black women directors
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This Is Us Writer-Director Kay Oyegun and Actor Jennifer C. Holmes Introduce the 'Spirit' of Randall's 'Birth Mother'
This is Randall Pearson’s birth mother. This is Laurel. We first meet young Laurel DuBois (portrayed by Jennifer C. Holmes) way back in Season 1, Episode 3 titled, “Kyle.” Through a series of strategically teasing flashbacks, we learn just a little bit more about her character, mostly through the perspective of Randall’s (Sterling K. Brown)…
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The Forty-Year-Old Version Writer, Director and Actor Radha Blank to Be Honored With 2020 Sundance Vanguard Award
The incredibly talented force known as Radha Blank is 2020’s Sundance Vanguard Award recipient. Blank’s feature film directorial debut, The Forty-Year-Old Version made its world premiere at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and was later acquired by Netflix. The multi-hyphenate not only directed the Sundance darling but wrote and starred in it, too. The award,…
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Victoria Mahoney Is Directing an On-the-Run Action Flick Starring Sterling K. Brown and Kerry Washington
Move over Mr. and Mrs. Smith—and make way for the Shadow Force! According to Deadline, Victoria Mahoney is set to direct an action-drama starring Sterling K. Brown and Kerry Washington. More info on the film, via Deadline: Shadow Force, written by Leon Chills and Joe Carnahan, follows an estranged husband and wife with a bounty…
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Regina King Says Her Feature Directorial Debut Could 'Open Doors or Close Doors for More Black Female Directors'
I don’t know if you know this, but Regina King is kind of a big deal. The Oscar-winning actress is specifically a big deal at the 2020 Venice Film Festival having made history as the first Black woman director to have a film selected for the prestige festival with her feature directorial debut, One Night…
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Felicia Pride, on the 'Vulnerability, Sensuality, Softness and Hardness' of the Women in Her Short Film, Tender
TV and film writer (and former contributor to The Root) Felicia Pride has an array of stories bubbling inside of her. Leading with a fascinating Hollywood journey that includes TV writing credits in Queen Sugar, a festival-accepted feature film and more exciting things to come, Pride embodies her surname. Having found Pride through her creator…
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With Selah and the Spades, Tayarisha Poe Is Capturing the 'Volatility of Being Alive'
“They always try to break you down when you’re 17.” – Selah Summers text Written and directed by Tayarisha Poe, Selah and the Spades has been on my anticipated list for a while. In fact, though I didn’t get to attend that year, it made the top of my 2019 Sundance Film Festival black-ass experience…
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First Look: Taraji P. Henson Makes Her Directorial Debut With Empire 'Come Undone' Episode; En Vogue Guest Stars
Taraji P. Henson has embodied the baddest bitch of primetime television for about five years and now she’s ready to show us she can also be a boss behind-the-scenes on Fox’s rollercoaster ride known as Empire. Like many actors on a well-seasoned television show, Henson has taken over the reigns to helm an episode she…
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How Ford Inspired Young Black Girls to Believe They're 'Built Phenomenally' to Create Production Magic
For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to be a creator. Whether it was making mini-movies with the cast of my Barbie dolls or writing down short stories that often danced around in my head, I’ve always managed to find a way to express the goings-on in my rich imagination. That’s why I…
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A New Star Wars Trailer Dropped—Let's Talk About Victoria Mahoney and Her Historic Directing Role in the Film, Though
Cue the epic saga text scrolling, we have a new Star Wars trailer! That’s right, Star Wars: Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker has dropped its much-anticipated final trailer. Default fanboy giddiness aside, the trailer looks damn good. Plus, there’s the added bonus of a woman and people of color heading the charge—I spot Daisy…
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Numa Perrier's Jezebel Transforms the Exploitation of Black Girl Sexuality in the Most Tender, yet Powerful Way
When a black girl is seen—truly seen—its effect lingers on my skin like the warmest hug. With her feature film debut, Numa Perrier presents Jezebel, a strikingly beautiful coming-of-age exploration serving as a love story to the free agency of a black girl’s sexuality. Written and directed by Perrier, Jezebel also introduces us to the…