10 Black Lesbian Coming-of-Age Movies & TV Shows
Check these out for your next movie night.
Coming-of-age stories have long been a staple of sapphic cinema, but stories centered specifically around queer Black girls can still be harder to come by—or, in some cases, simply haven’t received the broader attention they deserve.
From award-winning indies to vampire romance, here are 10 Black sapphic coming-of-age movies, TV shows, and short films worth checking out.
1. Pariah (2011)
Dee Rees’ feature debut about a 17-year-old Brooklyn teen navigating her sexuality and family life has become a landmark of Black queer cinema.
Where to watch: Netflix
2. Black Burns Fast (2026)
A scholarship student at an elite all-girls boarding school in South Africa has her life plans derailed by the arrival of a new student.
Where to watch: Prime Video
3. Rafiki (2018)
The daughters of two rival Kenyan politicians fall for one another in Rafiki, which made history as the first Kenyan film selected for Cannes—even as it was being banned in its home country for its lesiban love story.
Where to watch: Mubi
4. Beauty (2022)
A young singer on the verge of her big break struggles to navigate a domineering family, a demanding career, and her love for her girlfriend.
Where to watch: Netflix
5. Hearts Beat Loud (2018)
Kiersey Clemons stars as a college-bound teen caught between her dad’s dreams of turning their musical hobby into something bigger and the life (and girlfriend) she’s about to leave behind in Brooklyn.
Where to watch: Prime Video, Tubi
6. First Kill (2022)
One girl is a vampire. The other is a monster hunter. They both need to make their first kill and pick each other as the target. Naturally, they fall in love instead. This Netflix series may have been short-lived, but it was also well-loved by fans.
Where to watch: Netflix
7. Pure (2021)
A closeted 17-year-old preparing for her cotillion finds herself falling for another girl in this short film about figuring out where you fit when tradition and your actual identity don’t quite line up. The concept is currently being adapted into a feature film.
Where to watch: HBO Max
8. Grace (2024)
Set in the 1950s South, this short follows a 16-year-old preparing for her baptism while trying to reconcile her faith with the fact that she’s falling for her best friend.
Where to watch: Vimeo
9. Tahara (2020)
A kissing exercice at a classmate’s funeral leads Carrie to realize she might have feelings for her best friend, Hannah. Unfortunately for Carrie, Hannah isn’t exactly on the same page.
Where to watch: MUBI
10. The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love (1995)
This iconic ’90s film about the chaos of first love follows a working-class lesbian and a popular rich girl who unexpectedly fall for each other.
Where to watch: Strand Releasing
