Now, more important than ever, it’s critical for Black creators—and the stories they tell—to be highlighted atop the lists of the critically-acclaimed.
Hollywood banks on Black originality at the box office, but perennially continues to sleep on today’s stars of tomorrow. For many veteran and up-and-coming superstars, the final straw has been broken. They are building their own production companies, directing their own stories, and cinema-lovers are standing up to advocate with their dollars and sense in the name of Black cinema. In addition to citizens stepping out onto the front lines to stand up for the lives of Atatiana Jefferson, Breonna Taylor, Sandra Bland, and far too many other victims of police brutality, films have become another way to focus the demands of widespread protesters and educate viewers about the art, impact, and originality that lies within the Black filmmaking community.
This year’s crop of filmmakers want all the smoke. They are bold, brilliant, funny, fierce, and ready to tell the stories that will define the next generation of classic films. In no ranking order, ESSENCE’s 15 Directors to Watch in 2021 don’t just represent this year, they’re a sign of where the future storytellers might be hiding. This crop of directors is rewriting the playbook and evolving how the world reacts to the new purveyors of the culture.
01
Channing Godfrey Peoples
Who is Channing Godfrey Peoples: Critically acclaimed and still bumping Screw tapes out of her trunk, this writer-director wowed audiences and agencies with Miss Juneteenth, her debut film that led to signing a first-look deal with UCP. The film, which formerly held a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, explored and celebrated Blackness in all of its glory and made Godfrey Peoples a certified legend in Texas and, as told to me recently, in Leimert Park.
The Nicole Beharie-starring drama is currently in development for TV, but this auteur is not to be considered a one-trick whodini. Her unique brand of visual sophistication will next find audiences in awe of her talents very soon. Up first, she steps behind the lens for HBO’s Genera+ion, which stars Justice Smith and Nathanya Alexander, and centers on a group of high school students exploring their sexuality during the Insta-Age. She also has a short film called Doretha’s Blues which, led by Tonea Stewart (Just Mercy, Girls Trip), promises to keep Godfrey Peoples’ reputation for authentic storytelling in tact.
The Nicole Beharie-starring drama is currently in development for TV, but this auteur is not to be considered a one-trick whodini. Her unique brand of visual sophistication will next find audiences in awe of her talents very soon. Up first, she steps behind the lens for HBO’s Genera+ion, which stars Justice Smith and Nathanya Alexander, and centers on a group of high school students exploring their sexuality during the Insta-Age. She also has a short film called Doretha’s Blues which, led by Tonea Stewart (Just Mercy, Girls Trip), promises to keep Godfrey Peoples’ reputation for authentic storytelling in tact.
02
J.D. Dillard
Who is J.D. Dillard: Five years ago this month, J.D. Dillard had just surprised moviegoers at Sundance with his Jacob Latimore-starring sci-fi-thriller, Sleight. Five years before that, he had jumped off the fast track to becoming an executive to work the reception desk at Bad Robot. His time spent around J.J. Abrams has resulted in Dillard becoming one of Hollywood’s most talked about darlings. The 30-something is already hard at work filming his war epic, Devotion, which is one of the biggest-budget non-franchise movies in recent years.
Starring Jonathan Majors (Lovecraft Country, Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania) and Christina Jackson (Outsiders, Bull), the true tale follows a pair of U.S. Navy pilots who risk their lives during the Korean War and become some of the Navy’s most celebrated wingmen. If that doesn’t sound like a fun morsel to have on your production plate, Dillard is following his sophomore Sundance hit Sweetheart with another dabble into horror, remaking 1986’s classic The Fly.
Most recently, Legendary Pictures won a bidding war over Dillard’s racially charged thriller Mastering Your Past, which sounds like something that will be on everyone’s future Oscars predictions list. Rapidly cementing his name amongst his mentor and others on this list, J.D. Dillard is also rumored to be involved with Star Wars’ upcoming trek to the dark desert planet, Exegol.
Starring Jonathan Majors (Lovecraft Country, Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania) and Christina Jackson (Outsiders, Bull), the true tale follows a pair of U.S. Navy pilots who risk their lives during the Korean War and become some of the Navy’s most celebrated wingmen. If that doesn’t sound like a fun morsel to have on your production plate, Dillard is following his sophomore Sundance hit Sweetheart with another dabble into horror, remaking 1986’s classic The Fly.
