The 'Future of Black Cinema' & The State of Hollywood: A Recap
In case you missed it: Wesleyan University’s very own film professors, Yared Zeleke and Mirko Ruconov, with feature films to their names and deep ties to the film industry, hosted a seminar titled ‘Black Voices in Film,’ showcasing the works of Charles Burnett (Annihilation of Fish) and Shaka King (Judas and the Black Messiah), followed by Q&A’s from the directors themselves. Intermittent panels of discussion on “inclusive production practices” and “international producing” were led by two highly accomplished producers, Ama Ampadu and Tamara Dawit. Ama is a “Ghanaian-British producer who is currently the executive director of the British Film Institute(BFI). Tamara is an Ethiopian-Canadian producer who is a founding board member of the Racial Equity Media Collective in Canada” (Sasha Seminar 2024). Attendees left the two day seminar with a greater understanding of the need for Black creators in the film industry and how a path heading towards a more inclusive future not only should look, but is achieved. Below is a recap of their discussion on the ‘future of black cinema,’ supported by research conducted by the McKinsey Company in 2019.
“Black film is about bringing heroes from the past into light” — Charles Burnett
For over 50 years, Charles Burnett has been regarded as a pioneering voice for Black filmmakers. His body of work includes profound meditations on Black communities in the inner city (Killer of Sheep, 1978), explorations of the tension between tradition and modernity in African-American life (To Sleep With Anger, 1990), and a romantic tale that examines the illusions of loneliness (Annihilation of Fish, 1999). The latter, which was shelved for over two decades, was triumphantly presented by Burnett on the seminar’s opening night. Annihilation of Fish stands out in his filmography as a lower-budget production with remarkable performances. The film’s fantastical tone allows audiences to engage with its heavier themes of death, ageism, and mental instability. Finally, as the seminar’s opening feature, it set the tone for the weekend, sparking a thoughtful Q&A session that explored the significance of unique Black narratives in film history.
“Black is not a monolith” — Ama Ampadu
“Black is not a monolith,” Ama Ampadu eloquently states. The reality is that Hollywood must embrace the diversity within Black communities, showcasing a multitude of cultural narratives rather than a singular, monolithic identity. Films like Annihilation of Fish, which centers on a Jamaican immigrant, and Judas and the Black Messiah, rooted in the Black American experience, highlight the rich variety of Black stories. These stories are essential, not only for broadening the understanding of Black cultures but also for challenging the limited perspectives often perpetuated by mainstream cinema as “Hollywood creates the myths about us” (cite). Burnett continues, “I showed a film in Hawaii and I was told by someone who saw my film, ‘I didn’t know black people had washing machines’... Our job is to correct those idiotic ideas that Hollywood was neglecting”.
Burnett likened Black cinema to ‘Third Cinema,’ a revolutionary movement from the 60s and 70s that framed cinema as a collective narrative with profound cultural significance. For him, Black cinema transcends entertainment, representing a shared history, present, and future. Its history is rooted in resilience, from the trailblazing works of Oscar Micheaux to the storytelling of the LA Rebellion filmmakers. Today, Black cinema is gaining mainstream recognition, with films like Moonlight, Black Panther, or Judas and the Black Messiah challenging industry norms and redefining representation. However, the job is not done. All the panelists seemed to agree that its future lies in dismantling Hollywood’s reductive stereotypes and telling culturally specific stories that enrich audiences’ understanding of the multitude of Black identities. There remains a number of obstacles in the way, a major one being distribution challenges–as the panel continued to discuss.
“How amazing it would feel to see my experience reflected on screen” — Shaka King
In response to Yared’s question on how well black films travel: Shaka King, director of the six-Oscar nominated film Judas and the Black Messiah (2021), reflected on the industry’s challenges, especially when it comes to navigating post-pandemic Hollywood. Shaka is no stranger to filmmaking during the pandemic; simultaneously released in theaters and on HBO Max, Judas only opened in ten countries, with global box office earnings of just under $8 million worldwide. This limited release made him reflect on a greater issue at the time of Judas’ release. Around 2019, the most recent peak of Hollywood, Shaka felt that Black filmmakers had finally reached a point where they were seeing opportunities open up that never had before. Then, the pandemic shattered the industry, sending Hollywood retreating back to mainstream films they were comfortable with and knew how to distribute. It’s no news that, since 2020, Hollywood has seen a massive recession in terms of profit, number of productions, and the amount of risk they’re willing to take on a project–and Black filmmakers disproportionately felt the blow.
