Movies

Aretha Franklin. Black and white photo of a Black woman turned to the side with a short, curled bouffant hairstyle smoking a cigarette in front of a microphone.
Tiarra Mukherjee  Mar 11, 2019 4:25PM EDT

Watch Aretha Shine in Trailer for 'Amazing Grace'

Buried for decades, the documentary hinges on the singer’s live performance at New Bethel Baptist Church in Los Angeles in 1972.
Hannah Beachler. Black woman with black hair smiles while wearing white dress with red and gray and yellow leaves and black lines in front of grey background with orange lines and grey CocaCola and AT&T logos.
Sameer Rao  Feb 22, 2019 3:19PM EST

LISTEN: Oscar Nominee Hannah Beachler Talks Bringing Wakanda to Life

The “Black Panther” production designer is the first Black woman ever nominated in her category.
Illustration of Black and Brown and White incarcerated men in brown uniforms in front of white light and dark blue room.
Sameer Rao  Feb 22, 2019 2:17PM EST

Incarcerated Men Document Their 'Hard Truth' Via Film

Men incarcerated at Pendleton Correctional Facility in Indiana co-directed “It’s a Hard Truth Ain’t It,” which captures their education in documentary filmmaking.
Fred Hampton. Black-and-white photograph of Black man in black hat and jacket in front of white flag with black text and black and white building.
Sameer Rao  Feb 19, 2019 4:53PM EST

Ryan Coogler to Produce Fred Hampton Biopic

Daniel Kaluuya is in talks to play the Black Panther Party leader.
Black-and-white image of Black woman in dress kissing Black man in overcoat in front of curtain.
Sameer Rao  Feb 14, 2019 4:46PM EST

Celebrate Valentine's Day With 120 Years of Black Love

Shadow and Act compiled 60 seconds of clips, from 1898 to 2018, that show the power of Black intimacy and romance on screen.
Yara Shahidi, Charles Melton and Nicola Yoon. Asian and Indigenous man in navy suit and white shirt sits next to Black woman in blue dress, both with black hair, in front of teal background and under yellow text that spells "THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR"
Sameer Rao  Feb 8, 2019 11:23AM EST

Young Love Battles Deportation in Trailer for 'The Sun is Also a Star'

Yara Shahidi and Charles Melton bring Nicola Yoon’s bestselling novel to life.
Miles Davis. Black and white photograph of Black man smiling in multicolored striped shirt in front of trees.
Sameer Rao  Feb 1, 2019 4:19PM EST

3 Questions with 'Miles Davis' Documentarian Stanley Nelson

The filmmaker talks about his new project, “Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool,” which explores the musician’s life and impact on Black culture.
Chinonye Chukwu and Elaine Brown. Black-and-white images of two Black women in front of grey backgrounds in black and white clothes
Sameer Rao  Jan 31, 2019 11:46AM EST

Chinonye Chukwu to Direct Elaine Brown Biopic, 'A Taste of Power'

The former Black Panther Party leader will executive produce the adaptation of her autobiography.
Jordan Peele. Black-and-white magazine cover with Black man on black background behind white headlines and red text that spells "Rolling Stone"; Black man in black and orange sweater and black pants holds white rabbit while surrounded by white rabbits
Sameer Rao  Jan 30, 2019 2:06PM EST

Jordan Peele On the Importance of Telling Many Kinds of Black Stories

The filmmaker told Rolling Stone: “I realized I had never seen a horror movie of this kind, where there’s an African-American family at the center that just is.”
Angela Bassett, Lupita Nyong'o and Danai Gurira. Three Black women in grey, black and white dresses smile while holding green award statues in front of grey background with black text
Sameer Rao  Jan 29, 2019 11:41AM EST

'Black Panther' Returns to Theaters for Free

Revisit Wakanda with the masses the first week of February.
Julie Dash. Black woman with blonde curly hair poses in clear eyeglasses and black shirt in front of blue and yellow lights
Sameer Rao  Jan 28, 2019 4:49PM EST

Julie Dash to Helm Angela Davis Biopic

The announcement coincides with the racial justice activist’s 75th birthday.
Mindy Kaling. South Asian woman with black hair and shirt posts on magazine cover in front of grey background and behind white text spelling "VARIETY" and yellow text spelling "SUNDANCE 2019"
Sameer Rao  Jan 24, 2019 12:08PM EST

Mindy Kaling On Creating Opportunities in Hollywood

“For many years, I thought that hard work was the only way you could succeed, but it’s simply not true. Particularly if you’re a woman of color, you need people to give you opportunities.”
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.