Myth of a Black Woman

SYNOPSIS

THE MYTH OF THE BLACK WOMAN (dir. by Ayana O’Shun), winner of the Magnus-Isacsson Award for Best Film at the Montreal International Documentary Festival (RIDM), is a powerful feature-length documentary that examines how deeply rooted stereotypes have shaped the perception — and lived experiences — of Black women for centuries. From the hypersexualized Jezebel to the self-sacrificing Nurse and the caricatured “sassy” or “angry” woman, these images were constructed long ago and continue to influence culture, policy, and personal relationships today.

Through the voices of 21 Black women — artists, intellectuals, activists, and experts across generations — the film reveals the emotional, professional, and psychological toll of navigating a world built on misrepresentation. Their stories are interwoven with never-before-seen archival material spanning from the 1800s to the present, exposing how these myths were born during slavery and colonialism, then perpetuated through media, science, and popular culture.

Both an act of resistance and reclamation, THE MYTH OF THE BLACK WOMAN challenges audiences to confront the origins of these stereotypes while celebrating the complexity, strength, and diversity of Black womanhood today. Urgent, revelatory, and deeply human, the film reframes history and invites a collective reimagining of representation, identity, and power.