Movies

Ariana DeBose. Black Latinx woman with black hair in white outfit sings into black microphone on black stand in front of blue curtain and green lights
Sameer Rao  Jan 15, 2019 4:36PM EST

Meet the Latinx Stars of the 'West Side Story' Remake

Tony winners Ariana DeBose and David Alvarez will join Josh Andrés Rivera, newcomer Rachel Zegler and returning star Rita Moreno for the Steven Spielberg-helmed remake.
Ken Jeong, Chris Pang, Nico Santos, Michelle Yeoh, Awkwafina, Constance Wu, Gemma Chan and Harry Shum Jr. Asian women and men in multicolored formal attire smile around silver award statue in front of grey background with white logos
Sameer Rao  Jan 14, 2019 12:12PM EST

Critics' Choice Awards Honors 'Crazy Rich Asians,' 'Black Panther,' 'Beale Street'

The Broadcast Film Critics Association and Broadcast Television Journalists Association awarded several artists of color.
Illustrations of Black women and men in red movie theater seats in front of a tombstone that spells "A HISTORY OF BLACK HORROR" in grey letters
Sameer Rao  Jan 8, 2019 4:43PM EST

WATCH: 'Horror Noire' Trailer Explores Portrayals of Blackness in Horror Cinema

The new documentary dives into the horror genre’s treatment of Black characters from “The Birth of a Nation” to the present.
Hands of Black person wearing one brown leather glove holds gold scissors while dressed in red robes
Sameer Rao  Dec 20, 2018 2:39PM EST

What We Know About 'Us,' Jordan Peele's Next Horror Show

Peele and stars Lupita Nyong’o and Winston Duke finally shared some of the film’s closely guarded details.
Rosa Parks. Black-and-white photograph of Black woman in black blazer and white shirt at desk and in front of office furniture and curtain
Sameer Rao  Dec 19, 2018 12:17PM EST

Rosa Parks Biopic Focuses on Movement Defining Direct Action

“Rosa” draws from biography “The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks.”
Lena Waithe. Black woman in brown coat and pink and green and black shirt points and smiles while standing behind black and grey microphone and in front of dark grey wall with light grey portion of block letter
Sameer Rao  Dec 18, 2018 2:54PM EST

3 Films We're Excited to See Developed From The Black List

The annual list compiles entertainment executives’ favorite unproduced screenplays of the year.
Eden Duncan-Smith and Danté Crichlow. Black girls in white shirt with red and white and blue NASA logo stands next to Black boy in blue and red and grey and yellow jacket in front of grey walls
Sameer Rao  Dec 13, 2018 12:13PM EST

Black Brainiacs Time Travel to Stop Police Violence in 'See You Yesterday'

“I made this film because I don’t want the conversation on police brutality to slow down,” says director Stephon Bailey about his Netflix project, which is produced by Spike Lee.
Black man in black hat and leather jacket with white text in front of green grass and brown and grey and black houses
Sameer Rao  Nov 29, 2018 2:10PM EST

7 Films We're Excited to See After the Sundance Festival

Several narrative movies and documentaries about racial justice and identity are set to screen at the festival in 2019.
Vanessa Baden Kelly. Black woman in black t-shirt with white text holding black cell phone and surrounded by multicolored logos and white blocks with black text in front of green trees and white buildings
Sameer Rao  Nov 28, 2018 1:25PM EST

WATCH: 'Other' Captures Trauma of Being Black in America

The new short film explores the ways Black people contort themselves—and their speech—in White spaces.
Barry Jenkins. Black man in grey suit and glasses smiles in front of grey wall with white text reading "SCAD" and "SCAD SAVANNAH FILM FESTIVAL"
Sameer Rao  Nov 26, 2018 2:09PM EST

Barry Jenkins to Hollywood: Adapt More Black Literature

The “If Beale Street Could Talk” director discusses the importance of the Black literary canon to the film industry.
Aretha Franklin. Black woman with brown and blonde hair smiles in white dress in front of black wall with white text
Sameer Rao  Nov 7, 2018 4:54PM EST

ICYMI: After 46 Years, Aretha Franklin Doc to See Light of Day

“Amazing Grace,” which features sessions from the 1972 live gospel album of the same name, will premiere at DOC NYC.
Ava DuVernay. Black woman with black dredlocs in black dress in front of dark grey background with gold and white insignia and letters; Prince. Black man with black afro in light orange jumpsuit holds gold award statue in front of navy and brown screen
Sameer Rao  Oct 30, 2018 2:04PM EDT

Ava DuVernay to Direct Prince Documentary

The filmmaker describes her next documentary subject as “a genius and a joy and a jolt to the senses.”
Ted Ross, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Nipsey Russell. Black woman and man in multicolored costumes stand in front of navy blue wall and brown wood floor as woman holds grey dog
Sameer Rao  Oct 25, 2018 5:40PM EDT

#TBT: Revisiting 'The Wiz's' Impact on The Culture

Ease on down the road of film history via a 40th anniversary retrospective essay from the Los Angeles Times.
Kobe Bryant. Black man in black and white tuxedo in front of red and white background.
Sameer Rao  Oct 18, 2018 2:38PM EDT

Film Fest Drops Kobe Bryant From Jury For Rape Accusation

Animation is Film Festival organizers removed the basketball player and film producer from the lineup after a petition called out his charges for allegedly raping a teenage hotel employee in 2003.
Jafar and Iago in Disney's Aladdin. Brown man in black and red turban and tunic grimaces as red bird sits on shoulder in front of blue and gold and brown background
Sameer Rao  Oct 10, 2018 4:02PM EDT

REPORT: 100 Years of Hollywood Islamophobia

A new report from the Pop Culture Collaborative details depictions of Muslims on screen—what the entertainment industry must do to uplift Muslim narratives that don’t damage the community.
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Black man with grey goatee smiles while wearing brown shirt and blue and black checkered blazer in front of orange and black background
Sameer Rao  Oct 10, 2018 3:08PM EDT

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson Leads John Henry Movie for Netflix

Johnson calls the folk hero his childhood favorite, but some are upset that a darker actor isn’t playing the part.
Barry Jenkins. Black man in blue sweater and light blue dress shirt and brown glasses in front of yellow background and black woman in blue blouse
Sameer Rao  Oct 4, 2018 12:41PM EDT

Angela Flournoy on Barry Jenkins: 3 Must-Read Passages

The celebrated novelist profiled the Oscar-winning filmmaker ahead of the November release of his upcoming film, “If Beale Street Could Talk.”
Pair of red velvet ropes in front of orange background with white text and white background with orange text
Sameer Rao  Sep 27, 2018 1:01PM EDT

Moving Film Criticism Beyond the Velvet Rope of #CriticsSoWhite

Journalist Bilal Qureshi visits the Code Switch podcast to talk about the importance of entertainment media diversity initiatives.
Jesse Williams. Black man with blue eyes in black shirt and gold necklace smiles in front of purple wall
Sameer Rao  Sep 24, 2018 5:08PM EDT

Jesse Williams Directs Mamie and Emmett Till Film

The film is based on the story of Mamie Mobley Till, whose decision to give her son Emmett an open-casket funeral drew worldwide attention to White supremacist violence in America.
Stephan James and KiKi Layne. Black man in brown jacket and shirt holds Black woman in yellow sweater and light blue dress in front of brown wall and blue store lights
Sameer Rao  Sep 20, 2018 3:17PM EDT

Gorgeous New 'If Beale Street Could Talk' Trailer Celebrates Black Families

The latest look at Barry Jenkins’ upcoming film illuminates how Baldwin’s characters build community while navigating uncertainty and trauma.