Black Stories
Black Stories
Showcasing the best of Black culture in film and TV history.
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Girl Girl
Drama 2022 87 mins Director: Adura Onashile
Le’Shantey Bonsu gives a stunning performance as a young girl deeply connected to her mother (Déborah Lukumuena) in Adura Onashile’s tender drama.
Getting It Back: The Story of Cymande Getting It Back: The Story of Cymande
Documentary 2022 90 mins Director: Tim MacKenzie-Smith
The incredible story of a band you may never have heard of but whose sound has influenced generations with their irresistible rhythms and message of peace.
Daughters of the Dust Daughters of the Dust
Drama 1991 112 mins Director: Julie Dash
Dash’s groundbreaking Daughters of the Dust remains urgent and poetic and continues to resonate, inspiring Beyoncé’s iconic visual album Lemonade.
Cette Maison Cette Maison
Documentary 2022 74 mins Director: Miryam Charles
An experimental ghost story and docudrama exploring the profound grief stemming from an unsolved murder.
Black Joy Black Joy
Comedy 1977 99 mins Director: Anthony Simmons
Ben, an innocent immigrant from a remote village in Guyana, arrives in Brixton and falls prey to an assortment of streetwise characters in Anthony Simmons' Palme d’Or nominated comic drama.
Stud Life Stud Life
Drama 2012 87 mins Director: Campbell X
Campbell X's debut feature is a sexy, young and cool gay romance taking a unique look at a slice of British urban life.
Pressure Pressure
Drama 1978 121 mins Director: Horace Ové
Hailed as Britain's first black feature film, Pressure is a hard-hitting, honest document of the plight of disenchanted black youths in 1970s London.
The Wound The Wound
Drama 2017 88 mins Director: John Trengove
A traditional rite of passage ritual forms the backdrop for this tough and complex tale of closeted sexuality in South Africa.
Flavio Flavio
Documentary 1964 11 mins Director: Gordon Parks
Photographer Gordon Parks’ remarkable film depicts a day in the life of an industrious 12-year-old boy living in the impoverished favela slums of Rio de Janeiro.
Pretty Red Dress Pretty Red Dress
Drama 2022 110 mins Director: Dionne Edwards
One dress changes everything for a family in Dionne Edwards’ brilliant debut. Defiant, uplifting and with music at its core.
Rebel Dread Rebel Dread
Biopic 2021 83 mins Director: William E. Badgley
This is the story of the iconic Don Letts, the coolest cultural polymath – narrated by the man himself.
Banel & Adama Banel & Adama
Drama 2023 87 mins Director: Ramata-Toulaye Sy
In this compelling love story set in Senegal, Banel and Adama’s relationship is tested by a devastating turn of events that challenges their village’s way of life.
Mapantsula Mapantsula
Drama 1989 104 mins Director: Oliver Schmitz
Panic, a petty gangster, is caught up in Township riots in this cult classic crime drama, the first anti-Apartheid film shot guerilla style on the streets of Soweto.
Fear Eats the Soul Fear Eats the Soul
Melodrama 1974 93 mins Director: Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Fassbinder’s international breakthrough, this unconventional love story combines lucid social analysis with devastating emotional power.
Black Orpheus Black Orpheus
Romance 1959 107 mins Director: Marcel Camus
Academy Award and Palme d'Or-winning adaption of the Orpheus myth, incorporating the music, costume and dance of Brazil’s Rio Festival.
Burning an Illusion Burning an Illusion
Drama 1982 102 mins Director: Menelik Shabazz
Menelik Shabazz’s pioneering first feature traces the emotional and political growth of a young black couple in Thatcher’s London.
Bless Their Little Hearts Bless Their Little Hearts
Drama 1983 86 mins Director: Billy Woodberry
Nuanced marital drama directed by Billy Woodberry and written by Charles Burnett (Killer of Sheep), who also shot the film in his characteristically sublime black and white style.
Rodeo Rodeo
Drama 2022 106 mins Director: Lola Quivoron
French debut director Lola Quivoron revs up with a ferocious tale of a woman kickstarting a new life in the world of guerrilla motocross racing.
Saint Omer Saint Omer
Drama 2022 122 mins Director: Alice Diop
Alice Diop reinvents the courtroom drama in this concentrated, gripping study of a writer and the young African woman accused of murdering her own daughter. Based on a true story.
Mami Wata Mami Wata
Drama 2022 107 mins Director: C.J. 'Fiery' Obasi
Filmed in vivid black-and-white, C.J. Obasi’s bold Sundance winning film navigates the conflict between tradition and modernity in a Nigerian coastal village, featuring an incredible oceanic soundscape and hypnotic score.
Rocks Rocks
Drama 2020 93 mins Director: Sarah Gavron
A vibrant and hugely engaging portrait of female friendship and growing up in London from director Sarah Gavron (Brick Lane, Suffragette), with magnetic, BAFTA-nominated performances from its young cast of non-actors.
