5 Groundbreaking Films by Black Directors
Photo Credit: ThePlaylist.net
There are many stories to tell, and having diversity, both in front of and behind the camera, is incredibly important in how narratives are told.
Hollywood has made significant strides in diversifying its voices in film, with 14% of the top 100 films of 2018 created by Black directors. This statistic, while seemingly not fantastic, shows an increase from 2007, where, of the Top 100 films, only 8 were directed by Black filmmakers.
The same can’t be said for women directors, however, where women of color are still few and far between as directors, producers, and other crew positions. But that’s a blog post for another time.
While mainstream movies are finally seeing an increase in filmmakers of color, the history of movies in America is starkly white. With that being said, there is a multitude of fantastic films by Black directors, ranging from dramas to comedies to terrifying thrillers that are must-sees for any lover of a good story. Here are a few of my favorites:
Moonlight (2016): Barry Jenkins
Photo Credit: Variety.com
Barry Jenkins, with a budget of only $15,000, made his directorial debut in 2008 with his film Medicine for Melancholy. Starring a relatively unknown Wyatt Cenac, the film explored the burgeoning relationship of a young African American couple living in San Francisco- a city that has seen the largest decline of Black residents than any other big city in the country.
While this film wasn’t seen by a wide audience, it managed to land a few nominations at the Independent Spirit Awards. More importantly, it inspired a myriad of new black storytellers, such as Lena Waithe, Justin Simien, and Terence Nance, as well as laid the groundwork for his future projects, including his seminal film Moonlight.
Moonlight is an adaptation of the play “In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue” by Tarell Alvin McCarney. The film surpassed all expectations when it grossed over $65 million internationally while making history as the first film with an all-Black cast to win best picture at the 2017 Academy Awards.
Jenkins remarked on his personal connection to the story, as his life in many ways paralleled McCarney’s experience: Jenkins grew up in the same Miami housing project as McCarney, they attended the same elementary school, yet never met, and both had mothers with addiction problems. Jenkins related to the coming of age story of Chiron, as both struggled to avoid the life of crime around them and not fall victim to its many pitfalls.
The film follows central character Chiron, played by three different actors at different stages in life: young Chiron, aka Little, played by Alex R. Hibbert, teenaged Chiron played by Ashton Sanders, and adult Chiron, aka Black, played by Trevante Rhodes.
At a young age, Little is labeled different by his peers, experiencing relentless bullying for his homosexuality before even understanding his own sexual orientation. In the film’s first chapter, he finds solace from his difficult life when he meets Juan, portrayed by the always impeccable Mahershala Ali. Juan becomes a surrogate father figure to Chiron, offering kindness and acceptance and teaching him the importance of self-preservation. He does not force Chiron to define himself before he is ready, but rather not let society define what his life will be.
The next two chapters of the film see Chiron continuing to cope with his punishing surroundings, as his mother struggles with addiction and he must reconcile his sexuality in a community accepting of only one version of masculinity. As he transitions from teenager to full-fledged adult by the third chapter, it becomes apparent Chiron has let the world harden him in order to survive, repressing the aspects of himself that could make him a target.
This all culminates in one of the most well-directed, acted, and edited ending sequences I’ve ever seen in cinema, wherein the main tension comes from whether or not Chiron will break down his walls and let his true self be seen and loved.
What is most astonishing about the movie, is its ability to tell a story that resonates across all races and sexual orientations. At the heart of the film are themes of acceptance and identity and the ways in which community can shape a person’s growth. While the concept of masculinity is a constant thread throughout Chiron’s life, ultimately it is his yearning for connection that drives his every decision.
The distinct color grading present during each chapter, the use of impactful sound design, the fluidity of camera movement that places viewers directly in the scene, and the masterful direction and acting of every character in the film make Moonlight truly one of the most beautiful films I’ve had the pleasure of watching.
