12 Must-See Films by Black Women Directors

Hollywood is known for its uncanny ability to approve many projects helmed by white cis men. This list features 12 must-see films (open in new tab) by incredibly talented black women directors. These films are Oscar-nominated, tear-jerking, and sometimes laugh-out-loud funny stories (opens in new tab), told through the eyes of women. Grab your popcorn and get ready to find your favorite films. If you'd like to check out more female-directed films after this, please join us for our list of the most exciting films directed by women coming out in 2020 (opens in a new tab).

Directed by Stella Meggie

Description When famous photographer Christina Eames (Shante Adams) dies, her daughter May (Issa Ray (opens in new tab)) is left to sort through her belongings. When May finds a photo in a safety deposit box, she decides to research her mother's life story. As she looks into her past, she realizes that she and her mother are not so different after all, in terms of the way they lived their lives and fell in love.

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Directed by Melina Matsoukas [9 Melina Matsoukas

About the Film On their way home from a first date, Queen (Jodi Turner-Smith (opens in new tab)) and Slim (Daniel Kaluuya) are stopped by the cops for a minor traffic violation. They are pulled over for a minor traffic violation. Things escalate quickly, and Slim grabs the officer's gun and shoots him dead in self-defense. Trying to avoid jail, the two go on the run as outlaw lovers.11]

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Directed by Dee Rees

[14 Dee Rees

Description Two men who served in World War II work on a farm in rural Mississippi. They go to work on a farm in a rural Mississippi town. They bond as they fight to overcome PTSD (open in new tab) and stay above the poverty line. As their bond grows, the townspeople begin to notice, and soon the two find themselves in danger.17]

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Directed by Tina Gordon

[20 Tina Gordon

Film Description Jordan (Regina Hall) runs one of the largest tech companies (opens in new tab), but that doesn't stop her from taking out her frustrations on her assistant April (Issa Ray). One day, when Jordan gets his hands on a young girl, the girl leaves with one last threatening word. The next day, Jordan finds himself in the body of a middle school student (Marsai Martin) and must rely on his assistant April to help him get back on track before his new lifestyle becomes permanent.23]

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Director: Eva DuVernay [27 Eva DuVernay

WHAT IT IS: DuVernay (opens in new tab) is probably familiar to you from Netflix's When They See Us and Disney's A Wrinkle in Time. The film focuses on the life and death of Martin Luther King, Jr. and tells his story over the course of three months; set in 1965, this powerful film depicts the famous march from Selma to Montgomery that led to President Johnson's signing of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which banned racial discrimination in voting It would become

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Directed by Julie Dash

[32 Julie Dash

Film Description In 1902, off the coast of South Carolina, the Gullah tribe of former West African slaves lived.Daughters of the Dust portrays their way of life in a dreamlike state as they enter a new century and face generational change. Some members of the group want to move further away from their heritage and into the mainland, while others want to stay. At a crossroads in their lives, many have asked themselves: what if I do it?" and "what if I don't do it?" 0]

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Directed by Nia DaCosta

[5 Nia DaCosta

Description After their mother suddenly dies, Ollie (Tessa Thompson (open in new tab)) and her estranged sister Deb (Lily James (open in new tab)) They must come up with enough money to settle the mortgage on their mother's house. With limited options, Ollie must decide whether he should risk a quick illegal job or leave everything he knows behind.

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Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood

[9 Gina Prince-Bythewood

Description Quincy McCall (Omar Epps) and Monica Wright (Saner Lathan) are neighbors and sometimes basketball opponents, they have known each other all their lives. As the years go by, they can no longer contain their feelings for each other, but they realize they must choose between two permanent places in their hearts: the game they love or the bond they share.12]

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Directed by Cassi Lemmons [16 Casey Lemmons

WHAT IT'S ABOUT: Watching Cynthia Erivo as Harriet Tubman will give you goosebumps. She embodies the strength, courage, and compassion associated with the historical figure who freed hundreds of slaves and changed the course of history. The film will bring you to tears, but as the credits roll, you will feel empowered by Tubman's will to bring freedom to so many.

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Directed by Tina Mabry Tina Mabry

Description Three children in rural Mississippi slowly fall into a pattern of abuse, addiction and violence. Will they leave their families and make a new life for themselves, or will they continue their family's legacy? 24]

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Directed by Chinonye Chukwu

[27 Chinonye Chukwu

Description Prison warden Bernadine Williams ( Alfre Woodard) is no stranger to executions. Everything changes when she starts preparing for the execution of another prisoner. As she prepares for the execution, she is faced with a psychological and emotional burden she has worked so hard to avoid and finds herself in a situation she never expected.

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Director Yuzhan Palsey

Description Ben Dutoit (Donald Sutherland), a teacher in apartheid South Africa, has ignored most everything around him to avoid trouble. But he breaks with that philosophy when he decides to help a gardener (Zakes Mokae) find his missing son. At the time of its release, "The Dry White Season" was a big deal because it marked Marlon Brando's return to the screen after a nine-year absence.

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