Across the country, Black women filmmakers are redefining what it means to use art as activism. They are telling stories while reshaping how audiences see race, gender, and justice on screen. Among those leading this creative revolution are producer-director Dr. Carletta S. Hurt and writer-director-producer Monda Raquel Webb, two women who understand that film can do more than entertain, it can educate, heal, and spark change.
For Hurt, storytelling began in the classroom. “As an educator, I saw an opportunity to share knowledge in a larger, more impactful way when I was made aware of the report about dress codes done by the National Women’s Law Center called Dress Coded: Black Girls, Bodies, and Bias in D.C. Schools,” she recalls. “This really fueled my desire to tell social justice stories utilizing reports by turning it into a visual presentation (film) that could be easily digested and hopefully creates action to learn and do more.”
Like Hurt, Webb uses film to confront injustice while celebrating resilience. Her storytelling roots lie in the tradition of Black women visionaries such as Julie Dash, Mara Brock Akil, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Ava DuVernay, and Kasi Lemmons. “These women are exceptional storytellers who embody the totality of the Black experience,” Webb says. She sees her work as a continuation of that legacy telling stories that uncover hidden histories while uplifting the human spirit.
Her award-winning short film Zoo (Volkerschau) explores a shocking yet little-known moment in history: the 1958 World’s Fair in Brussels, Belgium, where Black people were placed on display in a “Negro Village.” “Zoo represents the depth of human capacity to find freedom in captivity,” Webb explains. “It celebrates life and freedom despite one’s circumstances and embraces the beauty of self-awareness and evolving within the confines of one’s own personal zoo.”
Using her experience as a D.C. school counselor, Hurt uses her film, The Catcher, to examine homelessness through the eyes of a student. “The idea of homelessness has a visual and psychological bias,” Hurt admits. “After making a huge assumption about one of my student’s home situations, I realized my own biases and how that impacted how I supported students and families.” The film, she says, forced her to confront her perceptions and invites audiences to do the same.
Webb’s Pooch Sitter carries a similar thread. On the surface, it’s about a quirky pet sitter who bonds with her clients’ dogs. Beneath that charm, it’s a story about homelessness and survival. “Claire Wingham is surviving homelessness,” Webb explains. “Despite her circumstance, she has a sunny, hopeful disposition. She floats through life with a chameleon-like creativity and unperturbed naïveté.” Like Hurt, Webb uses narrative and emotion to illuminate social realities that many would rather not see.
However, telling stories that challenge systems often comes with obstacles especially in an industry still dominated by gatekeeping. “Hollywood often praises diversity while limiting resources,” Webb notes. For Zoo, a period film set in Brussels and Berlin, she faced the logistical challenge of finding extras who could fit the time period and setting. “I was literally casting from the local gym and Starbucks in my community of Olney, Maryland,” she laughs.
Despite the hurdles, both filmmakers remain steadfast in their purpose to educate, uplift, and inspire. Hurt’s latest project, The Route Series, tells the stories of three Black women who made history in media, including trailblazing journalist Charlayne Hunter-Gault. “The route to making history is varied and the road is bumpy, fun, and stressful,” Hurt says. “I want to make sure their stories are told in a respectful, honest, and impactful way.”
Webb, too, envisions a new chapter for Black women filmmakers one where their stories expand beyond boundaries. “I’m looking forward to Black women telling stories across genres and societies — dystopian, utopian, and the world we know,” she says. It’s a future she’s actively shaping, one story at a time.
Together, these two filmmakers prove that when Black women hold the camera, justice does more than come to light, it comes alive.