2. Get Out (2017): Jordan Peele
Photo Credit: Vulture.com
Jordan Peele got his start in sketch comedy, beginning as a cast member on Mad TV and later teaming up with fellow castmate Keegan Michael-Key to write and star in their own sketch comedy show Key & Peele.
I could write a whole blog post on how amazing Key & Peele is from a comedy, creative, and writing standpoint, but for time’s sake, I will just say this: after watching every skit from the show, I was completely unsurprised with the remarkable creativity and talent displayed by Peele in his debut film Get Out.
Audiences and The Academy agreed, as the film grossed over $250 million worldwide and rightfully awarded Peele “Best Original Screenplay” at the 2018 Academy Awards. He became the first African American to win this category.
Get Out is a thriller-horror that mixes a sprinkle of comedy with a dash of racial anxiety to produce a truly unique viewing experience. The film follows protagonist Chris, a young Black man, played by Daniel Kaluuya, who is in a relationship with a white woman named Rose, played by Allison Williams.
As with all couples, the time comes for Chris to meet the in-laws. What follows is a variety of anxiety-inducing situations that Peele describes as both relatable to Black audiences, as well as familiar to white viewers. Without giving away the twist, Get Out does an amazing job at putting on full display the danger of racial gaslighting- as both Chris and the audience are led to believe the family is completely accepting. I mean, the dad did say he would totally vote for Obama a third time if he could, right?
What is wonderful about Get Out, aside from the superb acting and ingenious writing, is the film’s take on racial anxiety as a horror genre plot. Peele, an avid horror buff himself, commented on the lack of Black representation in scary movies, noting there is a horror flick based around every kind of human fear, except the terror of racism in our country. His goal was to fill that void.
Funny, biting, and scary as hell, Get Out is a film that requires multiple viewings, as the transition from unknowing to knowing viewer changes the tone of every single scene and line of dialogue.
Peele went on to write and direct the equally successful horror flick Us, which tackles issues of racism, as well as poverty and classism in our country. While it was hard to decide which of these films to put on the list, I’m always a sucker for directorial debuts, and Get Out is a truly exceptional first feat for any filmmaker.
3. BlackKklansman (2018): Spike Lee
Photo Credit: ASCentral.com
Spike Lee is an incredibly prolific director who got his start directing She’s Gotta Have It in 1986. Over the years, Lee has dabbled in a variety of genres, producing groundbreaking films that have become classics to many a cinephile. However, throughout his career, he’s generally been snubbed by the Academy, except one Best Original Screenplay nomination for his 1989 classic Do the Right Thing.
Yet, Lee persevered for over three decades, telling compelling stories, from Malcom X to Inside Man, and finally at the 2018 Academy Awards, received three nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, and won Best Adapted Screenplay for his film BlackKklansman.
BlackKklansman is a dark comedy set in the 1970s and based on the memoir “Black Klansman'' written by Ron Stallworth. It follows Stallworth, played by John David Washington after he’s hired as the first Black police officer to work for the Colorado Springs Police Department. Initially relegated to the records room, he asks to be transferred to undercover work. Soon after, he is instructed to infiltrate a civil rights rally, where he meets Patrice Dumas, played by Laura Harrier, who is president of the Black student union.
Later, Stallworth finds himself embroiled in an investigation of the Klu Klux Klan, after posing as a white racist on the phone to the president of a local division. Teaming up with his Jewish coworker Flip Zimmerman, the two infiltrate the group, with Zimmerman posing as him in person and Stallworth continuing to pose as white during regular phone conversations with Grand Wizard David Duke.
The film touches on themes of race and identity, as both Stallworth and Zimmerman grapple with their own heritage and duty. Stallworth deals with overt racism every day from coworkers, while also receiving criticism from peers on his choice of becoming an officer. Similarly, Zimmerman, who is reluctant to join the mission at first, faces criticism from Stallworth for not being more personally invested in the plan due to his Jewish faith. The two must come to terms with how their culture affects their personal identity, as well as how it will influence their career and the impact it will have in their life.
