In honor of a historic day in American history, we bring you the new trailer for Yoruba Richen’s documentary The New Black which just won the AFI Docs Film Festival Audience Award and played at the Los Angeles Film Festival. The whole team from Women and Hollywood has seen the film and are big fans.

The film focuses on African American attitudes towards gay marriage when the question was on the ballot in Maryland during the last election cycle. Richen follows marriage activists, leaders both gay and straight and also takes a look at homophobia within the black church. Ultimately, she breaks down the complicated relationship between the LGBT community and African American civil rights movements within a larger historical context. 

Richen is a talented filmmaker and her ability to tell a larger historical narrative while seamlessly linking into into the modern front of the Maryland election gives the viewer everything they need to engage in the film. It is on our early list of top docs of the year. As of now there is no official release for the film, but check out here if it’s screening at a festival near you. 

Yoruba Richen’s ‘The New Black’ Wins Audience Award at AFI
Docs (The Hollywood Reporter)