The Black cinema category in Netflix emerged after the BLM protests in June, and since then some people have been questioning its purpose.
All of the Black shows, movies, and documentaries were rounded up and placed into the division that is now called Black Stories. Within this category, there is a representation of Black culture as well as stereotypes that are found in the Black community.
It has allowed viewers to easily access any type of Black content amongst the 23 other categories that Netflix provides.
The traditions of Black culture are displayed in the category, allowing it to appeal to the Black audience and give them a much more personal experience with Netflix.
“Being Black doesn’t tie us down to one catogory, however, I believe Netflix has done an amazing job of linking us all together as people. There’s the timeless Black comedies, movies and shows that teach of our past and history, iconic movies based on inspirational books written by phenomenal African American authors, and even modern-day shows and movies that reflect our lives today,” said Whitney Souffrant, a sophomore in the Health Academy.
Recently, there have been several shows that have been circulating Netflix and have made it to the “Trending Now Section” where they are viewed by hundreds of people. The category was able to aid the Black content and is slowly becoming more prominent.
Through this category, films and other productions curated by members of the Black community have been able to get more attention and compete with other sections.
“I believe that the Black cinema category has been beneficial for people of African descent as it allows their work to be acknowledged and displayed to the world just as equally as any other category. The content that is there accurately represents our culture and community as most of the cinema there consists of our music, humor, slang, and other traditions in our culture,” said Sebastian Joseph, a sophomore in EMR.
The addition of this category has been able to shine some light on the variety of Black content that was previously spread throughout the platform. Therefore, it has brought greater recognition to the shows and movies as well as the actors that have participated in them.
Even though the category has been beneficial in some ways, it has still received some backlash surrounding the message it portrays.
“However, I do believe Black content should not be held to just one category as any cinematic works should be included in the category that it fits best in, not just because of race,” continued Joseph.
By creating a separate place for all of the Black shows and movies, they have implied that this is still a division among the film industry when it comes to race and different cultures. The superficial concept of the category meant well, but once everything is taken into account it can be viewed differently.
“The Black Stories on Netflix and all of the content that was categorized into one group goes to show the lack of representation for the Black culture. Some shows give a great light into the Black community, but others that are still not able to capture the true essence, end up hurting us even more,” said Deborah Piard, a sophomore in engineering.
The Black influence in the entertainment and film industries has been slowly growing over the years, and this addition to Netflix is just another example. Although the category and its impact is still an ongoing debate, there have been positive effects that have resulted from it.