However, what is most poignant about the film is, while the story takes place in the seventies, it ends with a montage of current times. The racist imagery shown in the film is mirrored through a powerful final sequence displaying the Charlottesville white nationalist march, Black Lives Matter protests, police brutality, and the real-life David Duke invoking words from President Trump’s speeches.
Many films about racism tend to be period pieces, giving audiences the opportunity to feel like issues of injustice are behind them. BlackKklansman, however, shows that the racial issues of the past have not disappeared; the fight continues and society has a long way to go.
4. Girls Trip (2017) - Malcolm D. Lee
Photo Credit: Glamour.com
Malcolm D. Lee has been making movies for over two decades, directing his first major Hollywood film, The Best Man, back in 1999. The movie follows the interpersonal connections of a tight-knit group of friends as they prepare for their friend’s wedding. The friends also happen to be African American. This distinction is seemingly unimportant, except that films about Black Americans portraying relatable experiences aren’t often made.
Taye Diggs, who played the main character, Harper Stewart, remarked in the late nineties that he was looking for roles "where you just see African American people being people, as opposed to stereotypes." As Lee continued in his career, he found success with this simple concept, leading to his 2017 box office hit Girls Trip.
Girls Trip, a comedy about four women on a vacation gone wrong, broke records and became the first film written, produced, directed and starring Black individuals to make over $100 million at the box office. Audiences and critics alike loved the movie, as it is “Certified Fresh” with a 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
With an all-star cast, the movie follows four women who all met in college and formed close friendships, dubbing their group the “Flossy Posse.” After drifting apart over the years, they decide to reunite on a trip, when lifestyle guru Ryan, played by Regina Hall, is asked to be a keynote speaker for the Essence Festival in New Orleans.
With a standout performance by Tiffany Haddish who plays carefree Dina, accompanied by the equally talented Jada Pinkett-Smith as straight-laced, single mom Lisa and Queen Latifah, as ex-journalist turned internet gossip columnist Sasha, the four women create a hilarious ensemble, where much of the humor comes from the interactions between the four friends.
As the film progresses, the four women cope with their differences and ways in which they’ve grown apart, while simultaneously remembering what made them friends in the first place and empowering one another to find joy in their life.
Without giving away too much plot, as this film is best viewed without knowing the hilarious twists ahead, what the movie does exceptionally well is show female friendships at their very best.
Oftentimes, the media portrays women as catty or back-stabbing. Whether it’s high school “mean girls” making an unpopular girl’s life miserable, or ladies on reality shows like Real Housewives snipping and throwing drinks at one another; Lee wanted to offer a more authentic display of female connections.
He wanted to tell a genuine story, with relatable characters and strong female friendships. On audience reception, he explained, “I’m hoping Black women are gonna come out in droves for it, and prove to the industry that four Black women can open a movie and it does not have to be about the space program…”
Audiences deserve to see stories created by and starring people of color that encompass all genres. Girls Trip provides a lighthearted comedy, with likeable characters and an engaging plot that is sure to resonate with viewers of all backgrounds.
5. The Hate U Give (2018) - George Tillman Jr.
Photo Credit: NYTimes.com
George Tillman Jr. got his start in the film world very young, watching episodes of All My Children and mailing letters to the producers with episode ideas. They eventually wrote him back, letting him know they already had their characters and plots, but still sent him one of their scripts for reference. With that one script, his future in screenwriting and directing was sealed.
Tillman went on to study film at Columbia college and made his directorial debut with his 1997 movie Soul Food, for which he also penned the screenplay. The film harkened back to Tillman’s love of family dynamics represented in the sitcoms of his childhood, as it follows Ahmad, played by Brandon Hammond, witnessing the interactions of his multigenerational family.
The film was very well received, with famed critic, Roger Ebert, stating, “The work of all the actors in these sequences...is a reminder of how rich the African American acting community has grown in recent years, with the renaissance in Black-themed films.”
