This course explores Black LGBTQ+ cinema from the 1990s to the present, examining the evolution of Black queer and trans representation across various film genres and their political contexts. Students will engage with a diverse range of visual texts, including documentaries, mainstream Hollywood productions, New Queer Cinema, and other media forms.

We will analyze these works as cultural artifacts that illuminate how Black queer and trans filmmakers, screenwriters, and actors approach representation. By applying Black feminist theory and Black queer and trans theories, students will develop a critical framework for interpreting these films and their cinematic and cultural significance. Students will explore representations across North America, the Caribbean, and the United Kingdom, analyzing the intersection of race, gender, and sexuality in film narratives and production.

Through a combination of assigned films, readings, and discussions, students will develop a nuanced understanding of the complexities and diversity within Black queer and trans

representation in cinema. This course aims to foster critical thinking about media representation, politics, identity, and the power of visual storytelling in shaping cultural narratives.

Films we will include:

Watermelon Woman, Cheryl Dunye (1996)

Pariah, Dee Rees (2011)

Moonlight, Barry Jenkins (2016)

Femme, George MacKay (2023)