List

Independent Feature Movies from Black Women Directors

By Sharon Weinberg

Enjoy one or more of these feature movies.

Clemency
2020
Alfre Woodard gives a tour-de-force performance as Bernadine Williams, a prison warden emotionally drained by the demands of her profession, which includes overseeing executions. Filmmaker Chinonye Chukwu says that she got inspiration from the case of Troy Davis. This flew under the radar, even though Woodard deserved an Oscar nomination.

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Little Woods
2019
Tessa Thompson and Lily James play two sisters desperate to keep their family home after their mother dies. They turn to illegal dealings that involve crossing the North Dakota/Canadian border. This is Nia DaCosta’s debut feature, and it is hard to believe it is her first. It is a gem, and it is exciting to think what her next film will be like.

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Pariah
2012
Filmmaker Dee Rees wrote and directed this superb coming-of-age story about lesbian identity, family relationships, and choosing, not running away. The main character, 17-year-old Alike, will stay with you long after watching. I also recommend Rees' 2017 Netflix historical drama Mudbound, which follows two WWII veterans returning to rural Mississippi, one Black and one white, each addressing issues of racism and PTSD.

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Middle of Nowhere
2015
Ruby puts her life on hold and abandons her plans for med school when her husband Derek receives an eight-year prison sentence. This is a layered character study, showing what it's like for women like Ruby, waiting while a loved one is incarcerated. Ava DuVernay's first feature film, I Will Follow, also explores themes of lost love and moving forward. Make these two a double feature. You will not be disappointed.

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The Photograph
2020
Issa Rae and Lakeith Stanfield costar in this romantic drama involving a photograph and a letter that lead their characters to truth, understanding, and a new relationship. Stella Meghie's storytelling skills and visual style hit the mark, as she takes a look at the complexities of love and commitment.

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Queen & Slim
2020
A couple's Tinder date turns into an epic on-the-run road trip after an incident with a belligerent police officer leaves him dead. The multitalented Lena Waithe is the screenwriter (watch her Emmy-winning Thanksgiving episode from the TV series Master of None). Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Turner-Smith have terrific on-screen chemistry. This is a stunning directorial debut feature from Melina Matsoukas, and it is a story for today.

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Rafiki: Friend
2019
Set in Nairobi, Kena and Ziki's fathers are rivals in a local election, yet the two young women strike up a friendship that turns into a secret romance. When their relationship becomes public, they face harsh consequences from their parents and the community, as same-sex partnerships are illegal. I like that writer/director Wanuri Kahiu shows joy and hope, amid homophobia and restrictions from Kenyan authorities. In Swahili and English, with English subtitles. Also available on Hoopla and Kanopy.

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