Movies About Black Slavery

From Quentin Tarantino, starring Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry Washington
Rated R

Django Unchained is a 2012 American revisionist Western film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino and starring Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Samuel L. Jackson. Set in the Old West and Antebellum South, it is a highly stylized, heavily fictionalized tribute to Spaghetti Westerns, in particular 1966's Django by Sergio Corbucci, whose star Franco Nero has a cameo appearance. The story follows the title character, Django (Foxx), a slave-turned-bounty hunter on a mission to rescue his wife, Broomhilda (Kerry Washington), from Calvin Candie (DiCaprio), a ruthless plantation owner. He teams up with a German bounty hunter, Dr. King Schultz (Waltz), who is on the search for the murderous Brittle brothers. Schultz ultimately purchases Django from his cruel master, and together they journey to Candie's plantation to free Broomhilda. However, the two soon discover that Candie is in fact employing slave labor to fight his Mandingo fights, and have to come up with a plan to free Broomhilda without getting killed. In the violent and often bloody climax of the film, Django and

From Directors: Victor Fleming, George Cukor, Sam Wood, starring Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Thomas Mitchell, Barbara O'Neil
Rated Passed

Gone with the Wind is a 1939 American epic historical romance film adapted from Margaret Mitchell's 1936 novel of the same name. The film was directed by Victor Fleming, George Cukor, and Sam Wood, and stars Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Leslie Howard, Olivia de Havilland, and Hattie McDaniel. Set in the American South during the American Civil War and Reconstruction era, the film tells the story of Scarlett O'Hara, the strong-willed daughter of a Georgia plantation owner, who must use every means at her disposal to survive the war and its aftermath. It follows her romantic pursuit of Ashley Wilkes, who is married to his cousin, Melanie Hamilton, and her subsequent marriage to Rhett Butler. The film received ten Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture. It won eight, including Best Actress for Leigh, Best Supporting Actress for McDaniel, and Best Director for Fleming. It has been hailed as one of the greatest films ever made and is frequently cited as one of the most beloved American films.

From Steve McQueen, starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Kenneth Williams, Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt
Rated R

12 Years a Slave is a 2013 biographical period-drama film directed by Steve McQueen. It is based on the 1853 memoir of the same name by Solomon Northup, a New York State-born free African-American man who was kidnapped in Washington, D.C. in 1841 and sold into slavery. The film follows Northup's life as a slave for 12 years in Louisiana before his release. 12 Years a Slave stars Chiwetel Ejiofor as Northup, Michael Fassbender and Benedict Cumberbatch as the slave owners, and Lupita Nyong'o as Patsey, a fellow slave with whom Northup develops a close bond. It is an unflinching examination of the brutality of slavery and the inhumanity of white supremacists. It is also a testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity. The film was a critical and commercial success and won three Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

From John Korty, starring Cicely Tyson, Eric Brown, Richard Dysart, Joel Fluellen
Rated TV-PG

The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman is a 1974 American television movie directed by John Korty. Starring Cicely Tyson in the title role, the film is based on the 1971 novel of the same name by Ernest J. Gaines. The story spans the life of a black woman, beginning when she was a young girl in Louisiana during the American Civil War and Reconstruction, and ending with her as an old woman in the civil rights era. The film follows Jane's struggle against racism, segregation, and poverty, and her fight for freedom, dignity, and equality. Along the way, she encounters a wide range of characters and historical figures, including Martin Luther King Jr., as she reflects on the long and winding journey of her life.

From Radu Jude, starring Teodor Corban, Mihai Comanoiu, Toma Cuzin, Alexandru Dabija
Rated Not Rated

Aferim! is a 2015 Romanian period drama film directed by Radu Jude. Set in Wallachia in 1835, the film follows the story of a constable, Costandin, and his son, Ionita, as they search for a runaway gypsy slave named Carfin. As they make their way from village to village looking for Carfin, they encounter people from all walks of life and are forced to confront their own prejudices and beliefs. As their journey progresses, they are forced to confront their own conflicting opinions on slavery and social status. Along their journey, they also meet Carfin's former master, who holds a grudge against Costandin for setting his slave free. Eventually, Costandin and Ionita confront their own prejudices and manage to find Carfin, but not before learning some valuable lessons about justice and morality.

From Steven Spielberg, starring Djimon Hounsou, Matthew McConaughey, Anthony Hopkins, Morgan Freeman
Rated R

From Lars von Trier, starring Bryce Dallas Howard, Isaach De Bankolé, Danny Glover, Willem Dafoe
Rated Not Rated

From Nate Parker, starring Nate Parker, Armie Hammer, Penelope Ann Miller, Jackie Earle Haley
Rated R

From Kevin Willmott, starring Greg Kirsch, Renee Patrick, Molly Graham, William Willmott
Rated PG-13

From J. Lee Thompson, starring Roddy McDowall, Don Murray, Ricardo Montalban, Natalie Trundy
Rated PG

From Ridley Scott, starring Christian Bale, Joel Edgerton, Ben Kingsley, Sigourney Weaver
Rated PG-13