Pariah (2011)

This film is part of our 'All About the Soundtrack' program.

The journey toward self-acceptance unfolds with quiet power in Pariah, Dee Rees’s deeply personal and assured debut feature. Set in Brooklyn, the film follows 17-year-old Alike as she explores her sexual identity and self-expression amid the strict boundaries imposed by her family and community. Rees’s script captures emotional nuance with precision, while Adepero Oduye delivers a performance of striking depth and vulnerability. Shot with warmth and intimacy by cinematographer Bradford Young, Pariah creates space for tenderness, resistance, and becoming. A landmark in queer Black cinema, the film asserts the beauty and necessity of living one’s truth.