6 Best Black Indie Films To Come Out In 2020

Times are changing. With the advancement of technology and the shift in Hollywood’s attitude towards diversity, people from all kinds of backgrounds are getting the opportunity to tell their stories on the big screen. Black filmmakers, in particular, are creating more content every year. However, in 2020, many black independent movies were overlooked because of the constant crises that arose in the news. In this blog post, we are going through the best black indie films to come out in 2020.

6 Best Black Indie Films To Be Released in 2020

6. Uncorked

Uncorked follows Elijah, an aspiring sommelier. Elijah works at his family’s popular Memphis barbecue joint and his father eventually expects him to take over at the restaurant but when Elijah decides instead to pursue his dream of becoming a sommelier, he has to balance his dream with his father’s expectations. Uncorked is a drama that was written and directed by Prentice Penny, a writer and producer for the show Insecure.

Where To Watch Uncorked

Netflix

5. Charm City Kings

Charm City Kings follows Mouse, a 14yr old who desperately wants to join an infamous group of Baltimore dirt bikers called the Midnight Clique. His older brother, Stro, was the leader of the group until his tragic death. Mouse’s mom and a police mentor try to help Mouse reach his full potential but when the Midnight Clique’s leader, Blax, takes Mouse under his wing, the teen is lured towards a darker path. The film was written by Sherman Payne who wrote and produced TV shows like Shameless and Legacies. Charm City Kings stars Jahi Di’Allo Winston, Teyonah Parris, and Meek Mill.

Where To Watch Charm City Kings

HBO Max

4. Miss Juneteenth

Director Channing Godfrey Peoples releases her feature film debut with Miss Juneteenth. The movie is about Turquoise Jones, a single mom who was once crowned Miss Juneteenth, a title that commemorates the day slavery was abolished in Texas. Life didn’t turn out as beautifully as the title promised but Turquoise is determined to make amends through her daughter, Kai. Turquoise prepares Kai, who is also a rebellious teenager, to compete in the Miss Juneteenth pageant despite her daughter’s objections. Miss Juneteenth stars Nicole Beharie, Kendrick Sampson, and Alexis Chikaeze.

Where To Watch Miss Juneteenth

BET.com (For free with a 24hr viewing pass if it’s your first time on the site)
BET+
Amazon Prime Through A BET+ Subscription
Kanopy

3. Black Box

Black Box is one of the most unique movies to come out of 2020. It was written and directed by Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour Jr. It was also produced by Blumhouse Television. Black Box is about a father who loses his wife and his memories after a car accident and undergoes an experimental memory treatment that causes him to question who he really is. Black Box stars Mamoudou Athie, Phylicia Rashad, and Amanda Christine.

Where To Watch Black Box

Amazon Prime

2. 40 Year Old Version

40 Year Old Version is about a middle-aged woman who is a playwright, desperate for a breakthrough before she turns 40. She reinvents herself as a rapper and attempts to balance her two worlds of hip hop and theater in order to find her own voice. 40 Year Old Version is a comedy feature film written, produced, directed, and starred in by Radha Blank. Blank loosely based the story of 40 Year Old Version off of her own life.

Where To Watch 40 Year Old Version

Netflix

 1. Luce

Luce is the most intriguing story on this list. Directed by Julius Onah, Luce is about a married couple who adopted their now teenage son from war-torn Eritrea. Their son is a model student and the ideal son but after he writes a disturbing essay for a class assignment, a high school teacher becomes suspicious of what lies underneath his perfect persona. It is an intelligent movie that deals with complex themes effortlessly which is why Luce tops our list of best black indie films released in 2020.

Where To Watch Luce

Hulu

Diversity In The Film Industry

Diversity and inclusion has been a focus of Hollywood in the past few years. It was only a year ago that Parasite, a film made in South Korea by Bong Joon-Ho, swept the Academy Awards for Best Picture, Directing, and Writing. With streaming services taking over the film industry, the spotlight on stories told by different people all over the world has grown exponentially. Netflix, Hulu and Amazon have put effort into highlighting filmmakers with diverse backgrounds and emerging streaming services are doing the same. Reveel is a prime example of this.

Reveel is a streaming platform that is filled with 100% original stories coming from independent filmmakers. These new initiatives for diversity and inclusion are a testament to how much progress has been made in the film industry.

Published on July 12th, 2021, Updated on March 23rd, 2022