here’s everything that’s *black* and streaming on @criterionchannl in december. https://www.criterionchannel.com/ 

NEW: the afrofuturism series, programmed by @_Ash_Clark, takes you on an international journey through black vision and creativity.

afrofuturism: “white out, black in” (2014) dir. adirley queirós crafts an innovate documentary to take you on a voyage through brazil’s past, present, and future of racial struggle. http://www.criterionchannel.com/videos/white-out-black-in

afrofuturism: “an oversimplification of her beauty” (2012) dir. terence nance

in this soul-piercing film, nance effortlessly captures romantic tension and a visual journey through the questions that keep every romantic up at night.

wondrous and urgent.

http://www.criterionchannel.com/videos/an-oversimplification-of-her-beauty

afrofuturism: “the brother from another planet” (1984) dir. john sayles

after a mute alien (THEE joe morton) crashes into harlem as a black man, he must find his way and get out of the way of the white hunters. http://www.criterionchannel.com/videos/the-brother-from-another-planet

afrofuturism: "yeelen" (1987) dir. souleymane cissé

in this landmark african film a young warrior goes on a quest to confront his father, a dangerous and corrupt wizard who uses his dark magic to try and destroy him.

https://www.criterionchannel.com/videos/yeelen 

afrofuturism: "crumbs" (2015) dir. daniel tadesse

in post-apocalyptic ethopia, a hero embarks on a surreal journey involving witches, santa claus, nazi knights, and much, much more.

https://www.criterionchannel.com/crumbs 

afrofuturism: "the last angel of history" (1996) dir. john akomfrah

this narrative documentary hybrid is a good place to start on your journey through afrofuturism as it explores the cultural aesthetics and dynamics of the philosophy.

https://www.criterionchannel.com/the-last-angel-of-history

afrofuturism: "space is the place" (1974) dir. john coney

an afrofuturist vision conceived and written by sun ra, in which he leads an intergalactic movement to resettle black people on a utopian space colony.

https://www.criterionchannel.com/space-is-the-place

afrofuturism: "born in flames" (1983) dir. lizzie borden

when a black revolutionary is mysteriously killed, women—across all lines of race, class, and sexual orientation—emerges to blow the system apart.

https://www.criterionchannel.com/born-in-flames 

afrofuturism: "ornette: made in america" (1985) dir. shirley clarke

clarke masterfully captures ornette coleman's evolution from texas boy to cultural phenom in a documentary that, much like its subject, moves to its own rhythm.

https://www.criterionchannel.com/ornette-made-in-america

afrofuturism: "welcome ii the terrordome" (1995) dir. ngozi onwurah

this dystopian film depicts a world where black people are confined to a slum and how it changes after the police kill a black boy. 1st theatrical release by a black woman in the UK. https://www.criterionchannel.com/welcome-ii-the-terrordome

afrofuturism: "once there was brasilia" (2017) dir. adirley queirós

the film charts the odyssey of an intergalactic traveler who goes on a mission to assassinate former brazilian president, juscelino kubitschek but things quickly go awry...

https://www.criterionchannel.com/once-there-was-brasilia

afrofuturism: "supa modo" (2018) dir. likarion wainaina

a terminally ill girl wants to follow in the footsteps of her idol, jackie chan, to become a superhero. time is not on her side...until her community rallies together to make her dream come true.

https://www.criterionchannel.com/supa-modo 

afrofuturism shorts:

1. "the changing same" (2001) https://www.criterionchannel.com/the-changing-same
2. "dark matters" (2010): https://www.criterionchannel.com/dark-matters 
3. "the becoming box" (2011): https://www.criterionchannel.com/the-becoming-box
4. "hasaki ya suda" (2011): https://www.criterionchannel.com/hasaki-ya-suda 

afrofuturism shorts:

5. "native sun" (2011): https://www.criterionchannel.com/native-sun 
6. "robots of brixton" (2011): https://www.criterionchannel.com/robots-of-brixton
7. "jonah" (2013): https://www.criterionchannel.com/jonah 
8. "twaaga" (2013): https://www.criterionchannel.com/twaaga 

afrofuturism shorts:

