by Aleshea Harris

“People could not heal if they did not know the truth,” declares Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu early in filmmaker Lydia Hicks’ new documentary-in-progress, Rediscovering the Scientist. Indeed, healing by way of seeking truth is the major driving force of this absorbing new film, which critically examines erasure of people of color in science history and highlights multicultural contributions to the field.

Trigger warning: disturbing images and fictionalized depictions of brutality, violence, and death

Jacqueline Olive is a documentary filmmaker living in Florida. Her most recent project is the feature film, Always in Season, which aims to explore the history of violence and terrorism that Blacks faced through lynching, as well as ongoing efforts to reconcile and seek justice for the heinous race-based murders of Black people for over a century.

Director Gina Prince-Bythewood will hold a special place in the hearts of Black cinemaphiles for her first feature length film Love and Basketball. It's been nearly a decade and a half since that film's release, and Prince-Bythewood, whose new film "Beyond the Lights" opens this weekend, tells NPR's Morning Edition that Hollywood has not grown more hospitable to Blacks in film.

Ytasha Womack, author of Afrofuturism: The World of Black Sci-Fi and Fantasy Culture, is currently Kickstarting for a film a new film project. Bar Star City follows a group of regulars at a Southside Chicago bar who "appear ordinary but are quite extraordinary." Womack will write and direct the film.

by Jade Taryn Perry

“It’s tough, but he’s giving us work… He’s giving Black actresses work.” — K.J.*, voice actress

This is a conversation I have had with friends almost every time another Tyler Perry movie comes out. In their eyes, I left theater due to my enchantment with theory, higher education, and academia. This is true: I go to work, meet with my students, address student concerns, and head home around 5-ish every day. All of this while they are out auditioning, contacting casting agencies, and and taking classes to continue honing their craft.

Issa Rae ("Awkward Black Girl") sat down with Director Gina Prince-Bythewood ("Beyond the Lights") and Producer Lena Waithe ("Dear White People") to discuss their newest films as well as their behind-the-scenes experiences. Both the women offered important insight into how they came up film industry as well as their creative processes.

Satirical film Dear White People (watch the trailer) is one of the most anticipated of the year. Now they're releasing a few summetime PSAs with little known facts about Black folks. They awkward and hilarious.

Watch a couple of them below:

This morning, Lupita Nyong'o was nominated for an Academy Award in the category of Best Supporting Actress for her role as Patsey in "12 Years A Slave." Lupita is the first Black African woman to be nominated, but surprisingly only five Black women have won Oscars in its 85 year history.

Too often the stories of Black women never see the light of day let alone make it to film. It's no surprise that this depiction of the life of Saartjie (Sarah) Baartman was produced in French. I, personally, can't imagine an American or British filmmaker ever being willing to produce it. The film details Saartjie's travel from her home in South Africa to London where she became an attraction for Europeans.