Most recently, Legendary Pictures won a bidding war over Dillard’s racially charged thriller Mastering Your Past, which sounds like something that will be on everyone’s future Oscars predictions list. Rapidly cementing his name amongst his mentor and others on this list, J.D. Dillard is also rumored to be involved with Star Wars’ upcoming trek to the dark desert planet, Exegol.
03
Tayarisha Poe
Who is Tayarisha Poe: You don’t have to be a film snob to love this filmmaker’s work. Her cinematic debut, Selah and the Spades, showcased the style, substance, and talent that’s elevated when any subject is centered in front of her lens. Poe took the familiar tale of high school strife, which starred 2021 Young Black Hollywood Star to Watch Lovie Simone, and turned it into a modern day Chocolate War with flair. Fast forward, and President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s recent Netflix announcement finds The Young Wife, a mysterious new show from Poe, as news too earth-rattling to ignore.
After graduating from Swarthmore College, Poe has continued to rewrite narratives that paint teenagers as one-note, relationship-prone characters. For those who can’t wait to see what wealth of rich life she creates for the screen, stream her fantastic work on The Twilight Zone (“Among the Untrodden”) and Two Sentence Horror Stories (“Little Monsters” is a personal fave.”) whenever you can. While mum seems to be the word from Poe, her future endeavors all look to be promising, original, and will keep her very busy for 2021 and beyond.
After graduating from Swarthmore College, Poe has continued to rewrite narratives that paint teenagers as one-note, relationship-prone characters. For those who can’t wait to see what wealth of rich life she creates for the screen, stream her fantastic work on The Twilight Zone (“Among the Untrodden”) and Two Sentence Horror Stories (“Little Monsters” is a personal fave.”) whenever you can. While mum seems to be the word from Poe, her future endeavors all look to be promising, original, and will keep her very busy for 2021 and beyond.
04
Blitz Bazawule
Who is Blitz Bazawule: Consistency has always been a key component in this auteur’s recipe. The coolest chalé from the continent of Africa, Blitz Bazawule has been on everyone’s lists after co-directing Beyoncé’s Black Is King for Disney+. A composer and musician of four studio albums, Bazawule is not new to this. His 2011 short Native Sun, with Terence Nance (Random Acts of Flyness), and 2016’s Diasporadical Trilogia led to his widely praised 2018 Ghana-set film, The Burial of Kojo.
The dazzling project, which was produced by Ava DuVernay and ARRAY, was watched on Netflix by Quincy Jones, Oprah Winfrey, and Steven Spielberg, inspiring the legendary trio to tap Bazawule to helm the new movie musical version of The Color Purple.
The dazzling project, which was produced by Ava DuVernay and ARRAY, was watched on Netflix by Quincy Jones, Oprah Winfrey, and Steven Spielberg, inspiring the legendary trio to tap Bazawule to helm the new movie musical version of The Color Purple.
05
Janicza Bravo
Who is Janicza Bravo: As shocking as it may sound, this New York City original has no peer when it comes to style and cinematic flair. Bravo is also a born leader and storyteller when it comes to creating epic tales. After studying directing and design for theatre at New York University’s Playwrights Horizons Theater School, she traversed the world and delivered a host of shorts that unsettled moviegoers (Eat), contained unfathomable twists of fate (Lemon), and challenged conventionality (Gregory Go Boom).
Zola, better known as “The Thotyssey” by Black Twitter, is the 148-tweet thread that, in Bravo’s capable hands, became a thrill-a-minute ride that is slated to wow audiences this coming June. Co-written with Jeremy O. Harris (Slave Play), Bravo put her flag at the top of the list of fiery filmmakers with the project. Her blend of dark comedy and color commentary on what one would think are the mundanities of life are things that make Bravo one of the most exciting up-and-comers out right now.
Zola, better known as “The Thotyssey” by Black Twitter, is the 148-tweet thread that, in Bravo’s capable hands, became a thrill-a-minute ride that is slated to wow audiences this coming June. Co-written with Jeremy O. Harris (Slave Play), Bravo put her flag at the top of the list of fiery filmmakers with the project. Her blend of dark comedy and color commentary on what one would think are the mundanities of life are things that make Bravo one of the most exciting up-and-comers out right now.
06
Julius Onah
Who is Julius Onah: It isn’t that people aren’t watching the Makurdi-born filmmaker, it’s just that works of art take time—which we currently have a lot of. Onah’s work has been screened around the world including Melbourne, Berlin, Dubai, and more, making him a big-time celebrity outside of the U.S. In 2015, his first feature — The Girl Is in Trouble — contained a who’s who of Spike Lee, Alicja Bachledda, and Wilmer Valderrama; while his 2018 project took him into sci-fi with The Cloverfield Paradox.
