While innovations in technology have made it easier than ever to make a movie, it has become harder than ever to receive significant financial backing. Doubly hard when one is a director of an underrepresented background.
Black Americans have been a part of the film industry since the beginning, over a century ago, but one could argue that there were not any Black film directors given enough of a platform to become a household name until the 1990s. Though a diverse set of directors were able to breakthrough from that time through the aughts, the shift in focus toward solely blockbuster filmmaking has left many Black filmmakers out to dry.
In recent years, quite a few Black directors have seen a greater level of support and reverence, from “Get Out” director Jordan Peele to “Black Panther” director Ryan Coogler, “Moonlight” director Barry Jenkins to “Selma” director Ava DuVernay. And every February their work rightfully makes the lists of must-watch films by Black directors. But that group still has plenty of peers, and even predecessors, who have miraculously continued to keep making films with sizable distributions.
Before introducing a list of 10 Black filmmakers still working today, whose debut films are worth the watch, it is worth it to list some of the parameters that may disqualify a filmmaker from being included on the list. Everyone included has made at least three features, meaning “Judas and the Black Messiah” helmer Shaka King and “Zola” filmmaker Janicza Bravo have not yet made the cut. There is also a whole class of filmmakers from the 1990s that now primarily work in television, like “I Like It Like That” director Darnell Martin, or who have not been working at all, like “I’m Gonna Git You Sucka” director Keenen Ivory Wayans. There are other directors whose first features are not the films that broke them out, like Antoine Fuqua (“Training Day”), Amma Asante (“Belle”), or Tim Story (“Barbershop”). And finally, there are names like Spike Lee, Gina Prince-Bythewood, and even Tyler Perry that are already on any cinephile’s radar.
So with all that said, here is a list of 10 Black filmmakers that one should know, all of whom continue to still work steadily in Hollywood — along with the reasons why one should check out their debut feature.
With editorial contributions by Alison Foreman and Wilson Chapman.
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Justin Simien, “Dear White People” (2014)
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection/Getty Images “Dear White People” and its satirical, unflinching look at racial tensions in prestigious, predominantly white colleges caused a stir when it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2014. Starring a large ensemble cast — including Tyler James Williams, Tessa Thompson, and Teyonah Parris, among others — the film focuses on various students at the historically Black Armstrong/Parker house of fictional the Ivy League, Winchester University. Simien won the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Talent, and later adapted the film to TV with a Netflix series. One of the few openly gay Black filmmakers currently working, Simien has followed up the success of “Dear White People” with further tiles like “Bad Hair” and “Haunted Mansion,” both centering Black actors. —WC
Also known for: Creating, directing, writing, and executive producing Netflix’s “Dear White People” TV adaptation, which ran for four seasons. Also directed and wrote satirical horror film “Bad Hair” for Hulu, and Disney’s 2023 reboot of “Haunted Mansion.” Will next direct “Hollywood Black,” an MGM+ docuseries exploring the history of the Black experience in the film business.
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Malcolm D. Lee, “The Best Man” (1999)
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection/Getty Images Writer/director Malcom D. Lee should be a known commodity to any comedy movie obsessive. The filmmaker, who made his debut in 1999 with “The Best Man,” forged a career out of taking the effervescent joy of Black friendships and rendering that undeniable warmth for all audiences. Fresh off “How Stella Got Her Groove Back,” Taye Diggs stars in this laugh-out-loud ensemble romantic comedy — alongside Nia Long, Regina Hall, Terrence Howard (who won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor for the role), Morris Chestnut, Sanaa Lathan, and more actors still working today. When Harper Stewart (Diggs) reconnects with old friends and flings at a wedding, the best man’s insecurities send the bridal party into chaos. The result is a witty consideration of change and commitment, produced by cousin Spike Lee. —AF
Also known for: “The Best Man” would inspire both a holiday sequel and later miniseries: “The Best Man Holiday” (2013) and “The Best Man Final Chapters” (2022). On the big screen, Lee also wrote and directed “Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins” (2008), and directed but did not write “Undercover Brother” (2002), “Roll Bounce” (2005), “Soul Men” (2008), “Scary Movie 5” (2013), “Barbershop: The Next Cut” (2016), “Girls Trip” (2017), “Night School” (2018), and “Space Jam: A New Legacy” (2021). Lee has also directed TV episodes for “Everybody Hates Chris,” “Shots Fired,” “Wu-Tang: An American Saga,” and “Harlem.”
