Pauletta Washington Reacts to Son Malcolm’s ‘The Piano Lesson’ Dedication (Unique)

Pauletta Washington was moved when she discovered her son Malcolm Washington devoted his feature-length directorial debut to her.

“Oh my God. I am trying ahead to actually categorical how I actually really feel about it,” Pauletta, who has been married to Denzel Washington for 41 years, tells PEOPLE on the The Piano Lesson‘s premiere on the Toronto Worldwide Movie Pageant on Tuesday, Sept. 10.

“You recognize, that is such an important honor, such an important honor,” she provides of Malcolm’s candy gesture. “I imply, I broke down after I noticed it.”

Netflix’s adaptation of August Wilson‘s traditional play is a household affair for the Washington household: On high of Malcolm, 33, directing, Denzel, 69, produced the film alongside his daughter Katia Washington, 37, whereas his oldest son John David Washington stars. The solid additionally options Samuel L. Jackson, Danielle Deadwyler, Erykah Badu, Skylar Aleece Smith, Jerrika Hinton, Gail Bean and Corey Hawkins.

“There’s an important Colman Domingo quote, who’s an icon, and he says, ‘The place would we be with out the desires of our moms?'” Malcolm tells PEOPLE, when requested why he determined to dedicate The Piano Lesson to Pauletta, 73.

“Once I was engaged on the film, her story saved coming to my thoughts and have become one thing the place [like], ‘Okay, that is a lot greater than me,’ ” Malcolm provides.

“And even a lot greater than my mother and our relationship — that is for everyone’s mother and whether or not you are a son, a daughter or a mom or a father or no matter that dynamic is,” he says. “We come from an extended line of those who sacrificed and fought to place us ready to do what we love and need to do, and I feel it is necessary to honor that.”

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On the pink carpet in Toronto, Malcolm additionally spoke to working together with his father on set. “With any producer-director relationship, you need belief and communication and safety, in a whole lot of methods,” he says. “So having my dad, in addition to [co-producer Todd Black] and Katia there — it meant a lot to me. Having that form of love round you means every little thing.

John David, 40, beforehand starred in The Piano Lesson for the stage, when he, Jackson, 75, and Jackson’s spouse LaTanya Richardson Jackson revived the play on Broadway in 2022.

The Piano Lesson is in choose theaters Nov. 8 and begins streaming on Netflix Nov. 22.