Despite the lackluster reviews, Onah said “oh, nah,” and followed-up that film with the critically heralded, locally acclaimed, Luce. Chronicling a star-turn by Kelvin Harrison Jr., this project interrogates violence, rape culture, and race through the journey of an accused star athlete and student from a war-torn country. Consider Onah our generation’s Mamet with the panache and power to create commentary where others would never attempt. An utterly mesmeric filmmaker, if you’re looking for a savant that leaves us with questions to consider, he’s your guide.
Despite the lackluster reviews, Onah said “oh, nah,” and followed-up that film with the critically heralded, locally acclaimed, Luce. Chronicling a star-turn by Kelvin Harrison Jr., this project interrogates violence, rape culture, and race through the journey of an accused star athlete and student from a war-torn country. Consider Onah our generation’s Mamet with the panache and power to create commentary where others would never attempt. An utterly mesmeric filmmaker, if you’re looking for a savant that leaves us with questions to consider, he’s your guide.
07
Numa Perrier
Who is Numa Perrier: Blessed with an impeccable rep and foresight for days, this awesomely fierce writer intelligently explores sex and colorful conversations that make others blush. Numa Perrier, who co-founded Black&Sexy TV and collaborated with Issa Rae’s Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl, has a striking style and a thoughtfulness in delivery with her work. Personally, I still think A Good Day to Be Black and Sexy needs to be made available for the people, but that’s neither here nor there.
Besides being behind notable shows such as Hello Cupid, RoomieLoverFriends, TheCouple and more — it is her first feature film, Jezebel, that has everyone talking excitedly. The semi-autobiographical drama focused on a 19-year-old girl named Tiffany who begins to do sex work as a cam girl to financially support herself quickly became a hot ticket by studios and critics, finally being acquired by ARRAY and dropped on Netflix last year.
Not resting on the acclaim from Jezebel, Perrier is currently in pre-production on The Perfect Find, which stars Gabrielle Union and Keith Powers.
Besides being behind notable shows such as Hello Cupid, RoomieLoverFriends, TheCouple and more — it is her first feature film, Jezebel, that has everyone talking excitedly. The semi-autobiographical drama focused on a 19-year-old girl named Tiffany who begins to do sex work as a cam girl to financially support herself quickly became a hot ticket by studios and critics, finally being acquired by ARRAY and dropped on Netflix last year.
Not resting on the acclaim from Jezebel, Perrier is currently in pre-production on The Perfect Find, which stars Gabrielle Union and Keith Powers.
08
Stefon Bristol
Who is Stefon Bristol: When Spike Lee, one of the godfathers of Black cinema, produces your film, you can’t make light of the moment. Stefon Bristol, an ambitious creative with imagination for days, was batting 1,000 when his feature debut See You Yesterday hit on Netflix. As one of the torchbearers to the impending speculative fiction movement, Bristol’s premise found a science prodigy fashioning a time machine so she might save her brother from a police officer’s wrath — and even featured a solid Michael J. Fox cameo.
By making a short film into a proof of concept, See You Yesterday hit big as a full-length project. Bristol and his writing partner, Fredrica Bailey, took home an Independent Spirit Award and he cemented himself as someone whose vision is much needed in the culture. Up next for him is Breathe, a sci-fi thriller that follows a mother and daughter who are forced to fight for their survival when two strangers arrive desperate for an oxygenated haven. As an artist who loves to lace a lot of social, political, and interpersonal layers into his work, Bristol is someone whose work will manhandle your attention in a good way.
By making a short film into a proof of concept, See You Yesterday hit big as a full-length project. Bristol and his writing partner, Fredrica Bailey, took home an Independent Spirit Award and he cemented himself as someone whose vision is much needed in the culture. Up next for him is Breathe, a sci-fi thriller that follows a mother and daughter who are forced to fight for their survival when two strangers arrive desperate for an oxygenated haven. As an artist who loves to lace a lot of social, political, and interpersonal layers into his work, Bristol is someone whose work will manhandle your attention in a good way.
