In 2019, I made it a priority to seek out female directors and theater that prioritized race and diverse storytelling. I think I was successful. Here are my favorite things from this year.
Feature Films
A few films that I didn’t get to see yet but would likely be on this list Monos, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Knives and Skin, and Swallow.
Viewed in theater:

- Parasite (2019)
- Greener Grass (2019)
- Honey Boy (2019)
- The Irishman (2019)
- Knives Out (2019)
- Uncut Gems (2019)
- Rocketman (2019)
- A Beautiful Day in The Neighborhood (2019)
- Charlie Says (2018) – Montclair Film Festival
- The Farewell (2019)
- Good Boys (2019)
Viewed on Netflix:

- Obvious Child (2014)
- Princess Cyd (2017)
- Edge of Seventeen (2016)
- Shirkers (2018)
- Private Life (2018)
- Cam (2018)
- My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997)
- Swiss Army Man (2016)
- Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974)
- Jenny Slate – Stage Fright (2019)
- Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold (2017)
- John Mulaney and the Sack Lunch Bunch (2019)

Viewed on Amazon Prime:

- The World of Us (2016)
- Saving Face (2004)
- Leave No Trace (2018)

Viewed on Hulu*, DVD**, Mubi:

- Plus One (2019)*
- Paris, Texas (1984) **
- Mommy (2014) **
- But I’m A Cheerleader (1999)
- Ask Dr. Ruth (2019)*

Short Films
All of these films are available on Vimeo or YouTube.

- The Arrival (2017)
- Verde (2018)
- Pre-Drink (2019)
- The Big Shave (1967)
- Now You Know (2019)
- sometimes I think about dying (2019)
- Hot and Tasty (2019)
- Nevada (2019)
- East of The River (2019)
- How does it start (2019)
Television
I don’t get to watch much television and I sometimes have trouble committing to a show, especially since I spend most of my days on sets. Here are some shows that I found clever and thought provoking.

- Fleabag (Amazon)
- Sex Education (Netflix)
- Alone Together (Hulu)
- Undone (Amazon)
- Tuca and Bertie (Netflix)
- Daria (Hulu)
- Killing Eve (Hulu)
- Dollface (Hulu)
- Pen15 (Hulu)

Plays
I didn’t see enough plays this year because they’re expensive!!! But all these plays featured a black cast.

Directed by Robert O’Hara
Written by Aziza Barnes
- MCC’s BLKS
- Ensemble Studio Theater’s Behind the Sheet
- Theater for a New Audience’s Fairview
- Playwrights Horizons’ A Strange Loop (minus the fever dream portion)

Directed by Colette Robert
Written by Charly Evon Simpson