Posterized: Movies About Young Black Girls
Friday, June 3, 2016 at 4:30PM Not every movie has a white straight male protagonist. It just seems like that since that's Hollywood's default and also the preferred proxy of most (white straight male) auteurs.
But the times are finally a-changing. This weekend features the platform release of a mesmerizing new indie called The Fits -- please see it as soon as it opens near you. I was so proud to push for honoring it on my jury at the Nashville Film Festival. Fresh perspectives on the screen can be so exhilarating. That's especially true when the execution is this confident. Remember the debut director's name, Anna Rose Holmer, since we're hoping for more great movies to come.
In the meantime, let's take a trip back through other features with young black girls as the lead character. I haven't seen the first or the last movie on this list of nine below but the rest all fall somewhere on the spectrum of good to great.
How many have you seen?
• Just Another Girl on the IRT (1992)
• Eve's Bayou (1997) - Really need to watch this again as previously earlier this week. It was the breakthrough role for Jurnee Smollett-Bell who went on to series regular gigs in Friday Night Lights, True Blood, and The Underground.
• Our Song (2000) - When it comes to superstar Kerry Washington, it's important to remember that I saw her first. Articles from the early Aughts are no longer online but trust that I gave her a rave review when I saw this teeny tiny indie in theaters and was startled by her total naturalism onscreen.
• Precious (2009) - Best Picture Nominee at the Oscars, and right here.
• Akeelah and the Bee (2006)
• Pariah (2011) - One of the best LGBT films of the decade
• Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012) - Our #1 film of 2012, and also a Best Picture nominee at the Oscars
• Girlhood (2014) - terrific French film
• Annie (2014)
If you can think of other films with a child or teenage black girl as the lead character, please do share them so our list is more complete.
Reader Comments (23)
War Witch, terrific movie
Lol @ Precious being released in 2002. That woulda been a whole different movie.
James - ugh. how did i do that? i linked to the right years. sigh.
I've seen four.
What about Bring It On?
I've seen four:
Our Song - Caught it on Starz once. Pretty good.
Precious - Solid film but not something that I have much interest re-visiting too many more times.
Pariah - One of the Best Films of 2011.
Beast Of The Southern Wild - I liked it?
I've seen 5. Should see more!
The "Annie" remake was horrendous
Pariah, Precious, Beasts and Girlhood... all pretty terrific films.
I have only seen 'Precious'.
'Rabbit Proof Fence' by Phillip Noyce and 'Samson and Delilah' by Warwick Thornton could be added to the list.
I've seen 7! I've been meaning to see "Just Another Girl on the I.R.T." and I will continue to avoid "Annie".
I'd also add the following:
- Mississippi Damned
- The Princess & the Frog (apparently she's 19?)
- Crooklyn
Eve's Bayou, Precious, Pariah and Beasts of the Southern Wild.
I can't believe I still haven't seen Girlhood. Must.
This is a damn short list.
JUST ANOTHER GIRL ON THE IRT left quite an impression on me when I caught it some 13 or so years ago on late night television. I've been trumpeting it ever since, even though its director and star (Indie Spirit nominee) never did anything else. OUR SONG, PRESCIOUS, PARIAH and GIRLHOOD are all excellent-to-brilliant. I have EVE'S BAYOU sitting here to watch, although I never had much interest in ANNIE and AKEELAH. I also wasn't quite so taken by BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD, but I appreciate it.
Glenn the lead in Just Another Girl booked plenty after its release mostly television and some film work like the John Travolta movie The General's Daughter.
Zelda Harris in Crooklyn
Shareeka Epps in Half Nelson
Lauryn Hill in Sister Act 2
6 for me. I've been meaning to watch Just Another Girl on the IRT and I haven't seen Annie, but would try it if it came to streaming somewhere. This is the first I've heard of Our Song.
I like movies with young female protagonists because they're so rare compared to so many movies with young male protagonists that seem to be autobiographical for the directors. In TV, though, there seems to be a trend focusing on teenage girls in serious dramas (Mad Men, The Americans, Homeland albeit unsuccessfully, Fargo to an extent, I believe Game of Thrones, which I don't watch), though I don't think that has crossed the racial barrier yet.
I second MISSISSIPPI DAMNED. It is wonderful.
3rtful, must just be the director who never did anything after it. Although Ariyan deserved more, too, than The Steve Harvey Show and The General's Daughter.
I've seen the following: Akeelah and the Bee, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Eve's Bayou, Pariah, and Precious. I wish I could say that I like Beasts as much as many around these parts, but I had to concede that I simply don't get it. The others, however, I quite enjoyed, and a couple are fine examples of great filmmaking. The best thing about each of them is that they introduced the public to talented young actresses of color who continue to work today despite the deck stacked against them.
AKEELAH AND THE BEE is an underrated gem. I get chills at the end every time I see it. Am I the only person in the world who thinks a spelling bee is one of the most thrilling events imaginable? Check out my review: http://www.saraborgstede.com/family-video-review-akeelah-bee/
3rtful, must just be the director who never did anything after it. Although Ariyan deserved more, too, than The Steve Harvey Show and The General's Daughter.
If she were a stronger actress I would grieve the premature demise of her career. But I think she's probably okay with what she was able to achieve.
I started Just Another Girl on the IRT back when it was on Netflix, and now i'm wishing I had finished it.
Girlhood has been on my list ever since I heard about it, so I definitely should've watched it by now.
I've seen Precious, Pariah, and Beasts. I love them all for different reasons.
Precious specifically the acting, Pariah for the raw truth, and Beasts for turning me into a sobbing mess every time and straddling the line between fantasy and reality perfectly.
I've seen Eve's Bayou (need to rewatch it, I remember feeling it didn't live up to the hype but that was so long ago), Previous (heavy-handed but still effective with great performances), Pariah (loved it) and Beasts (loved it). Girlhood will definitely happen soon.