Pariah (15)

One of modern cinema’s great debuts, Pariah is a heartfelt portrait of Black lesbian life, whose importance and legacy has increased in the years since its release. 

Adepero Oduye gives an excellent performance as Alike, the young poet who finds much-needed support from her best friend Laura (Pernell Walker), a butch lesbian who is far more confident. Alike struggles in her relationship with her unhappy mother (Kim Wayans, excellent), but escape is offered through a close relationship with another girl and a potential college opportunity.

Boasting beautiful cinematography and an excellent screenplay, Pariah is a landmark queer film that marked the arrival of an exciting new director. Rees went on to make the Oscar-nominated Mudbound (2017), becoming the first African-American woman to be nominated for the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar.