film

Valarie Molyneaux’s vitiligo diagnosis in 2002 turned her life upside down. “I drove my car to Jamaica Pond and wanted to drive it in,” said Molyneaux, a Hyde Park resident

Senegalese filmmaker and writer Ousmane Sembène (1923-2007) has been dubbed the father of African cinema. His work staunchly protested colonialism, racism, capitalism and patriarchy, and he created films in Africa for African audiences during a time when foreign markets were prioritized.

Arlo Washington sits in his car, a backdrop of greenery visible through the window behind him as he gazes ahead. “I’m on a mission, and it ain’t over,” he asserts. A momentary pause follows before a look of determination flashes across Washington’s face, and he continues, “It’s just begun.”

For the month of February, the third-brightest object in the night sky will send a message of hope back to the world below.

“American Fiction” is a funny and sharp satirical film that follows Thelonious “Monk” Ellison, a professor and novelist, played by Jeffrey Wright. Monk is frustrated with the literary world’s penchant for publishing traumatic stories of Black people.

Boston’s arts scene, historically catering to an older, white audience, has been slowly but steadily making space for diverse artists and audiences. 2023 saw more music, theater, film, visual art and dance highlighting Black artists and art forms than any year in the last decade.

The Secret Society for Black Creatives, a group dedicated to supporting people of color in the film industry, was honored Dec. 16 for their efforts, including creating a critical diversity pipeline to talent.

If you’ve ever participated in a mass protest in Washington, D.C. or any gathering for social change, you have Bayard Rustin to thank.

Few people know what it’s like to acquire an asset from the United States Army, but Tyler Perry does. The former Fort McPherson military base is the current site of Tyler Perry Studios, a 330-acre film studio lot in Atlanta. Portions of a new documentary film, “Maxine’s Baby: The Tyler Perry Story,” were filmed there.

I’m reminded of a few things when I watch ’90s films. Relaxers and thin eyebrows were pervasive. The soundtracks always make me want to dance. And Terrence Howard has been playing ne’er-do-well characters for quite some time. None of this is more apparent than in the 1999 film “The Best Man,” starring Taye Diggs, Nia Long and Morris Chestnut, with Howard in a supporting role.

For years, Boston native and Emmy award-winning story designer Wyatt Jackson and writer and executive producer Robby Thomas dreamed of a performance that told the story of African American history in a sweeping, multimedia style.

Costume designer Ruth E. Carter has a distinct memory of Tina Turner telling her, “I would never wear that!” while they were on set for the 1993 biopic “What’s Love Got to Do with It.”