Our Alexandria

Is That Black Enough for You?!?

2022 · ★ 6.1

A look at the Black revolution in 1970s cinema, from genre films to social realism, from the making of new superstars to the craft of rising auteurs.

The Picture Taker

2022

From his Memphis studio, Ernest Withers’ nearly 2 million images were a treasured record of Black history but his legacy was complicated by decades of secret FBI service revealed only after his death. Was he a friend of the civil rights community, or enemy—or both?

A Distant Shore: African Americans on D-Day

2007

The role of African American soldiers during the World War II Allied invasion of Normandy.

Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson

2004 · ★ 7.2

The story of Jack Johnson, the first African American Heavyweight boxing champion.

DOUBOUT OUBIEN MÔ

Since August 2024, in Martinique, a popular protest movement against the high cost of living has been reemerging under the leadership of the RPPRAC (Rassemblement Pour La Protection Des Peuples Et Des Ressources Afro-Caribéens – Gathering for the Protection of Afro-Caribbean Peoples and Resources). On the island, food prices are on average 54% higher than in mainland France.* Through various cultural figures, the people of Martinique are expressing their anger and seeking concrete solutions. *Source: Kiprix, Price comparison between supermarkets in the French overseas territories and mainland France.

The Black Contribution: Literature and Theatre

1978

The Black Contribution – Literature and Theater 1978 is a rare documentary highlighting the voices and cultural impact of African American writers and performers during the civil rights era. Introduced by NAACP leader Benjamin Hooks and narrated by Roscoe Lee Brown, the film weaves together dramatic readings, theatrical excerpts, and candid urban street footage. Margaret Walker’s poem For My People is performed alongside scenes of daily Black life in New York City — children playing, families on stoops, open fire hydrants, and the realities of poverty in 1970s neighborhoods. James Baldwin appears in interview footage, while signs for his play The Amen Corner and stage excerpts from Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun underscore the powerful presence of Black voices in American theater. With rare shots of Harlem life, literature, and performance, this film documents the enduring contributions of African American artists to U.S. culture and history.

The Tulsa Lynching of 1921: A Hidden Story

2000 · ★ 9

Documents the race riot of 1921 and the destruction of the African-American community of Greenwood in Tulsa, Oklahoma. With testimony by eyewitnesses and background accounts by historians.

Pages in the Factory of Dreams - Black Extras in German Feature Films

2002 · ★ 7

Until 1942 around 100 German propaganda films were made, that were set in Africa. They were produced in Germany, with Black Germans and Africans living in Germany. Who were these Black extras and how did they come to Germany? Why did they work in film-making? Which roles did they play and what messages did they send? What were their daily experiences as Black people during the Weimar Republic and the Nazi Regime?

Sapelo

2020 · ★ 6

Sapelo is a feature-length documentary film that journeys within a unique American island to tell the story of two young brothers, their adoptive mother, and the last remaining enclave of the Saltwater Geechee people.

Le Mozart Noir: Reviving a Legend

2003 · ★ 7.5

Le Chevalier de Saint-Georges overcame class and race prejudices in 18th century France to become a musical genius who would inspire Mozart.

Odessa's Reign

2021

Black women had extremely limited options during Jim Crow. Odessa’s story explores how an African American woman born in a time with limited options leveraged her incredible mind and quick wit to become wealthier than she ever should have been able to This film takes a look at choices that were made, a wild ride Odessa had as an underworld queen, and consequences from her choices Odessa Madre’s life was a mix of resilience and bookend by the vicissitudes of luck, a contrast of economic success within

Black Sam's Statue

2015

Using newly uncovered historical documents, this documentary short pieces together the most complete and accurate account of the life of Viro Small ever told. Nicknamed "Black Sam of Vermont" for his ties to the Green Mountain State, Small was a pro wrestling pioneer who reached the height of his notoriety in 1880's New York City.