Celebrating Black Joy in Film and Television

Black History Month is a time to observe and celebrate the Black community. Amid recent civil unrest, the idea of “Black joy” as a movement and a form of rebellion has taken root. To quote New York writer Kleaver Cruz and founder of the Black Joy Project, “Amplifying black joy is not about dismissing or creating an ‘alternative’ black narrative that ignores the realities of our collective pain; rather, it is about holding the pain and injustices we experience as black folks around the world in tension with the joy we experience in pain’s midst. It’s about using that joy as an entry into understanding the oppressive forces we navigate through as a means to imagine and create a world free of them.”

Here are a few of our favorite client projects amplifying Black joy through animation, music, late night talk shows, spoken word, and comedy.

“Karma’s World” (Netflix Animation, 9 Story Media Group, Netflix)

“A Black Lady Sketch Show” (3 Arts Entertainment, HBO)

“Desus & Mero” (Jax Media, Showtime)

“The Shop: Uninterrupted” (Frehand, SpringHill Entertainment,  HBO)

South Side (Jax Media, HBO Max)

“We The People” (Netflix Animation, Netflix)

“Ada Twist, Scientist” (Netflix Animation, Netflix)

“Ziwe” (A24, Showtime)

“Summertime” (Los Angeles Media Fund, Good Deed Entertainment)