Black cinema has been around since the late 1800s and has been dominating the film industry for many years. There has been an abundance of stereotypes placed on the black industry as a whole. Doing so has motivated creators to surpass those stereotypes and produce media that uplifts, educates, and entertains society. Black cinema has allowed the African American community to tell their own stories and life lessons through entertainment. In today’s society we’ve had the pleasure to enjoy many examples of black cinema and how they have helped shape this community. In this article I am going to take you through four different black films that accurately portray the black community.
- Fatherhood
The first example is the 2021 film Fatherhood directed by Paul Weitz and stars Kevin Hart as Matthew Logelin. This film illustrates the life of a single father who is raising his daughter after losing his wife from childbirth. Grieving, becoming a first-time father, and undergoing pressure from his in-laws, Matthew has to figure out how to navigate through life with his newborn daughter. Not having much experience in what it’s like being a young girl both Matthew and his daughter Maddy are learning together as they tackle numerous obstacles. With the support of his close friends and family, it’s safe to say that both Maddy and Matthew turned out just fine in the end.
2. Really Love
The second example is the 2020 film Really Love directed by Angel Kristi Williams with stars Kofi Siriboe as Isaiah Maxwell and Yootha Wong-Loi-Sing as Stevie Richmond. Two talented young black individuals trying to find their way in the world when they meet each other at an art exhibition. Love, at first sight, is an understatement when it comes to this pairing. Although they experience the honeymoon phase early on, reality soon kicks in when Isaiah, the artist, and Stevie, the lawyer, begin to undergo the pressure of their separate careers. As their love for each other is continuously being put to the test, they must learn how to navigate through their hardships and not sacrifice their affection for one another in the process.
3. See You Yesterday
The third example is the 2019 film See You Yesterday directed by Stefon Bristol withstars Eden Duncan-Smith as Claudette Walker and Dante Crichlow as Sebastian Thomas. These two best friends begin as curious science students trying to conquer time travel for a science exposition. After a tragic incident with Claudette’s older brother, they’re motivated now more than ever to go back into the past to make things right. While tackling racism, police brutality, and the loss of her brother, Claudette and Sebastian do whatever it takes to defy the laws of science and change their past that affects their present and future lives.
4. American Son
The fourth example is the 2019 film American Son directed by Kenny Leon and stars Kerry Washington as Kendra Connor and Steven Pasquale as Scott Connor. In this heartbreaking drama we are taken through a time when an interracial couple is searching for their son Jamal. While Kendra deals with a newbie cop whose behavior screams microaggression, she feels hopeless once she realizes that he just views her son as just another African American troubled child. Instead of de-escalating the situation, he continues to undermine her and does the bare minimum to find her son. When her husband Scott Connor who just happens to be an FBI agent arrives the cop changes his ways and becomes more useful. While combating the emotional rollercoaster of this film, the director illustrates the reality of how race, social class, and gender will always play a factor in how far you get in this world.
These four films are prime examples of how black creators are constantly righting the wrongs of the stereotypes that have been placed on our community. Ranging from comedies to tragedies to dramas, there is no limit to the kind of power we possess when it comes to telling our story.