February 25, 2025

Holly Shen: Hollywood Black

“Over the weekend Hollywood Black won the 2025 Independent Spirit Award for Best New Non-Scripted or Documentary Series. Based on the book by eminent film historian Donald Bogle, this four-part series reveals the often-hidden history of Black cinema and the foundational influence of multitudes of Black filmmakers, actors, actresses, directors, producers and other cast and crew.

As Hollywood Black director Justin Simien notes: ‘Cinema is no less than one of the greatest tools of our liberation. Its images, the power of the image, can move the soul of the nation, for better or for worse.’

Hollywood Black features a spectacular roster of cinema luminaries including Ava DuVernay, W. Kamau Bell, Ryan Coogler, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Issa Rae, LaKeith Stanfield, Gabrielle Union, Lena Waithe, Forest Whitaker. It also features scholars such as Donald Bogle and Jacqueline Stewart, American cinema studies scholar at University of Chicago, television host for Turner Classic Movies, and former Director and President of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, an organization Lord is honored to count as a recent client. 

Hollywood Black amplifies the vital history of contributions by Black visionaries, following the example set by the Academy Museum in seeking to amplify lesser-known histories of cinema.”

Through the end of February, Hollywood Black is available on Amazon Prime for no extra charge.