Black Lives Matter: Filmmaker Conversations on Race and Black History

We at Film at Lincoln Center want to take this moment to reiterate our commitment to our staff, community, and all those fighting for justice and equality in condemning systemic racism. We stand with you. We believe that cinema has the ability to act as an agent for change, giving a voice to the voiceless, offering new perspectives, and connecting people from around the globe. We are committed to working together to drive meaningful change, not only for Film at Lincoln Center, but for our broader communities as well.

As we reflect on the current moment and think about the issue of racism in America, we naturally turned to some of the incredible voices from the Black community that have joined us in our theaters in recent years. We’ve found inspiration and wisdom in this selection of videos featuring talks with Spike Lee, Ava DuVernay, Steve McQueen, Barry Jenkins, Dee Rees, Yance Ford, and more discussing their films as they relate to the subject of race in America and the Black experience. We hope these talks are meaningful to you as well. To learn how you can get involved in fighting injustice in your community, see a list of resources here.

A selection of essential films featuring black voices have also been made available for free, thanks to distributors across the country. Explore our Twitter thread here and we’ll be updating as more become available.

12 Years a Slave