09
Regina King
Who is Regina King: Who doesn’t know Regina King, am I right? The hype surrounding her success is not just because she delivered one of the best movies with this year’s One Night in Miami, but because she has elevated her career yet again in a masterful way. She’s been putting her 10,000 hours into the director’s chair since helming a 2013 episode of Southland. And now, all eyes are on King for what’s next. Depending on who you talk to, King’s work across different mediums like TV and film all have roots in telling great stories and highlight interesting scenarios.
Whether subconsciously or consciously, her participation in cinema means a great deal to those on the rise and others currently in the trenches. King, who will play Shirley Chisholm in John Ridley’s upcoming biopic of the same name, is donning the executive producer’s hat in this impressive story. But, don’t fret, the multi-talented multi-hyphenate will be a welcomed addition to any upcoming project that will have her name on it.
Whether subconsciously or consciously, her participation in cinema means a great deal to those on the rise and others currently in the trenches. King, who will play Shirley Chisholm in John Ridley’s upcoming biopic of the same name, is donning the executive producer’s hat in this impressive story. But, don’t fret, the multi-talented multi-hyphenate will be a welcomed addition to any upcoming project that will have her name on it.
10
Phillip Youmans
Who is Philip Youmans: In my opinion, this director is the LeBron James of this cinema ish. Barely out of high school, he became the youngest filmmaker to be accepted at Tribeca Film Festival and the first Black American director to win the prize for Best U.S. Narrative Feature. Burning Cane, a fully realized feature that explores the limits of religion and the agony of addiction, was acquired by Array and distributed on Netflix. With COVID-19 making everyone sit down, Youmans isn’t resting on his laurels, releasing two short films — Nairobi and Imagine a Moon Colony — in 2020.
He also was commissioned by New York City’s The Shed, in association with Tribeca Studios, to direct November, a film that examined white male privilege and Black joy in the U.S. today. Written by Claudia Rankine, November adapts Help, and Youmans is clearly showing his focus when picking these projects. The future is bright for this under-21-talent who is exemplary as a director. Currently developing a feature about the New Orleans Black Panther chapter, Phillip Youmans’ name is one you’ll be hearing talked about often for the next decade or so.
He also was commissioned by New York City’s The Shed, in association with Tribeca Studios, to direct November, a film that examined white male privilege and Black joy in the U.S. today. Written by Claudia Rankine, November adapts Help, and Youmans is clearly showing his focus when picking these projects. The future is bright for this under-21-talent who is exemplary as a director. Currently developing a feature about the New Orleans Black Panther chapter, Phillip Youmans’ name is one you’ll be hearing talked about often for the next decade or so.
11
Radha Blank
Who is Radha Blank: Black Twitter watched The Forty-Year-Old Version as a family, and we were all made the better for it. Radha Blank’s deliciously poignant and hilarious satire resonated with everyone who still spends every waking moment going after their dream. Her directing-writing-and-starring debut astounded audiences as much as it did examine the not-often-shared struggle faced by older Black women creatives. Putting white gatekeepers on blast and meditating on the risk/reward of artistically selling out, Blank’s film might’ve been compared to past works by Spike Lee and Judd Apatow, but she truly crafted something all her own.
The native New York took home the Best Director prize at last year’s Sundance, which means 2021 has some explaining to do as to why Radha Blank doesn’t have something announced. She may be considered a “newcomer who’s been around the block,” but her refreshing voice and astounding creativity makes her an accomplished name to keep on your must-watch list.
The native New York took home the Best Director prize at last year’s Sundance, which means 2021 has some explaining to do as to why Radha Blank doesn’t have something announced. She may be considered a “newcomer who’s been around the block,” but her refreshing voice and astounding creativity makes her an accomplished name to keep on your must-watch list.
12
Shaka King
Who is Shaka King: Audiences are grappling with how COINTELPRO targeted Black lives thanks to Shaka King’s recently released film, Judas and the Black Messiah. Frequently heralded for his honesty behind the camera and the stories he tells in front of it, King had some small stints with television (TBS’s People of Earth and Hulu’s Shrill) before being bitten by the drama bug. While Judas is earning awards-season buzz, King is proving to be an elusive chanteuse when it comes to how stories get told on the big screen. Considering how King’s career is expecting a boost from his most recent effort, this biopic is only just the beginning of future risky gambits that Shaka King will share with eager cinephiles like us.
