Why We Need Real Black Characters By Real Black Artists

Earlier this month, my husband and I went to see Queen of Katwe, the new Lupita Nyong’o movie about a Ugandan chess prodigy, and I was fighting back tears every few minutes. It’s definitely a tearjerker, as an older Quebecois gentleman remarked to his wife and the other couple rounding out their double date. But it was so much more. It was the color — of the earth, of the bird, of the clothing and of the characters. The light.

Literally, the light. The fact that the film was lit for dark skin. That black faces weren’t shadowy the way they’ve been so many times onscreen, eyes and teeth standing out like they were Cheshire cats because the camera was really meant to capture someone whiter standing beside them.

It was the truth of their manner of speaking. Of their gestures, their expressions, their dancing. It was the tears, the comforting, the holding of children’s faces as you do when you know someone is precious, and you want them to know it too.

The movie follows one story in Katwe, one community in Uganda. Uganda, one country in Africa. Phiona, one girl of a group, many of whom went on to succeed — secondary characters who were developed enough to remind us that they have stories, too. It was a story that didn’t fall into exploitation, that didn’t chase a bias with confirmation. It felt authentic…