Lupita Nyong'o and Jordan Peele on the set of "Us," written, produced and directed by Peele.
“My goal when making WHEN THEY SEE US was to create a project that could be a catalyst for conversation and change. Entertainment serves many purposes and the mission was to create something that might move us into action while challenging us to evaluate why we believe what we believe.”
Ava DuVernay, Filmmaker
I believe in the power of film to educate, inspire, and foster empathy. The following films have been chosen to open our hearts and eyes to the racial inequality, injustice, and historically-rooted racism that make up the everyday Black experience in America.
I also recognize that this is only part of the story. There are so many movies celebrating Black culture, including amazing Black comedies and other genres, as well as African cinema and the evolving Nigerian film industry, Nollywood; however, these felt better suited to a subsequent list.
The following Black filmmakers have so much to say through their work. May this serve as a resource to lift up their voices and bring people of every different background together in understanding, so that we can all take the necessary steps to real lasting change.
While there are no direct plot spoilers, some descriptions contain narrative structure analysis of the film which may otherwise have been a surprise to the audience upon viewing.
Trigger Warning: Directed by Ava DuVernay, this gut-wrenching mini-series dives deep into the lives and time lost of five falsely accused teens convicted of sexual assault. Based on the true story of the 1989 Central Park jogger case with an Outstanding Lead Actor Emmy Award win for Jharrel Jerome, this four-part series takes a hard look at racial profiling and the faults within the criminal justice system.
DuVernay has created a learning companion for the series which can be accessed at Array101. For a wider look at the historical context on racial inequality and mass incarceration rates, watch her 2016 documentary, 13TH.
GET OUT is Jordan Peele’s stunning feature directorial debut, winning him the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. Peele explains that his reason for making this genre-bending horror film was “to expose the lie of post-racial America.” As Chris, a young black man, goes to visit his white girlfriend’s family, we see the everyday ignorance, microaggressions, and prejudices surrounding Chris and the Black community. The character’s journey reveals the insidious truth that the seemingly innocent can, in reality, be quite dangerous.
Also, check out Peele’s writer/director follow-up hit, US. This eerie thriller, with a brilliant performance by Lupita Nyong’o, uses metaphor to explore our internal struggle with parts of ourselves we wish to hide, as well as the comeuppance by those often oppressed and left voiceless in society.
Directed by Spike Lee and winner of the 2019 Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, BLACKkKLANSMAN is the re-telling of the incredible, true story of Ron Stallworth, a black cop in Colorado who infiltrates the Ku Klux Klan in the 1970s. Using humor mixed with searing honesty, Lee’s film unmasks the KKK and exposes the truth of our own racial biases. The ending footage from the Charlottesville riots shows us how far we still have to go for equality.
Winner of Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor for Mahershala Ali, MOONLIGHT is a beautiful three-part poem on growing up and finding and accepting one’s self. Barry Jenkins directs this moving yet understated coming-of-age story of Chiron who comes to terms with living his truth as a gay black man in Miami.
In this powerful portrayal of life in the years surrounding World War II, Ronsel (Jason Mitchell), a black veteran, has trouble readjusting to life back home after experiencing a more accepting society and way of life overseas. He and Jamie (Garrett Hedlund), a white veteran, form an understanding friendship of sorts over their shared combat trauma, despite differing skin colors in a society plagued with prejudice. Garnering four Academy Award nominations, Dee Rees directs a commanding narrative of their two struggling families and delivers an unflinching look at the time’s categorical racism and intolerance found in everyday life in rural Mississippi.
In just six minutes, Matthew A. Cherry creates a heartwarming and empathetic short on the meaning of real beauty, family, and love. Winner of the Academy Award for Best Animated Short, HAIR LOVE illustrates a father grappling with styling his daughter’s hair for the first time. Cherry says he had the idea for a few years and decided to pursue it once seeing viral videos of black fathers with their children, especially dads helping daughters with their hair.
There are plenty of nostalgic BACK TO THE FUTURE nods by self-professed fan and first-time feature director Stefon Bristol in this teenage sci-fi time travel story. The film, produced by Spike Lee, features two genius students who travel back in time to stop the female protagonist’s brother from being shot and killed by the police. Whereas many stories become dispirited given tragic circumstances, Bristol is able to address a difficult topic with optimism and determination. The ending may be one of frustration for an audience used to a certain narrative structure; however, Bristol’s deliberate choice hands off the philosophical debate to the viewer that ultimately suggests while there is still much work to be done, there is hope with perseverance.
The painfully true story of Solomon Northup comes alive in Steve McQueen’s discerning adaptation of 12 YEARS A SLAVE. Winner of three Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Writing, and Best Supporting Actress for Lupita Nyong’o, the film shows the harsh realities and violence of pre-Civil War America. Northup, embodied by Chiwetel Ejiofor, was born a free man in New York State before being kidnapped and sold into slavery. The film gives an unrelentingly honest view of the unjust immorality of the time while foregoing a traditionally gratifying end to the story — the commentary being, as with present-day inequality, there isn’t one. Yet.
This bright and bold biopic is a mini-series starring Octavia Spencer as Madam C.J. Walker, the first female self-made millionaire in the United States. Directors Kasi Lemmons and DeMane Davis take us on Walker’s inspiring journey from a woman losing her hair asking, “If God don’t like ugly, why’d He make me?” to a self-possessed entrepreneur teaching the empowerment of female enterprise and how supporting such endeavors benefits everyone.
For another biopic from Director Kasi Lemmons, check out HARRIET, the two-time Academy Award nominated film taking an inside look at Harriet Tubman’s escape from slavery and unyielding efforts to free countless others. Double-nominee Cynthia Erivo, who portrays the titular Tubman, delivers depth, courage, and morality which emanates in the profound anthem, “Stand Up.”
Director Chris Robinson brings his love of music to BEATS, starring Anthony Anderson and Khalil Everage, with Uzo Aduba. This film shows the healing power of music as young August (Everage) overcomes personal tragedy under the mentorship of Reese (Anderson). This film takes a look at the day-to-day life and fears of growing up on Chicago’s South Side, while highlighting the effects of trauma and mental health. You won’t be able to get the soundtrack song “Kari’s Song (Long Way Home)” from Chicago’s then-17-year-old rapper/producer HappyBirthdayCalvin out of your head.
This list is just a starting point and mainly includes popular, critically-acclaimed films. There are so many more brilliant stories and voices that need to be seen and heard. And as this video discusses (particularly 13:12 to 15:17), efforts should also include not just stories about brilliant exceptionalism or horrific tragedies, but everyday human stories that resonate in spite of race rather than because of it.
As a consumer, you can become conscious of the films and shows you decide to watch, as well as support Black filmmakers by paying to see their creative projects in theaters (so producers will finance similar projects in the future) as well as share the films you enjoy with your own friends and platforms.
As a filmmaker, you can become conscious of the stories you tell and the people you hire in an effort to amplify underrepresented voices. A great resource to check out is Free The Work, founded by Alma Har’el, where you can discover new and diverse talent in various filmmaking positions. Also, here is a list Free The Work put together featuring Black-led filmmaking initiatives and content platforms to check out.
I’ll end with a quote from Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s TED Talk: The danger of a single story.
“Many stories matter. Stories have been used to dispossess and to malign. But stories can also be used to empower, and to humanize. Stories can break the dignity of a people. But stories can also repair that broken dignity.”
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
What films and creators would you add to this list? Please add them in the comments below. Thanks for reading and watching!