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F. Gary Gray, “Friday” (1995)
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection/Getty Images Formerly a music video director, F. Gary Gray arrived in Hollywood touting one of the best stoner comedies ever as his debut feature. “Friday,” which centers on the 24-hour plight of two slacker friends in South Central LA, offers an authentic portrayal of the Black experience that’s more well-rounded than many of the trauma-centric dramas that came before it. The 1995 buddy comedy follows the unemployed Craig Jones (Ice Cube, who co-wrote the film with DJ Pooh) and his pal Smokey (Chris Tucker in his cinematic breakout) as they attempt to pay back a dealer for the weed they “accidentally” smoked. The film would significantly boost the careers of both stars, as well as reunite Ice Cube with “Boyz n the Hood” cast members Regina Hall and Nia Long. —AF
Also known for: In addition to his work on various music videos, including Ice Cube’s “It Was a Good Day,” TLC’s “Waterfalls,” and OutKast’s “Ms. Jackson” among others, Gray has directed ten more features. He’s particularly drawn to action and crime with films like “Set It Off,” (1996), “The Negotiator” (1998), “The Italian Job” (2003),” and “Law Abiding Citizen” (2009) following up “Friday.” The filmmaker is still best known for “Straight Outta Compton” (2015), the Oscar-nominated biopic of hip hop group N.W.A. Netflix streamed Gray’s latest action-comedy, “Lift” starring Kevin Hart, in January 2024.
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Stella Meghie, “Jean of the Joneses” (2016)
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection/Getty Images A Canadian filmmaker, Stella Meghie exploded into Hollywood’s consciousness with her brilliant tragicomic feature “Jean of the Joneses,” a 2016 multigenerational drama starring “Zola” breakout Taylour Paige in her first leading role. As the titular Jean, Paige joins Meghie in bringing to life the complicated inner-workings of a 25-year-old Black writer grappling with unexpected and complicated grief as the women around her do the same. Moments after the Jamaican-American Joneses reunite with their long lost, deadbeat dad, he keels over and actually dies on their front step. Sherri Shepherd, Erica Ash, Michelle Hurst, Gloria Reuben, Cara Ricketts, and Mamoudou Athie round out the almost all-female cast for this TIFF darling. —AF
Also known for: On the features side, Meghie has also directed “Everything, Everything” (2017), “The Weekend” (2018), and “The Photograph” (2020). She served as creative leadership on the Disney film “Encanto” (2021); she’s also set to executive produce a “The Princess and the Frog” spinoff series as well as direct parts of the forthcoming “Wonder Man” for Disney+. Meghie has also directed episodes of “Grown-ish,” “Insecure,” and “First Wives Club.”
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Nia DaCosta, “Little Woods” (2018)
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection/Getty Images At 32, Nia DaCosta became the youngest Black woman in history to reach No. 1 at the box office for directing the 2021 remake of “Candyman.” Last year, she became the first Black woman to helm a superhero movie when she made the MCU team-up film “The Marvels.” Before moving into the blockbuster world, DaCosta made her debut with the acclaimed crime drama “Little Woods,” which won her the Nora Ephron Prize at the Tribeca Film Festival. The film focuses on two sisters — played by Tessa Thomspon and Lily James — as they resort to desperate lengths to pay off their mother’s mortgage after her death. —WC
Also known for: DaCosta is best known for the horror remake “Candyman” and her MCU space opera “The Marvels.” She will next direct “Hedda,” an adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s classic play “Hedda Gabler,” starring Tessa Thompson as the title character.
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Kasi Lemmons, “Eve’s Bayou” (1997)
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection/Getty Images Kasi Lemmons made a splash with her debut film “Eve’s Bayou,” which grossed $14 million and became the most successful independent film of 1997. Since its release, Lemmons has continued to work as an ambitious filmmaker, making several biopics like “Harriet” (about the famed American abolitionist) and “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” (about musical legend Whitney Houston). But her first film, a sumptuous drama that mixes mysticism and voodoo with familial strife, remains her best and one of the best films of its decade. A young Jurnee Smollett stars in the film as child Eve, who throughout a summer in the 1960s discovers the dark secrets behind her family’s affluent and picture-perfect facade. In 2018, the film was selected by the Library of Congress for the National Film Registry. —WC
Also known for: Lemmons has directed several films, including the Samuel L. Jackson-starring mystery drama “The Caveman’s Valentine” (2001), musical “Black Nativity” (2013), and biopics “Talk to Me” (2007), “Harriet” (2019), and “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” (2022). She has also worked as an actor, most notably playing supporting roles in films like “School Daze,” “Vampire’s Kiss,” and the original “Candyman” (1992).
