Losing Ground

Kathleen Collins's 1982 film is one of the first narrative features directed by a Black woman. Sara teaches philosophy at a university and puts thinking ahead of everything else; her husband Victor is an ecstatic, impulsive painter. Their decision to spend the summer outside the city strains an already fragile balance. Collins centres the inner life of Black intellectuals, creativity and desire, which was itself a break at a time when Black characters reached the screen almost exclusively through social problems. The film never got a release and was forgotten for decades; restored in 2015 by the director's daughter, it became visible again and entered the National Film Registry in 2020. Who it's for: viewers seeking American independent cinema and rediscovered films. Who it's not for: anyone expecting technical polish and pace; the film does not hide its budget.