Closet Picks

6 Apr 2026

Boots Riley’s Closet Picks

The writer and director reminisces about seeing Black Girl in the cinema with his mom as a child, shares how True Stories and Election influenced his approach to filmmaking, and talks about the emotional truth behind the visual artifice of Pedro Almodóvar’s work.

Choices
12
Single films
8
Box sets
4
Chose Director Year
1 Three Revolutionary Films by Ousmane Sembènebox set, 3 films
2 Black Girl Ousmane Sembène 1966
3 Melvin Van Peebles: Essential Filmsbox set, 4 films
4 True Stories David Byrne 1986
5 Election Alexander Payne 1999
6 The Hero Satyajit Ray 1966
7 The Princess Bride Rob Reiner 1987
8 The Qatsi Trilogybox set, 3 films
9 All About My Mother Pedro Almodóvar 1999
10 Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown Pedro Almodóvar 1988
11 Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters Paul Schrader 1985
12 Essential Fellinibox set, 14 films

Watch the video · On criterion.com