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Reginald Hudlin, “House Party” (1990)
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection/Getty Images A prominent filmmaker since the ‘90s, Reginald Hudlin is well known for directing several acclaimed comedy films. His first feature “House Party” was inspired by a short film of Hudlin’s and became a cult classic, grossing over $26 million despite receiving a small release in just 700 theaters. Starring Christopher Reid and Christopher Martin of the hip hop duo Kid n’ Play, the film focuses on two best friends throwing a wild house party when one of their families goes out of town. It spurred four sequels, “House Party 2” (1991), “House Party 3” (1994), “House Party 4: Down to the Last Minute” (2001), and “House Party: Tonight’s the Night” (2013). In 2022, the original film was selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress; the franchise was rebooted in 2023 by Calmatic. —WC
Also known for: Hudlin is known for directing comedy films such as “Boomerang” (1992), “The Great White Hype” (1996), “The Ladies Man” (2000), “Serving Sara” (2002), and “Candy Cane Lane” (2023). He also directed drama films “Marshall” (2017) and “Safety” (2020), as well as documentaries “The Black Godfather” (2019) and “Sidney” (2022). He’s also directed episodes of several television shows including “Psych,” “New Girl,” and “The Last O.G.,” and produced films like “Django Unchained” (2012) and the 2023 remake of “House Party.” His next project is a film adaptation of Yves Sente’s novel “Black Cotton Star” about Black soldiers in World War II.
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Dee Rees, “Pariah” (2011)
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection/Getty Images One of the few openly lesbian Black directors working today, Dee Rees brings an intelligent sensitivity to her films that makes her one of the most exciting filmmakers in modern Hollywood. Her acclaimed debut feature “Pariah” broke ground as one of the all-too few films to center the Black queer female experience. Starring Adepero Oduye as main character Alike, the powerful coming-of-age story centers on Alike’s exploration of her butch identity and her first relationship with a woman, while struggling to handle her parent’s strained marriage and her mother’s intolerance. The film received acclaim upon its 2011 Sundance premiere, winning the Excellence in Cinematography Award. In 2022, the film was selected for the National Film Registry in the Library of Congress, making it the first narrative feature of the 2010s to be chosen for the honor. —WC
Also known for: Rees also directed the Netflix films “Mudbound” (2017) and “The Last Thing He Wanted” (2020), as well as the HBO movie “Bessie” (2015). She’s also directed several episodes of TV shows, including “Empire,” “When We Rise,” “Electric Dreams,” “Space Force,” “Saint X,” and 2024’s “Masters of the Air.”
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Charles Stone III, “Drumline” (2002)
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection/Getty Images An NAACP Image Award nominee for Best Picture in 2003, “Drumline” merits inclusion on countless lists — including best sports, best music, best coming of age, and more. Nick Cannon stars as a rebellious teen drummer who shakes up the percussion section of a marching band at a historically Black college in this triumphant debut from Charles Stone III, written by Tina Gordon Chism and Shawn Schepps. The film not only launched Cannon’s career and better introduced audiences to the still-emerging Zoë Saldaña, but set Stone up to make big budget movies with talents like Bernie Mac, Snoop Dogg, and more. —AF
Also known for: Stone would go on to direct a lot of television, including episodes for “Friday Night Lights,” “Black-ish,” “Superstore,” and more. As for features, he has eight under his belt; the latest was “The Underdoggs” from Prime Video.
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The Hughes Brothers, “Menace II Society” (1993)
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection/Getty Images [Note: Albert and Allen Hughes now work separately.]
Brothers Albert and Allen Hughes made their joint film debut in 1993 with “Menace II Society.” The drama film stars Tyrin Turner as a teen living in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles, who is attempting to leave the city and the gangster lifestyle he grew up with behind him. Positively reviewed at the time, the recipient of three Independent Spirit Award nominations for Best First Feature, Best Male Lead, and Best Cinematography (winning the latter!), the film was recently rereleased by the Criterion Collection in 2021. —WC
Also known for: Aside from “Menace II Society,” the Hughes Brothers also collaborated on the films “Dead Presidents” (1995), “American Pimp” (1999), “From Hell” (2001), and “The Book of Eli” (2010) Allen has independently directed the film “Broken City” (2013) and the four-part series “The Defiant Ones” (2017), and has most recently been tapped to direct a Snoop Dog biopic. Albert directed the film “Alpha” (2018) and episodes of “The Good Lord Bird” and “The Continental.”
