1 / 8
RUNTIME
Did you know
86 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
Pariah
"Who do you become when you can't be yourself?"
2011 1h 26m EN
👍
6.9
SOLID
★6.9TMDB · 169
Drama
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
A Brooklyn teenager juggles conflicting identities and risks friendship, heartbreak, and family in a desperate search for sexual expression.
“Who do you become when you can't be yourself?”
Cast
Adepero Oduye
Alike
Pernell Walker
Laura
Aasha Davis
Bina
Charles Parnell
Arthur
Sahra Mellesse
Sharonda
Kim Wayans
Audrey
Shamika Cotton
Candace
Raymond Anthony Thomas
Mack
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Dee Rees
- Writers
- Dee Rees
- Languages
- English
- Countries
- United States of America
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 8
MONEY
Did you know
Shot for just $0.5M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
ERA
Did you know
Released 15 years ago.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by Dee Rees, shot by Bradford Young. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by Tamar-kali. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor Mako Kamitsuna shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
CAST
Did you know
Adepero Oduye and Pernell Walker and Aasha Davis carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
FACT
Did you know
Marketing tagline: "Who do you become when you can't be yourself?".
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Dee Rees directs. Bradford Young behind the camera. Tamar-kali scores. Mako Kamitsuna cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Profitable at the box office. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 186 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
- 2Shot for just $0.5M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
- 3Released 15 years ago.
- 4Directed by Dee Rees, shot by Bradford Young. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 5Original score by Tamar-kali. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 6Editor Mako Kamitsuna shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 7Adepero Oduye and Pernell Walker and Aasha Davis carry the top of the cast.
- 8Marketing tagline: "Who do you become when you can't be yourself?".
- 9IMDB entry: tt1233334 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 10Classified under 11 themes, including "identity", "coming of age", "female homosexuality", "dyje".
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Bradford Young
- Original score
- Tamar-kali
- Editing
- Mako Kamitsuna
- Production design
- Inbal Weinberg
- Costume design
- Eniola Dawodu
- Runtime
- 86 min · 1h 26m
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $500,000
- Box office
- $769,552
- Return
- 154% of budget
- Original language
- EN
- IMDB
- Pariah (2011)
Awards
- NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Independent Motion Picture
- Independent Spirit John Cassavetes Award
Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.
Also by
Dee Rees
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Production companies
Who made it
- NO
NorthStar Pictures
Sundial Pictures
US
- AI
Aid + Abet
Key crew
- Costume DesignEniola Dawodu
- Line ProducerIsaac McGuire
- Executive ProducerJeanine Mclean
- Executive ProducerJulie Parker Benello
- Production DesignInbal Weinberg
- Executive ProducerAnn Bradley
- Executive ProducerWendy Ettinger
- Executive ProducerSam Martin
- ProducerNekisa Cooper
- Executive ProducerJudith Helfand
- Executive ProducerSusan Lewis
- Executive ProducerStefan Nowicki
- Executive ProducerDouglas Eisenberg
- CastingEyde Belasco
- Art DirectionSara K. White
- Executive ProducerMatthew J. Simon
- Executive ProducerBenjamin Weber
- Executive ProducerSpike Lee
- Executive ProducerMary Jane Skalski
- EditorMako Kamitsuna
- Assistant Property MasterEmmanuelle Hoessly
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- identity
- coming of age
- female homosexuality
- dyje
- teenage sexuality
- lgbt
- lgbt teen
- woman director
- black lgbt
- lesbian
- teenager
Release history · US
When it landed
- Premiere2011-01-21· Sundance Film Festival
- Theatrical2011-12-28