“We’re the tip of the spear as Black filmmakers,” Shaka King admits, “Barry, Ava, Ryan Coogler…black films were being pushed, and black executives were coming in. Then, they all get fired once streaming collapsed Hollywood.” The industry was fundamentally changed and it was Black filmmakers that felt the negative effects first. During last year’s strikes, one WGA member remarked to NBC News, “There’s a track record of when there are disruptions within the industry and the industry starts to figure out who they are again — that writers of color and diversity-driven projects seem to disproportionately suffer” (NBC News 2023).
This isn't just the opinion of a disgruntled Hollywood writer. A 2019 McKinsey and Company study further highlights the imbalance: “11% of leads or co-leads and 14% of supporting casts are black; 6% of directors, 6% of producers, and 4% of writers are black” (McKinsey 2019). This data points to Hollywood’s ongoing underrepresentation, a hurdle that, unless addressed, could hinder Black cinema’s progress.
This point reminded me of something Ama Ampadu shared in her discussion on “International Producing” earlier that day. In short, she leads a team of people at BFI who see to it that underrepresented stories and storytellers see the opportunities they aren’t afforded by major private investment or Hollywood studios. Even Netflix, a mega-streamer who was initially pining for Indie films on festival circuits, has retreated their investments. Amu emphasized the fact that risk is something they look for when investing in one of their ten to fifteen projects a year. It should be reassuring to filmmakers to learn that nonprofits exist like BFI that are actively supporting bold, underrepresented voices.
“I’m not daunted by a closing window of Black films in Hollywood” — Shaka King
Ama Ampadu highlighted what she calls a “global distribution crisis.” Despite these challenges, she remains optimistic about the potential for underrepresented stories to thrive internationally. She emphasized how audiences have embraced foreign films like Parasite, which shows that storytelling resonates beyond borders and cultures. Ampadu mentioned the organization “We Are Parable,” which organizes screenings targeting black audiences to ensure Black stories reach the community. She laid it out plainly, “distributors aren’t concerned about finding our public. Producers and filmmakers need to be vocal about where they want their film to be shown. Because at the end of the day, only the public and philanthropy can lobby for change in supporting independent, underrepresented stories.” King’s, and Amu’s, insights reflect an urgent need to ensure that these stories don’t just exist but thrive on screens worldwide. The unfortunate truth is that support has only come from other passengers in the same boat.
“It’s not that these films don’t have audiences; it’s that these companies don’t know how to reach them” — Tamara Dawit
Tamara Dawit’s perspective reveals a significant obstacle for films created by, or starring, Black talent: ill-managed distribution and marketing. It’s a systematic reality that those in power in Hollywood are majority white. To be exact, “87% of TV executives and 92% of film executives are white” (McKinsey 2019). Despite past films proving an audience for Black stories, due to the lack of cultural insight, stories centered on the Black experience are often underfunded and misunderstood.
Black filmmakers have seen mountains of success when they take power into their own hands of production and distribution. In the early days of Hollywood, Oscar Micheaux, the first black auteur, founded Micheaux Film and Book Company where, for over thirty years, he successfully funded and distributed films, despite what the industry thought possible. More recently, Tyler Perry’s projects were rejected by studio executives who believed there wasn’t a large enough market for black audiences. Now, Tyler Perry the billionaire, recently had plans to build an $800 million studio complex in Atlanta for his films. Tamara shared an example from her own experience: For a play she produced in Toronto, she partnered with popular rap artists in the area to bring it to inner-city neighborhoods. This approach led to sold-out shows, demonstrating the importance of connecting directly with the intended audience. It also highlights the reality that, for Black cinema to thrive, distribution and marketing strategies must adapt to the stories being told and the audience it is told for.