Not only did the movie establish Tillman as a Hollywood director and screenwriter, but also prepared him for future projects. It allowed him to cross genres by directing the 2009 biopic Notorious about late American rapper The Notorious B.I.G., as well as the 2015 Nicholas Sparks romance The Longest Ride. All of these projects would lead him to his most recent, and best-reviewed film to date: the 2018 adaption of The Hate U Give.
The Hate U Give film is based on the 2017 young adult novel of the same name, written by Angie Thomas. This movie is arguably the most relevant story on this list. While every film mentioned tackles the issue of race, The Hate U Give centers around an incident that could have easily happened today: a young woman witnesses the shooting of her friend, an unarmed Black man, at the hands of a white police officer. There is public outcry and protests, as the family and friends mourn the loss of another senseless death, while the officer in question seemingly goes free.
The film opens like an unassuming teen flick, with a stellar performance from Amandla Stenberg as the charismatic narrator, Starr Carter. Starr is a sixteen-year-old from a lower-income, Black neighborhood who is attending a predominantly white, private school. She spends a majority of her time straddling the two worlds: trying to relate to her affluent, white friends who lack understanding of her experience as a Black American, while also attempting to fit in with the friends in her neighborhood who can’t relate to her private schooling.
While at a party, she rekindles a friendship with her childhood crush Khalil, played by Algee Smith. When the party is broken up by a shooting, the two rush off in Khalil’s car and they get away unscathed. They share a few minutes of carefree flirtation and a kiss, though Carter tells him she has a boyfriend.
For a brief moment, it almost feels like this could be the film; that for two sixteen-year-olds, the major drama in their life can just be “will they, won’t they get together.” Unfortunately, both in life and in this movie, this isn’t always the case for Black Americans.
The police pull the two over and ask Khalil to get out of the car. Starr, whose father taught her from a young age to fear the police and be extremely cautious of any interaction with them, pleads with Khalil to do as he’s told and take it seriously. He isn’t as worried and reaches through his car window to grab a comb to brush his hair. The cop, thinking he reached for a gun, shoots Khalil, killing him instantaneously.
Starr’s life is turned upside down, as her community unites in protest, major news outlets begin circulating the story and the offending officer faces backlash. Her two lives become harder to navigate, as one of her closest friends takes the side of the police and refuses to engage with Starr to better understand her point of view, while at the same time, Starr receives pressure from her community to testify against the cop in front of a grand jury.
This story tackles many relevant topics, but most importantly, allows viewers a small glimpse into a life they may not normally see. It gives white audiences the opportunity to see what real allyship looks like through a pivotal scene where Starr’s caucasian boyfriend Chris, played by K.J. Appa, is with her at a protest and simply asks, “how can I help?” This contrasts her friend Hailey, played by Sabrina Carpenter, who refuses to understand Starr’s experience and only finds empathy for the white officer and his family while proclaiming “she doesn’t see color.”
The film centers around identity, the growing issue of police brutality in America, and the frustration and heartache of the Black community as they continue to endure losses at the hands of a system designed against them.
It asks audiences to see the humanity of victims of police brutality and to mourn the life they lost. It aims to show that systemic racism still exists and the imperativeness of holding police accountable. But most importantly, it shows the value of voicing your truth, whether or not the world is ready to hear it, and the power in fighting for what is right.
Supporting Diversity In Film
One of the best ways to encourage diverse filmmakers in Hollywood is by showing up for them when it counts: buying tickets opening weekend, renting their films, and streaming their movies online. Every person deserves to see his or herself authentically represented in film. Similarly, audiences benefit from witnessing a life experience they might not normally encounter, as it can challenge preconceived notions and encourage compassion for those they deem different.
The media influences how we view one another, as well as how we perceive life in our world today. While there are many films by white directors that aim to tell stories of Black Lives in America, it is important to consume content from a variety of voices. At a time where understanding one another’s lived experience is more significant than ever, it is crucial that we raise up and support minority voices, rather than attempting to speak for them.