Happy Valentine's Day 💕
Welcome back!
In case you missed it both SXSW and Athena Film Festival announced their programs this past week. I’m happy to see they’re both offering virtual components in addition to their in person festivals, but I do wish SXSW’s film pass was more affordable and that they were selling individual tickets.
Though SXSW is exorbitantly expensive, the Athena Film Festival is not. While I was sad to see their previous Senior Programmer Opal H. Bennet had left, their new Senior Programmer Faridah Gbadamosi has put together a really good program. There’s so many interesting films this year.
I’ve already seen two of the film’s playing at Athena, Nana Mensah’s Queen of Glory and Bobbi Jo Hart’s Fanny: The Right to Rock. I highly recommend them both and think they’ll be of interest to anyone reading this.
Lastly, I want to leave you all with this link. I stumbled across this digital library dedicated to Black Women Directors the other day and I cannot wait to dig in. This is such a great resource put together by Danielle A. Scruggs.
Since it’s Valentine’s Day, I wanted to dedicate this issue’s film list to romance films. I am a hopeless romantic and romcoms and romance films are some of my favorites so I’ve started making a Letterboxd list of romcoms and romance films that star two protagonist of color.
Here’s ten that you can currently find streaming.
Monsoon | Dir. Hong Khaou
Kit, a Vietnamese man raised in England, returns home to Vietnam for the first time in thirty years to scatter his parent’s ashes. While there he enters into a relationship with Lewis, an American whose father fought in the Vietnam War.
Where to watch: Netflix
I Don’t Want to go Back Alone (Eu Não Quero Voltar Sozinho) | Dir. Daniel Ribeiro
Leonardo is a blind teenager who craves independence. His whole world changes with the arrival of a new kid at school named Gabriel . It was adapted into a feature film called The Way he Looks in 2014.
Where to watch: Vimeo
Lovers Rock | Dir. Steve McQueen
Part of Steve McQueen’s Small Axe project, Lovers Rock is set in 1980’s West London and follows two young adults as they meet and fall in love during a house party.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
The Third Party | Dir. Jason Paul Laxamana
After breaking up, Andi and Max are determined to stay friends. Max soon begins a relationship with Christian, an attractive pediatrician. After Andi becomes pregnant and is abandoned by her baby’s father, the three begin an unconventional family.
Where to watch: Netflix
A Warm December | Dir. Sidney Poitier
While on a trip to London, Dr. Matt Younger meets and falls head over heals for Catherine Oswandu, the niece of an African Ambassador. Their happily ever after starts to fall apart when Matt begins to notice strange men following Catherine.
Where to watch: Tubi
Cane River | Dir. Horace B. Jenkins
Set in Natchitoches, one of the first free communities of color, the film revolves around the forbidden love between Peter Metoyer, who is Creole, and Maria Mathis, who is descended from African slaves. Thought to be a lost film, it was rediscovered in 2013 and a restoration released in 2018.
Where to watch: Criterion Channel
Newlyweeds | Dir. Shaka King
Nina and Lyle are a young couple living together in Brooklyn. Their relationship becomes strained when something comes between them.
Where to watch: Tubi
Saving Face | Dir. Alice Wu
Wil is a young doctor who hasn’t been able to bring herself to tell her traditional Chinese mother that not only is she a lesbian but she’s in a relationship. When her widowed mother falls pregnant, Wil realizes she’s not the only one keeping secrets.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
Mosquita y Mari | Dir. Aurora Guerrero
Mari and Yolanda are two Chicano teens growing up in Los Angeles. Though of similar ethnic backgrounds the two are complete opposites. After being randomly assigned partners on a school project, they begin to develop a surprising bond.
Where to watch: Netflix
Bonus TV Shows
Love Life S2
Love Life is an anthology series that follows a new person each season from their first relationship to their last. Season 2 is focused on Marcus Watkins played by William Jackson Harper.
Where to watch: HBO Max
Starstruck
Rose is a regular millennial living in London who hooks up with a man named Tom while out on NYEs. The two quickly start a whirlwind romance but it turns out Tom is a famous actor. I cannot recommend this show enough, I’m obsessed.
Where to watch: HBO Max
Upcoming Releases 🎥
Incarnation - 2/18
Too Cool to Kill - 2/18
Cyrano -2/25
Jatt Brothers - 2/25
The Long Walk - 2/28
It was announced today that Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Drive My Car will becoming to HBO Max in March 🙆🏾♀️