black lgbt

78 movies and shows

Moonlight

Fri, 21 Oct 2016

The tender, heartbreaking story of a young man’s struggle to find himself, told across three defining chapters in his life as he experiences the ecstasy, pain, and beauty of falling in love, while grappling with his own sexuality.

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

Wed, 25 Nov 2020

Tensions rise when the trailblazing Mother of the Blues and her band gather at a Chicago recording studio in 1927. Adapted from August Wilson's play.

Tangerine

Fri, 10 Jul 2015

It's Christmas Eve in Tinseltown and Sin-Dee is back on the block. Upon hearing that her pimp boyfriend hasn't been faithful during the 28 days she was locked up, the working girl and her best friend, Alexandra, embark on a mission to get to the bottom of the scandalous rumor. Their rip-roaring odyssey leads them through various subcultures of Los Angeles, including an Armenian family dealing with their own repercussions of infidelity.

Paris Is Burning

Wed, 13 Mar 1991

Where does voguing come from, and what, exactly, is throwing shade? This landmark documentary provides a vibrant snapshot of the 1980s through the eyes of New York City's African American and Latinx Harlem drag-ball scene. Made over seven years, PARIS IS BURNING offers an intimate portrait of rival fashion "houses," from fierce contests for trophies to house mothers offering sustenance in a world rampant with homophobia, transphobia, racism, AIDS, and poverty. Featuring legendary voguers, drag queens, and trans women — including Willi Ninja, Pepper LaBeija, Dorian Corey, and Venus Xtravaganza.

Pariah

Tue, 27 Dec 2011

A Brooklyn teenager juggles conflicting identities and risks friendship, heartbreak, and family in a desperate search for sexual expression.

The Watermelon Woman

Wed, 05 Mar 1997

A young black lesbian filmmaker probes into the life of The Watermelon Woman, a 1930s black actress who played 'mammy' archetypes.

Bessie

Sat, 16 May 2015

The story of legendary blues performer, Bessie Smith, who rose to fame during the 1920s and '30s.

Rafiki

Wed, 26 Sep 2018

Kena and Ziki long for something more. Despite the political rivalry between their families, the girls resist and remain close friends, supporting each other to pursue their dreams in a conservative society. When love blossoms between them, the two girls will be forced to choose between happiness and safety.

Mars One

Thu, 25 Aug 2022

A middle-class Black family in Brazil copes with the election of a far-right extremist president. The mother believes that she's cursed after an unexpected encounter, while her husband puts all of his hopes into their son's soccer career.

Norman... Is That You?

Wed, 29 Sep 1976

Ben and Beatrice Chambers discover that their son Norman is gay and so Ben is intent on setting him right.

I Wish I Never Met You

Fri, 13 May 2022

Lauren Thomas is turning 40 and no one is more excited than her. She is married to Andrew, an amazing husband, a true provider and father. Andrew's brother, Franklin, is in a wheelchair due to a military attack. His wife, Mahogany, is currently pregnant with their first child. The two couples, along with three other couples and a few friends, are celebrating Lauren's birthday during the holidays since she is a Christmas baby. However, once the other women grow tired of Lauren bragging about her success, even though she is a stay-at-home wife, attitudes and snide comments take control. Over the course of the evening, things escalate and the entire cast gradually gets involved in the free-for-all until everything hits the proverbial fan.

The L Word Mississippi: Hate the Sin

Fri, 08 Aug 2014

Gay women living in the Deep South of the United States share stories of the bigotry, sexism, intimidation, and racism that confronts them in a part of the country known for its culture of Christian conservatism.

Portrait of Jason

Fri, 29 Sep 1967

Interview with Jason Holliday aka Aaron Payne. House-boy, would-be cabaret performer, and self-proclaimed hustler giving one man's gin-soaked, pill-popped view of what it was like to be black and gay in 1960s United States. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in partnership with Milestone Films in 2013.

Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back

Sun, 10 Nov 2019

Maurice Hines, a charming, gay African-American entertainer navigates the complications of show business while grieving the loss of his more famous, often estranged younger brother, tap dance legend Gregory Hines.

Brother to Brother

Sat, 17 Jan 2004

A drama that looks back on the Harlem Renaissance from the perspective of an elderly, black writer who meets a gay teenager in a New York homeless shelter.

Tongues Untied

Fri, 16 Mar 1990

Marlon Riggs, with assistance from other gay Black men, especially poet Essex Hemphill, celebrates Black men loving Black men as a revolutionary act. The film intercuts footage of Hemphill reciting his poetry, Riggs telling the story of his growing up, scenes of men in social intercourse and dance, and various comic riffs, including a visit to the "Institute of Snap!thology," where men take lessons in how to snap their fingers: the sling snap, the point snap, the diva snap.

Blackbird

Sun, 16 Feb 2014

Seventeen-year-old Randy tries very hard to be a good person. Since his father left, Randy takes care of his emotionally disturbed mother, and he's the kind of friend all of his classmates can depend on. As strong as he seems on the outside, Randy is hiding a secret inner struggle and denial of his true self. It's not until he opens himself up to love that he discovers that becoming a man means accepting who you really are.