13
Jamila Wignot
Who is Jamila Wignot: Of the many projects this award-winning filmmaker has created, I first discovered her work with 2014’s Makers: Women Who Make America, which was nominated for an Emmy the following year. With so much hoopla being made about a Black Renaissance in cinema, it is only right to give cinephiles the opportunity to know the woman helping to keep Alvin Ailey’s legacy alive and well. An Emmy-, Peabody- and NAACP-award winning wunderkind, Wignot is a fan of the late choreographer’s work, and her latest documentary started off 2021 with a big crescendo.
Accolades aside, Wignot’s work exemplifies what happens when changes to the industry give Black filmmakers the space to create. Her body of work includes projects that speak to the history of our community here and abroad (check out A Stray, which she produced). And with artists documenting the culture like that, audiences end up growing due to the effort of talents like Wignot.
Accolades aside, Wignot’s work exemplifies what happens when changes to the industry give Black filmmakers the space to create. Her body of work includes projects that speak to the history of our community here and abroad (check out A Stray, which she produced). And with artists documenting the culture like that, audiences end up growing due to the effort of talents like Wignot.
14
Boots Riley
Who is Boots Riley: When your first movie makes everyone pull a Beyoncé, you know your stock and trade is in giving the people more. For Boots Riley, his transition from otherworldly MC to making refreshingly original work is one for the history books. Sorry to Bother You marked a transition point in which Hollywood gates — usually shut down to Black newcomers — were pried open because there was nothing like this anywhere.
To say the activist and filmmaker made an auspicious debut would be an understatement. To double down on those sentiments, Riley has partnered with Amazon for I’m a Virgo, an absurdist coming-of-age story starring Jharrel Jerome as a 13-foot-tall Black man who lives in Oakland. While I like the original title — An Episodic Joy Ride With Boots Riley Starring Jharrel Jerome — the half-hour series represents another positive moment in this new-ish Golden Age of Black Creativity.
To say the activist and filmmaker made an auspicious debut would be an understatement. To double down on those sentiments, Riley has partnered with Amazon for I’m a Virgo, an absurdist coming-of-age story starring Jharrel Jerome as a 13-foot-tall Black man who lives in Oakland. While I like the original title — An Episodic Joy Ride With Boots Riley Starring Jharrel Jerome — the half-hour series represents another positive moment in this new-ish Golden Age of Black Creativity.
15
Nia DaCosta
Who is Nia DaCosta: Over the past few years or so, this Brooklyn badass has been responsible for a few indescribably epic moments on the screen. The first came after watching one of the two episodes she directed for Netflix’s Top Boy, in which ended with a harrowing moment involving an immigrant family and racist arsonists. Then, her first feature film Little Woods, earned her the Nora Ephron award for “excellence in storytelling by a woman director,” and quickly raised her name into rarefied air.
A writer at heart, Jordan Peele called the New Yorker to helm his highly anticipated Candyman reboot, and there isn’t anyone more excited than yours truly for that one. Next fall, Nia DaCosta will double down on her frightful adventure by making history as the first Black woman and the youngest filmmaker to direct a Marvel film. That film — Captain Marvel 2 — is already leading the hype train regarding the MCU’s Phase Four production slate. With Brie Lawson returning as the superpowered title character, DaCosta is putting together a stellar cast featuring characters of color such as Ms. Marvel (Iman Vellani), Captain Monica “Photon” Rambeau (Teyonah Parris), and the mysterious, as-yet-to-be announced villain played by Zawe Ashton.
Details are still considered classified, but Nia DaCosta, much like the other members of this list, is a name to be familiar with from here on out.
Kevin L. Clark is a Brooklyn-based freelance writer and curates ESSENCE’s The Playlist. Follow him @KevitoClark.
A writer at heart, Jordan Peele called the New Yorker to helm his highly anticipated Candyman reboot, and there isn’t anyone more excited than yours truly for that one. Next fall, Nia DaCosta will double down on her frightful adventure by making history as the first Black woman and the youngest filmmaker to direct a Marvel film. That film — Captain Marvel 2 — is already leading the hype train regarding the MCU’s Phase Four production slate. With Brie Lawson returning as the superpowered title character, DaCosta is putting together a stellar cast featuring characters of color such as Ms. Marvel (Iman Vellani), Captain Monica “Photon” Rambeau (Teyonah Parris), and the mysterious, as-yet-to-be announced villain played by Zawe Ashton.
Details are still considered classified, but Nia DaCosta, much like the other members of this list, is a name to be familiar with from here on out.
Kevin L. Clark is a Brooklyn-based freelance writer and curates ESSENCE’s The Playlist. Follow him @KevitoClark.
