'Queen Sugar' is a drama about family. It's something that allows us to be ourselves and see the ways that we interact with our own families.

Film is a mirror. I want to see more filmmakers. We all want to see ourselves.

Filmmakers need to realize that their job isn't done when they lock picture. We must see our films through.

I think any black woman is a queen. It's just, do you know it? Do you see it in yourself? Do you recognize it, do you abide by that, do you define yourself as that? Based on who we are and what we've been through and how we survive and where we stand, we are on kind of sacred ground. We stand on the backs of our ancestors.

I financed and made my own films from the start. My path has been autonomous and independent, so I don't have any horror stories about glass ceilings and expectations and tense studio meetings.

Why do we always have to see black people in hindsight? Why are the Hollywood movies always historical? What about the contemporary image of black people?