Mother’s Day weekend has finally arrived and while for some this may be a great weekend, others this could be hard.
In creating this list, I tried to take into account all the different types of Mother’s Day celebrations that exist, so no matter how you’re spending the day, there’s something to watch for everyone. Whether you’re a first-time mom, a stepmom, a mom of multiple children, a village mom who has helped raise children in your community, or someone who has experienced the loss of a mother or a child, etc this list has got you covered.
Which means these stories don’t necessarily focus on mother hood as much as they showcase women, some may be mothers, but in positions of power, inspiration, feel good and laughter.
Featuring a selection of feel-good, heartwarming, and underrated movies with black and brown casts, these films are perfect for a relaxing and enjoyable Mother’s Day weekend. From comedies to dramas and everything in between, this list offers a diverse range of films that are sure to make you laugh, (maybe) cry, and feel all the emotions in between.
So, grab a cozy blanket, pour yourself a glass of your favorite wine, and settle in for a movie marathon that celebrates the joys of motherhood and the strength of women. Happy Mother’s Day!
Nappily Ever After
A romantic comedy-drama that follows a successful advertising executive who, after a bad breakup, decides to shave her head and reevaluate her life choices.
Unexpected
An inner-city high school teacher discovers she is pregnant at the same time as one of her most promising students and the two develop an unlikely friendship while struggling to navigate their unexpected pregnancies.
Carmen Jones
A classic musical adaptation of the opera Carmen, set in an African American community during World War II.
Jean of the Joneses
A comedy-drama that revolves around a young writer named Jean, who tries to uncover the secrets of her estranged family after her estranged grandfather’s sudden death.
The Weekend
A romantic comedy that follows a stand-up comedian who goes on a weekend trip with her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend.
Butter
A comedy that follows the intense competition between a young orphan girl and an adult butter sculptor in a small Midwestern town.
The Mighty Quinn
A thrilling crime drama about a Caribbean police chief who investigates a murder in his small town.
Vacation Friends
A hilarious comedy about a straight-laced couple who on vacation befriend a wild couple, causing chaos and hilarity to ensue.
Crazy Rich Asians
A romantic comedy about a New Yorker who travels to Singapore to meet her boyfriend’s family and discovers their immense wealth and traditions, while also navigating cultural differences and family drama.
She Did That
An uplifting documentary that explores the passionate pursuits of Black women and their entrepreneurship journeys.
Master
Three women strive to find their place at a prestigious New England university that may disguise something sinister.
The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind
A drama that tells the inspiring true story of a young Malawian boy who builds a wind turbine to save his village from famine.
Uptown Saturday Night
A crime comedy film starring Sidney Poitier and Bill Cosby as two friends who go on a wild adventure in search of a winning lottery ticket
The Light We Carry
Former first lady Michelle Obama delves into the challenges and life lessons that shaped her book, `The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times,’ while in an illuminating conversation with Oprah Winfrey.
Imitation of Life
A classic melodrama about the complicated relationship between a mother and daughter, race, and the American Dream.
Summer of Soul
A vibrant documentary about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, featuring performances by Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, and more.
The Lovebirds
A hilarious and action-packed comedy about a couple who become entangled in a murder mystery.
Claudine
It’s a 1974 romantic comedy-drama film starring Diahann Carroll and James Earl Jones that explores the challenges of being a single mother in Harlem.
The Woman King
The Woman King is the remarkable story of the Agojie, the all-female unit of warriors who protected the African Kingdom of Dahomey in the 1800s with skills and a fierceness unlike anything the world has ever seen. Inspired by true events, The Woman King follows the emotionally epic journey of General Nanisca (Oscar®-winner Viola Davis) as she trains the next generation of recruits and readies them for battle against an enemy determined to destroy their way of life. Some things are worth fighting for…
Support The Girls
A charming and insightful comedy about a group of women who work at a Hooters-style restaurant.
Beauty Shop
Comedy spin-off of the Barbershop franchise, starring Queen Latifah as a hair stylist who opens her own salon in Atlanta.
Southside with You
A sweet and romantic drama about the first date of Barack and Michelle Obama.
Foxy Brown
A classic blaxploitation film about a street-smart woman who seeks revenge against the drug dealer who killed her boyfriend.
The Fighting Temptations
It’s a musical comedy that tells the story of a New York advertising executive who returns to his small Southern hometown to claim an inheritance, but in order to do so, he must lead the church choir to victory in a gospel competition.
Farewell Amor
A moving drama about an Angolan immigrant family’s reunion in New York City after 17 years apart.
Cleopatra Jones
A thrilling action film about a special agent who takes down a drug lord and his empire.
Miss Virginia
An impoverished single mother is losing her 15-year-old son to the rough streets of Washington, D.C. Unwilling to see him drop out and deal drugs, she places him in a private school. But when she can’t afford the tuition, she soon launches a movement to change the system that is destroying him and thousands of others.
Rye Lane
Following two youngsters reeling from bad break-ups who connect over a particularly eventful day in South London.
Miss Juneteenth
Following two youngsters reeling from bad break-ups who connect over a particularly eventful day in South London.
Brown Girl Begins
A sci-fi fantasy film based on the novel “Brown Girl in the Ring,” about a young woman who must use her ancestral powers to save her community in a post-apocalyptic Toronto.
Widows
A police shootout leaves four thieves dead during an explosive armed robbery attempt in Chicago. Their widows — Veronica, Linda, Alice and Belle — have nothing in common except a debt left behind by their spouses’ criminal activities. Hoping to forge a future on their own terms, Veronica joins forces with the other three women to pull off a heist that her husband was planning.
The Photograph
A romantic drama about a woman who discovers a photograph that sends her on a journey to uncover her mother’s past and possibly find love.
Sylvie’s Love
A period romance drama about a young woman who falls in love with a saxophonist while working at her father’s record store in Harlem in the 1950s.
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