9. "afronauts" (2014): https://www.criterionchannel.com/afronauts 
10. "you and i and you" (2015): https://www.criterionchannel.com/you-and-i-and-you
11. "the golden chain" (2016): https://www.criterionchannel.com/the-golden-chain
12. 1968 < 2018 > 2068 (2018): https://www.criterionchannel.com/1968-2018-2068 

afrofuturism shorts:

13. "i snuck off the slave ship" (2019): https://www.criterionchannel.com/i-snuck-off-the-slave-ship
14. "zombies" (2019): https://www.criterionchannel.com/zombies 

black lives: a film series that focuses on the dreams, desires, and art of black characters and real-life subjects. https://www.criterionchannel.com/black-lives 

"symbiopsychotaxiplasm take one" (1968) dir. william greaves

in this wildy innovative documentary/fiction hybrid film, greaves weaves us through a documentary about the making of a documentary while a crew films a crew filming the crew of the documentary. https://www.criterionchannel.com/black-lives/season:1/videos/symbiopsychotaxiplasm-take-one

“body and soul” (1925) dir. oscar micheaux

in paul robeson’s film debut, he plays a sinister minister who leads his town astray. this masterwork boasts social commentary that still resonates today. http://www.criterionchannel.com/videos/body-and-soul

the blood of jesus (1941) dir. spencer williams

in this landmark film by the legendary director, an atheist accidentally shoots his religious wife. as she lies dying, her soul goes on a symbolic journey between heaven and hell.

http://www.criterionchannel.com/videos/the-blood-of-jesus

“portrait of jason” (1967) dir. shirley clarke

this mesmerizing portrait of jason holliday, a queer performer, demands your attention as he weaves you through and spins you around his remarkable world.

http://www.criterionchannel.com/videos/portrait-of-jason

“losing ground” (1982) dir. kathleen collins

in this masterpiece, collins is able to do what few have done well: craft an emotional awakening that feels equally complex and breezy as this film chronicles an intimate look at marriage.

http://www.criterionchannel.com/videos/losing-ground

“imagine the sound” (1981) dir. ron mann

this documentary is a stunning tribute to the artists who helped forge the free jazz movement of the 1960s and shows architects of the movement in conversation and performance.

http://www.criterionchannel.com/imagine-the-sound

“cane river” (1982) dir. horace b. jenkins

this recently discovered tale of forbidden romance, set in louisiana, sweeps you in quickly and holds you in its loving gaze.

http://www.criterionchannel.com/videos/cane-river

“personal problems” (1980) dir. bill gunn

in this intimate peek into black city life in 1980, gunn creates a “meta-soap opera” that demands your attention. presented in 2 volumes as gunn intended.

http://www.criterionchannel.com/personal-problems

my brother’s wedding (1983) dir. charles burnett

in this timeless film, burnett examines class consciousness in a way that’s familiar to us all: through a wedding.

http://www.criterionchannel.com/my-brother-s-wedding

“a dream is what you wake up for” (1978) dirs. larry bullard and carolyn johnson

this masterwork examines what the american dream means for 3 black families as they deal with the weight of racism, gendered emotional + physical abuse, and economic plight.

http://www.criterionchannel.com/a-dream-is-what-you-wake-up-from

“sidewalk stories” (1989) dir. charles lane

a poignant, nearly silent film that endearingly portrays the relationship between an artist and the child he is forced to play surrogate to.

http://www.criterionchannel.com/videos/sidewalk-stories

“color adjustment” (1992) dir. marlon riggs

an illuminating documentary that traces forty years of race relations through the portrayal of the increasingly mainstream black life on screen. narrated by ruby dee.

http://www.criterionchannel.com/color-adjustment

“12 o’clock boys” (2013) dir. lotfy nathan

this intimate documentary captures the thrilling experience of becoming a member of baltimore’s infamous black dirt bike crew.

http://www.criterionchannel.com/12-o-clock-boys 

“shakedown” (2018) dir. leilah weinraub

this documentary charts the 8 year run of shakedown, an underground black lesbian strip club in los angeles.

http://www.criterionchannel.com/shakedown 

“black mother” (2018) dir. khalik allah

from its tumultuous history to its urgent present, this documentary is a loving and poetic tribute to jamaica’s yesteryear, present day, and beyond.

http://www.criterionchannel.com/black-mother