Criterion Channel is offering some of their black-centered films for free right now (likely region restricted to the US but still)
Body and Soul (1925) dir. Oscar Micheaux
The Scar of Shame (1929) dir. Frank Perugini
note the director was white but the cast is all-black
Portrait of Jason (1967) dir. Shirley Clarke
note that I’ve seen this and the doc itself is a bit exploitative and hard to watch in the director’s treatment of Jason but imo still worth a watch for Jason alone
Symbiopsychotaxiplasm Take One (1968) dir. William Greaves
Interesting concept but be warned of rampant homophobia esp. use of the f slur
Black Panthers (1970) dir. Agnès Varda
Again white director but she gives the party room to speak for itself
A Well Spent Life (1971) dir. Les Blank
Suzanne, Suzanne (1982) dir. Camille Billops, James Hatch
Cane River (1982) dir. Horace Jenkins
Losing Ground (1982) dir. Kathleen Collins
My Brother’s Wedding (1983) dir. Charles Burnett
Daughters of the Dust (1991) dir. Julie Dash
The Watermelon Woman (1996) dir. Cheryl Dunye
Down in the Delta (1998) dir. Maya Angelou
And When I Die, I Won’t Stay Dead (2015) dir. Billy Woodberry
Black Mother (2018) dir. Khalik Allah
