African American DirectorsLike this list

11 items

• Get Out

  Add Get Out to your for later shelf

  Jordan Peele's breakout directorial debut was not only a massive hit, it was the first film in a new wave of Black horror. Following Get Out, Peele continued his successful run with the movies Us and Nope, cementing his status as one of Hollywood's…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Woman King

  Add The Woman King to your for later shelf

  Based on the true story of of women warriors who protected the Kingdom of Dahomey, The Woman King earned Gina Prince-Bythewood the Best Director award from the African-American Film Critics Association. (PG-13)

• Selma

  Add Selma to your for later shelf

  With this film about the civil rights marches of 1965, Ava DuVernay made history for being the first African American woman who was nominated for a Best Director Golden Globe, as well as receiving a nomination for the Best Picture Oscar. (PG-13)

• Training Day

  Add Training Day to your for later shelf

  Working under Antoine Fuqua, one of Hollywood's most prolific and successful action film directors, Denzel Washington won the Academy Award for Best Actor in this intense thriller about a corrupt Los Angeles narcotics officer. (R)

• Candyman

  Add Candyman to your for later shelf

  Described by the film's co-writer, Jordan Peele, as "a landmark film for Black representation in the horror genre," young director and poet Nia DaCosta was lauded by critics for her visual style and social commentary in this reimagining of the…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Black Panther

  Add Black Panther to your for later shelf

  Ryan Coogler scored one of the biggest hits in 2018 with this Marvel superhero smash. Featuring an all-star cast, including the much-missed Chadwick Boseman, Black Panther put the rallying cry "Wakanda Forever" on the lips of kids and adults…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Do the Right Thing

  Add Do the Right Thing to your for later shelf

  There are many Spike Lee joints that could be highlighted, but this is the one that launched the seminal director into public consciousness. Featuring many legendary actors and future stars, this tale of everyday Brooklyn life amidst simmering…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Moonlight

  Add Moonlight to your for later shelf

  Winner of the Best Picture and cited as one of the best films of the 21st Century, Barry Jenkins co-wrote and directed this coming-of-age story of a young gay man growing up in Liberty City, Miami, at the height of the crack epidemic. Moonlight also…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Daughters of the Dust

  Add Daughters of the Dust to your for later shelf

  Telling the story of three generations of Gullah women migrating to the North, Julie Dash has the distinction of being the first African American female director whose indie film had a general theatrical release. (NR)

• Boyz 'n the Hood

  Add Boyz 'n the Hood to your for later shelf

  John Singleton's stunning debut film announced a major new talent to the world. At age 24, he became the first African American and youngest person ever to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Director. Singleton went on to direct such…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Soul Food Junkies

  Add Soul Food Junkies to your for later shelf

  Looking at the history of soul food and its place in African American culture, Soul Food Junkies won director Byron Hurt the Best Documentary Award from the American Black Film Festival. (NR)