Sparrows Dance (2013)

'The Worst Person In The World' follows a part of life I don't see often portrayed on-screen: extended adolescence.

Tara Thorne’s film is equal parts emotional and comedic, illustrating the beauty and the pain of long term relationships.

Set against the backdrop of the Jim Crow era, the film offers layered representation.

A lonely little Hawaiian girl and her mischievous blue alien friend form a bond that heals both of their hearts, as well as ours. This live action version adds emotional nuances—notably in the sisters’ dynamic—while preserving the charm of the original.

Adrian Chiarella’s Leviticus is a beautiful, poignant, enraging, gut-wrenching, and heartbreaking film about the trauma and harm conversion therapy inflicts on young queer people. Even though its classification as horror holds, the emotional bond between the two main characters, Naim and Ryan, elevates the story into a realistic romantic drama on par with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

Disney has kept its word and allowed a new generation of Black and/or African storytellers to tell their own original stories. The question remains, will the public keep their word?