Top 10 Documentaries from The Black Documentary Collective
As a platform and network, Documentary Weekly has a small but growing voice in the documentary industry. Every day, we’re proud to dedicate that voice to filmmakers from all four corners of the globe and the incredibly diverse stories that they have to tell.
However, in our industry as in so many others, black voices are under-represented.
In response to that fact and in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, we’re making a long-term commitment to increase our coverage of films made by black people, starting today.
As a first step, we’ve teamed up with the New York-based Black Documentary Collective (BDC) to bring you our latest Top Docs - ten of the best documentaries made by their members.
The BDC was founded in 2000 by the late, great documentarian St.Clair Bourne, as a supportive networking organisation for documentary film, video, and media professionals of African descent (African, African-American, Afro-Latinx, Afro-Asian, etc.). You can find out more about the great work they do here.
BDC Co-Chair, Sabrina Schmidt Gordon, is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and impact strategist. Her most recent film is QUEST, the critically-acclaimed documentary portrait of a North Philadelphia family who run a community Hip-Hop studio from their home.
“There was no way we could narrow down all the amazing and brilliant documentaries made by our members, so I asked them to share any number of films that inspire them, without pressure to rank. What emerged is an eclectic list that spans decades of the American experience, cultural themes, storytelling approach and filmmaking style.”
The BDC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, tax-exempt, charitable organisation. Please consider making a donation and make sure you follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
John Henrik Clarke: A Great and Mighty Walk (1996) by St Clair Bourne
It’s only right that we start the list with work from BDC Founder, the late, great documentary filmmaker, St Clair Bourne. Among his many films are ‘Making Do The Right Thing’, ‘Paul Robeson: Here I Stand’, ‘The Black and the Green’ which explores the parallels between Black American and Irish liberation struggles, and the riveting and visually-stunning portrait, ‘John Henrik Clarke: A Great and Mighty Walk’
Free Angela and all Political Prisoners (2012) by Shola Lynch
The dramatic true story of college professor and revolutionary icon Angela Davis, and how her social activism implicated her in a botched kidnapping attempt, landing her on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list.
“This is a film that should be mandatory viewing for people of all races. Shola Lynch did the damn thing with this film, elevating the life and legacy of Angela Davis.” - Byron Hurt, Filmmaker, BDC Member
(T)error (2015) by Lyric Cabral
The first documentary to place filmmakers on the ground during an active FBI counterterrorism sting operation, the story is told from the perspective of "Shariff", a 63-year-old Black revolutionary turned informant.
Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution (2015) by Stanley Nelson
Stanley Nelson, known for his award-winning films covering the breadth of the African-American experience, sheds light on the Black Panther Party and all its reviled, adored, misunderstood, and mythologized history.
Vision Portraits (2019) by Rodney Evans
Chronicles the creative paths of blind and visually impaired artists including John Dugdale (photographer), Kayla Hamilton (dancer), Ryan Knighton (writer) and the film's director, Rodney Evans.
BaddDDD Sonia Sanchez (2016) by Sabrina Schmidt Gordon
The Emmy award nominated film offers unprecedented access to the life, work and mesmerising performances of renowned poet and activist Sonia Sanchez. A mentor to a generation of Hip-Hop artists, Maya Angelou described her as “a lion in literature’s forest. When she writes, she roars, and when she sleeps, other creatures walk gingerly.”
“The film creatively transcends biographical details to illuminate the inner life of the artist. A must-see portrait that resonates strongly with our current social and cultural moment.” - Art Jones, filmmaker, BDC Member
Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes (2006) by Byron Hurt
Premiering at Sundance over a decade ago, the film still resonates as a riveting examination of masculinity, sexism, violence and homophobia in mainstream Hip-Hop.
Homegoings (2013) by Christine Turner
Through the eyes of funeral director Isaiah Owens in New York City’s Harlem neighborhood, the film captures the beauty and grace of African-American funerals, painting a portrait of the dearly departed, grieving families, and a man who sends loved ones "home."
In response to the Covid 19 pandemic, ‘Homegoings’ is currently free to watch.
The New Black (2013) by Yoruba Richen
The award-winning film chronicles the African-American community as it grapples with gay rights and the Black church, at the height of the movement for marriage equality.
A Question of Color (1993) by Kathe Sandler
African American filmmaker Kathe Sandler digs into the often subconscious world of "color consciousness” among Black people: a caste system based on how closely skin color, hair texture and facial features conform to a European ideal.
“It was my first understanding of the power of Black filmmakers making films about Black people. A white filmmaker never would’ve been able to get those characters to open up like that.” - Angela Tucker, filmmaker, BDC memberne
Because the list should be longer:
Anything from William Greaves, especially the cult classic Symbiopsychotaxiplasm Take One! and Still a Brother: Inside the Negro Middle Class (both 1968).
Anything from Marlon Riggs, including Ethnic Notions, Tongues Untied, Color Adjustment, and Black is... Black Ain't
Anything from Camille Billops. Films include Sundance winner Finding Christa, and Suzanne, Suzanne, an intimate documentary short about the impact of domestic violence on Billops’ sister and niece.
Strong Island (2017) by Yance Ford (currently free to watch)
Autistic Like Me (2014) by Charles Jones
Mr. Soul! (2018) by Melissa Haizlip, Samuel D. Pollard
OJ: Made in America (2016) by Ezra Edelman
Trapped (2016) by Dawn Porter
13th (2019) by Ava Duvernay
Hale County This Morning, This Evening (2018) by RaMell Ross
I Am Not You’re Negro (2016) by Raoul Peck
American Promise (2013) by Michèle Stephenson, Joe Brewster
And so many more…
Our #topdocs series brings you a readymade selection of the best documentaries so you can get down to watching instead of searching. Get in touch to collaborate with us on our next collection.
