The Atlantic

Indie Films to Look Forward to in 2017

The coming months in cinema aren’t just for superheroes and sequels.
Source: Amazon Studios

The list of must-see movies in 2017 is long enough if you only include major studio films. It’s also rife with sequels, reboots, adaptations of long-dead television shows, and an endless parade of superheroes. It seems only fair, then, to devote some attention to the smaller-scale movies hitting our shores in the coming months—projects that have run the film-festival circuit (Sundance, Toronto, Berlin, Cannes) over the last year and have finally carved out a 2017 release date.

These days, seeing an acclaimed independent film is easier than ever. Though they often don’t play in cinemas outside of big cities (unless they are surprise box-office hits), they’re quickly available to rent on demand, or to view on streaming services. So if you’re looking for an escape from the oppressive sameness of big-budget Hollywood in the next few months, here are some indie efforts to watch out for.


I Am Not Your Negro (February 3)

This searing documentary from, entrusted to him by the author’s estate, and into an exploration of both Baldwin’s life and career, the progress of the civil-rights movement from the 1960s to the present day, and how the state of being black in America has changed (and, more importantly, how it has not). Narrated by Samuel L. Jackson, is a deeply, tragically relevant investigation of race in America.

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