Film Series
Strange Victories: Black Soldiers and World War II
The black Americans who served in World War II waged a twin battle, against a foreign enemy on the frontlines and at home against racism. To mark the release of Dee Rees’ extraordinary new epic Mudbound, which grapples in part with this wrenching dilemma, BAMcinématek presents a cross section of films that illuminate the unique experiences of black soldiers. Essential correctives to decades of Hollywood whitewashing, these groundbreaking classics, urgent documentaries, and revisionist action spectacles shine much-needed light on a long overlooked chapter in American history.
Spike Lee’s ambitious epic chronicles the experience of four black soldiers in World War II.
This landmark documentary is an essential—and troubling—historical record.
This Best Picture nominee is a tense murder mystery featuring a young Denzel Washington.
An exciting, adrenaline-rush account of the Air Force’s first black heroes.
A potent, tragically relevant look at racism in postwar America.
The electrifying Dorothy Dandridge stars in this update of the Bizet’s classic opera.
A pioneering, still-potent drama about the effects of racism on a black soldier.
An illuminating look at the rich, unsung history of black journalism.
This newly restored lost classic is a watershed depiction of black heroism.