When the lights dimmed, the energy in the auditorium surged. Cheers erupted, and at times the crowd broke into song, voices rising together to lyrics they already knew. By the end, no one was sitting.
In a room full of shared memory, some moments became personal.
“He’s been a fan since he was 3,” said Jasmine Simons, who brought her son, Jasiah Cazy, to the screening. The 6-year-old, dressed like Michael in the film’s poster, met Jaafar Jackson before the movie began, getting a signed poster and a photo.
Afterward, he tried to explain what he had just seen.
“I felt like I seen Michael Jackson come back to life,” he said.
That same sentiment was felt by Anthony Hudson.
“It was a great testimony of Michael and his family,” he said. ”It’s a treat to have this come here to his hometown.”
As the night closed, members of the Jackson family reflected on Jaafar Jackson’s performance.
“It brought tears to our eyes,” the brothers said. “It was like watching our brother again.”