Pariah was written and directed by Dee Rees. It was released in 2011, distributed by Focus Features and produced by Nekisa Cooper with Spike Lee being a notable executive producer on the project. The estimated budget for the project was $450,000 and grossed $758,000 at the US box office. It gained attention at the Sundance Film Festival as it won the Excellence in Cinematography Award. It would go on to win the John Cassavetes Award at the Independent Spirit Awards in 2012.
The story of the film is based on Rees' short film of the same name which was released in 2007. It follows a teenage Alike as she seeks to find expression in her identity as a lesbian in Brooklyn. Bradford Young was the cinematographer on the project. Young created a body of work that includes Arrival, A Most Violent Year, Selma and Solo: A Star Wars Story. His cinematic touch adds a depth to the film that caused it to receive positive critical reviews as it added layers of depth through the imagery.
