Five Black Films To Watch For Black History Month That Have Nothing To Do With Racism

Though many have made the case for increased visibility of Slave narratives, it is perhaps equally important that Black narratives not explicitly about racism and slavery are experienced. The necessity for a diversity within narratives about Black people serve to further dissipate the racist view of Black people as a monolith of negative stereotypes. And it also gives Black people a chance to watch narratives about themselves without being reminded of the pain of racism.

Moonlight (2016)

This Academy Award winning film directed by Barry Jenkins follows the story of Chiron as he grapples with his identity and queerness in Liberty City, Miami. With astonishingly gorgeous cinematography and impeccable performances from the cast, Moonlight is one of the best films ever made.

The Middle of Nowhere (2012)

Masterfully directed by Ava DuVernay, this film explores the life of Ruby as she grapples with her incarcerated husband and the possibility of a new romance with another man. While mass incarceration inherently involves thinking about racism, this film portrays an important tangential aspect to that story: the story of the women mass incarceration leaves behind.

Pariah (2011)

Somewhat of a sister film to Moonlight, Pariah is the coming-of-age story for a young queer Black girl named Alike. Pariah is particularly special because of the subtle emotions related to self acceptance that director Dee Rees is able to capture through careful scene structuring.

The Photograph (2020)

A gorgeous and epic love story that connects multiple generations of people, The Photograph is a wonderful film to watch in case you went into Covid-19 lockdown before you could catch it in theaters. The film is directed by the excellent Stella Meghie, and features amazing chemistry between the two leads, Issa Rae and LaKeith Stanfield.

Sylvie’s Love (2020)

Another beautiful Black love story, Sylvie’s Love follows the struggle of a young Black couple to overcome their class differences in the 50s. Tessa Thompson is perfect in her role as Sylvie, demonstrating her range beyond her most recent ventures in sci-fi and action films. The film is directed by Eugene Ashe.

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