It’s “estimated that the film and TV industry could unlock more than $10 billion in annual revenues simply by addressing these barriers…”(McKinsey 2019). To reiterate, the truth of the matter is it takes a black creative or producer to support other black creators. The numbers support it, attaching one or more black producers to a project raises the likelihood of the film having a black director from “3% to 42%. Even more staggering, the likelihood of a film to have a black writer when 1 or more producers are black increases from <1% to 73%” (McKinsey 2019). This phenomenon underscores how Black filmmakers themselves shoulder the responsibility for improving diversity in Hollywood. The future of Black cinema will rely on increasing these networks and resources so that more Black creators have the support they need to tell their stories.
“I saw your film, and it changed my life” — A fan to Charles Burnett
To wrap up the two-hour seminar–and it felt the panelists could have talked for another two– Yared asked “what does success mean?” The answers revealed a shared commitment to creating a sustainable community for Black filmmakers. Tamara spoke first about “the importance of thinking about sustainability.” She revealed, “I made a teen television show in Ethiopia. And that crew is now in their sixth season I think. Now I turn to them a lot to crew the films I continue to make.” This continuity fosters an enduring network of creatives who uplift one another. Charles Burnett echoed the impact of her story that success lies in “bringing filmmaking to the community.”
Ama, taking a stab at the question, stated that her vision of success was to see Black filmmakers “sitting in a space where there’s less doubt. When you can sense the doubt is lessening, where no one is saying they can or can’t do that…that’s important for black people to stand in these spaces. And hold that space.” In a climate where Hollywood has discouraged Black stories and those telling them for over a century, producing a film requires confidence. In a future where Black cinema thrives, fostering the community is essential for ongoing growth, collaboration, and representation.
“My happy place was making a short film with my cousin and my best friend” — Shaka King
Reflecting on his career, Shaka King shared that, for him, success is about personal fulfillment as much as every filmmaker wants financial success or critical acclaim. Judas and the Black Messiah is, by all accounts, a major accomplishment in filmmaking–a big budget film with A-list actors and a monumental story. Shaka remarked on the first feature film he ever made (Newlyweeds 2013): “Having that experience caused me to reflect on the benchmarks that came after that and in a lot of ways it deemphasized them…I was fortunate enough to make a second feature[Judas] and I got that critical acclaim I chased—desired, and when I got it I didn’t feel that success I thought I should have felt. I realized that my happy place was making a short film with my cousin and my best friend. I remember thinking while I was making it that no one else can make this…this is us being ourselves.” He went on to say that the film cost a whopping $500 dollars. By all accounts, a far departure from the scope of Judas.
It was sobering to hear someone who’s been on both ends of the spectrum of filmmaking talk about success outside of money or critical acclaim. It feels like a departure from the classic Hollywood mindset. Ama adds on, stating that “success is about how much the film affects the audience who gets to see it, even if the number of people aren’t in the millions…that kind of success has far more value to audiences than the Barbie’s and Oppenheimer’s.” If even one kid watched Black Panther, saw themselves reflected on screen, wearing that suit and thinking they could be a hero, in that moment Black Panther became a success.
I walked away from the seminar, and hopefully you walk away from this article, with the belief that Black cinema holds the power to inspire, challenge, and redefine mainstream narratives—a future worth striving toward and fighting for.
References
Hipes, Patrick. "Writers’ Strike Leaves Black Writers in Hollywood Facing 'Blackout' as Studios Freeze Hiring." Los Angeles Times, September 22, 2023. https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2023-09-22/writers-strike-wga-black-writers-contraction-hollywood-hiring.
Williams, D. Watkins. "Hollywood's Minority Writers Fear Diversity Will Fall Farther Down the Agenda After Strike." NBC News, September 22, 2023. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/hollywoods-minority-writers-fear-diversity-fall-farther-agenda-strike-rcna119910.
McKinsey & Company. "Black Representation in Film and TV: The Challenges and Impact of Increasing Diversity." McKinsey & Company, April 2022. https://www.mckinsey.com/Featured-Insights/Diversity-and-Inclusion/Black-representation-in-film-and-TV-The-challenges-and-impact-of-increasing-diversity.
"Shasha Seminar for Human Nature, History, and Public Policy: 2024-2025." Wesleyan University, accessed December 12, 2024. https://www.wesleyan.edu/shasha/seminar2024-2025/index.html?utm_source=&utm_medium=EMLET&utm_campaign=FY24_UCOMMS_Shasha_Seminar_Email2_Oct_20242811790.