Ailey Ailey
Documentary 2021 95 mins Director: Jamila Wignot
An immersive profile of ground-breaking and influential choreographer and founder of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
Paris, 13th District Paris, 13th District
Comedy 2021 105 mins Director: Jacques Audiard
Jacques Audiard ventures into new territory with a vibrant take on love and Paris, as four characters cross amorous paths in the modern city.
Chi-Raq Chi-Raq
Musical 2015 127 mins Director: Spike Lee
Spike Lee’s bold and vivacious hip-hop musical restages an ancient Greek battle-of-the-sexes in 21st-century Chicago.
Gassed Up Gassed Up
Drama 2023 102 mins Director: George Amponsah
A group of London teenage boys turn to motorbike crime for survival in George Amponsah’s high-octane follow-up to The Hard Stop.
Generation Revolution Generation Revolution
Documentary 2016 72 mins Director: Usayd Younis and Cassie Quarless
This urgent, impassioned documentary follows a new generation of Black activists as they fight for social and political change in London and beyond.
Io Capitano Io Capitano
Drama 2022 122 mins Director: Matteo Garrone
In this epic drama from the director of Gomorrah, two Senegalese teenagers attempt to travel across land and sea to Europe.
Amazing Grace Amazing Grace
Documentary 2019 89 mins Director: Alan Elliott and Sydney Pollack
Aretha Franklin, at the height of her powers, returns to the music which nurtured her prodigious talent.
Shabu Shabu
Documentary 2021 76 mins Director: Shamira Raphaëla
After crashing his grandma’s car, fourteen-year-old aspiring rapper Shabu spends his summer trying to pay her back, in Shamira Raphaëla’s hilarious, upbeat, better-than-fiction documentary.
I Am Not Your Negro I Am Not Your Negro
Documentary 2016 94 mins Director: Raoul Peck
Raoul Peck’s penetrating and acclaimed documentary reconstructs an unfinished manuscript by James Baldwin, chronicler of America’s Civil Rights Movement.
Free
The Late Show The Late Show
Documentary 1969 12 mins
The supreme intent and personal biography of a Black Panther contrasts with the alienating propaganda of late-night television.
Tunde's Film Tunde's Film
Documentary drama 1974 40 mins Location: Stepney
Tired of being hassled by the police and with no job opportunities, a group of teenage East End lads plan to rob a bank.
Nice Nice
Drama 1984 26 mins
Monologue about a "nice" West Indian and his descent into postcolonial cynicism, performed by the legendary Norman Beaton.
Black Theatre of Brixton Black Theatre of Brixton
Documentary 1975 12 mins
Interesting doc following the Black Theatre of Brixton, which produced more black plays in two years than the whole of English theatre had in the previous twenty-five.
Osibisa Musical Group Osibisa Musical Group
Current affairs 1980 3 mins Location: Plymouth
Ghanaian led Afro-Caribbean band spread infectious rhythms of world music at Plymouth’s Frankfort Gate.
Black to Front Black to Front
Current affairs 1978 27 mins Location: Brixton
World in Action interviews the residents of Haycroft Road, Brixton as a controversial by-election stokes concerns about race and immigration.
Liverpool 8 Liverpool 8
Current affairs 1972 27 mins Location: Liverpool
Jonathan Dimbleby investigates racial tension on Liverpool's housing estates for This Week.
Caribbean Honeymoon No. 1 Caribbean Honeymoon No. 1
Travelogue 1960 17 mins
‘My People!’ Connor returns to his birthplace of Mayaro to celebrate his homeland’s natural beauty and manufacturing, capturing pre-independence Caribbean islands in all their glorious warmth.
The Jah People The Jah People
Documentary 1981 22 mins Location: Handsworth
Followers of the Rastafari way of life bring tales of Haile Selassie, Jah and Zion to the streets of inner-city Birmingham.
Divide and Rule - Never! Divide and Rule - Never!
Documentary 1978 41 mins
Young working class Londoners fight racism with the power of rock and reggae in this anarchic documentary.
Black Vote Black Vote
Current affairs 1980 13 mins Location: Smethwick
"There's been no active encouragement for black people to participate within the political structure of this country". A bleak picture of the lack of equality in Britain.
Carnival Fantastique Carnival Fantastique
Documentary 1960 18 mins
Vibrant documentary that captures Trinidad's famous street carnival in 1960.
Black Britain on Film
Striking, illuminating and sometimes surprising images of black culture, community and characters, spanning over a century of British film and TV.
Black Star
Our subscription selection celebrating black stardom, focusing on British talents and pioneering performers.
We Are Parable present Who We Are
Exploring the artistry behind Black British Film.
Black Star
The UK’s biggest ever celebration of black screen talent, shining a spotlight on the charisma and creativity of trailblazing performers.
Earl Cameron
Trailblazer, groundbreaker, godfather, pioneer... we chart the trajectory of Earl Cameron’s unique film career.
We Are Parable present Who We Are
Exploring the artistry behind Black British Film.