Black Films at Sundance

This year's best and brightest indie movies.

2 Days in New York - The Tribeca Film Festival, founded by Robert DeNiro, is kicking off its 2012 season. That's why BET.com rounded up some of its top flicks worth seeing. In 2 Days in New York, Chris Rock stars as a happily coupled father who clashes with his French girlfriend's (Julie Delpy) eccentric family. (Photo: Courtesy Polaris Pictures)

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2 Days in New York - The Sundance Film Festival just ended on Jan. 29. Now we're taking a look back at the best Black films to hit Park City, Utah. In 2 Days in New York, Chris Rock leaves his onscreen comfort zone to play half of an interracial couple (Julie Delpy) whose blended family and relationship is tested by her outrageous family.(Photo: Courtesy Polaris Films)

Red Hook Summer - Marking Spike Lee’s return to the hood, this fish-out-of-water tale is about a transplanted Atlanta youth who spends the summer with his grandfather in New York.(Photo: Courtesy 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks)

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Red Hook Summer - Marking Spike Lee’s return to the hood, this fish-out-of-water tale is about a transplanted Atlanta youth who spends the summer with his grandfather in New York.(Photo: Courtesy 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks)

Something From Nothing: The Art of Rap - Co-directed by Ice-T, this performance documentary uncovers hip hop's cultural explosion, and how the music genre saved the West Coast rap pioneer’s life. The film also features Afrika Bambaataa, Run DMC and Snoop Dogg.(Photo: Courtesy Sundance Film Festival)

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Something From Nothing: The Art of Rap - Co-directed by Ice-T, this performance documentary uncovers hip hop's cultural explosion, and how the music genre saved the West Coast rap pioneer’s life. The film also features Afrika Bambaataa, Run DMC and Snoop Dogg.(Photo: Courtesy Sundance Film Festival)

LUV - Danny Glover, Charles Dutton, Meagan Good and Common star in this coming-of-age story about an 11-year-old boy who learns the difficult life lessons of manhood from his entrepreneur-spirited uncle.(Photo: Courtesy LUV Films 5)

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LUV - Danny Glover, Charles Dutton, Meagan Good and Common star in this coming-of-age story about an 11-year-old boy who learns the difficult life lessons of manhood from his entrepreneur-spirited uncle.(Photo: Courtesy LUV Films 5)

The Words - Starring Bradley Cooper and Zoe Saldana, The Words is the tale of a struggling writer who discovers a discarded manuscript. After passing off the work as his own, he faces a moral dilemma nightmare.(Photo: Courtesy Benaroya Pictures)

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The Words - Starring Bradley Cooper and Zoe Saldana, The Words is the tale of a struggling writer who discovers a discarded manuscript. After passing off the work as his own, he faces a moral dilemma nightmare.(Photo: Courtesy Benaroya Pictures)

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Daughters of the Dust - Julie Dash’s 1991 release tackles the topic of African slave descendants who are torn between the traditions of their old land and a new assimilated life. The film was selected for Sundance's From the Collection screenings, which highlight the importance of film preservation.(Photo: Courtesy WMG Pictures)

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Daughters of the Dust - Julie Dash’s 1991 release tackles the topic of African slave descendants who are torn between the traditions of their old land and a new assimilated life. The film was selected for Sundance's From the Collection screenings, which highlight the importance of film preservation.(Photo: Courtesy WMG Pictures)

The Ambassador - A decadent white diplomat arrives in central Africa under the guise to spearhead a diplomatic mission. But his true goal? Get access to the land’s diamond reserves.(Photo: Courtesy Zentropa Real APS Productions)

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The Ambassador - A decadent white diplomat arrives in central Africa under the guise to spearhead a diplomatic mission. But his true goal? Get access to the land’s diamond reserves.(Photo: Courtesy Zentropa Real APS Productions)

Life and Freaky Time of Uncle Luke - This 13-minute short, a remake of La Jetee, is set in Miami, and stars “Uncle Luke” a.k.a. Luke Campbell of 2 Live Crew. Also features singing, dancing and acting by American Idol judge Jennifer Lopez.(Photo: Courtesy Borscht Productions)

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Life and Freaky Time of Uncle Luke - This 13-minute short, a remake of La Jetee, is set in Miami, and stars “Uncle Luke” a.k.a. Luke Campbell of 2 Live Crew. Also features singing, dancing and acting by American Idol judge Jennifer Lopez.(Photo: Courtesy Borscht Productions)

Filly Brown - The real-life portrait of Los Angeles hip hop artist “Majo” Tonorio, who's at a career crossroads when a pending record deal, which can help her struggling family, comes at the cost of selling out her talent and friends.(Photo: Courtesy Cima Productions)

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Filly Brown - The real-life portrait of Los Angeles hip hop artist “Majo” Tonorio, who's at a career crossroads when a pending record deal, which can help her struggling family, comes at the cost of selling out her talent and friends.(Photo: Courtesy Cima Productions)

The Hidden Smile - The Hidden Smile (or El somriure amagat) is the journey of a 10-year-old Ethiopian child who concocts a realistic tale and about values in a society formed by children.(Photo: Courtesy Sundance Film Festival)

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The Hidden Smile - The Hidden Smile (or El somriure amagat) is the journey of a 10-year-old Ethiopian child who concocts a realistic tale and about values in a society formed by children.(Photo: Courtesy Sundance Film Festival)

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The Orator - The first Samoan feature film and New Zealand’s foreign film entry at the 84th Academy Awards. The Orator tells the tale of a family whose plantation is threatened and the father must defend his land and family.(Photo: Courtesy Blueskin Films LTD)

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The Orator - The first Samoan feature film and New Zealand’s foreign film entry at the 84th Academy Awards. The Orator tells the tale of a family whose plantation is threatened and the father must defend his land and family.(Photo: Courtesy Blueskin Films LTD)

The L Train - Executive produced by Alexander Payne, The L Train is a short about a teenager who fights through an inner-city blizzard — and encounters someone who guides her to an absurd action.(Photo: Courtesy Ravenswood Pictures)

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The L Train - Executive produced by Alexander Payne, The L Train is a short about a teenager who fights through an inner-city blizzard — and encounters someone who guides her to an absurd action.(Photo: Courtesy Ravenswood Pictures)

Slavery By Another Name - A surprising and historical account documenting how American slavery continued decades after abolition through convict labor, convict leasing and peonage (forced labor to pay off debts).(Photo: Courtesy TPT National Productions)

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Slavery By Another Name - A surprising and historical account documenting how American slavery continued decades after abolition through convict labor, convict leasing and peonage (forced labor to pay off debts).(Photo: Courtesy TPT National Productions)

Middle of Nowhere - Director Ava DuVernay’s soul-wrenching drama about a wife who drops out of medical school when her husband is sent to prison. DuVernay won the Best Director award at this year's Sundance Film Festival—making her the first Black woman to take home the award.(Photo: Courtesy Forward Movement Pictures)

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Middle of Nowhere - Director Ava DuVernay’s soul-wrenching drama about a wife who drops out of medical school when her husband is sent to prison. DuVernay won the Best Director award at this year's Sundance Film Festival—making her the first Black woman to take home the award.(Photo: Courtesy Forward Movement Pictures)