Compiled by the editorial desk with reference to the official Criterion Collection announcement and public release details.

The Criterion Collection has announced its June 2021 slate, a mix of towering classics and essential modern works. Headlining the month is Masaki Kobayashi’s The Human Condition, a nine-and-a-half-hour anti-war epic that remains one of Japanese cinema’s most ambitious achievements. The release arrives as a complete set, offering viewers the full scope of Kobayashi’s 1959–1961 trilogy.

Alongside that monumental title, Criterion is dedicating a seven-disc collection to the late filmmaker and activist Marlon Riggs, whose work — including the landmark 1989 documentary Tongues Untied — explored Black gay identity with a poetic urgency that continues to resonate. The set gathers Riggs’s most significant films, underscoring his influence on documentary and queer cinema.

Dee Rees’s Pariah, her acclaimed 2011 debut feature about a Brooklyn teenager navigating her identity, also joins the collection. The film, which launched Rees’s career and earned widespread praise for its intimate storytelling, has been a staple of contemporary American independent cinema since its premiere.

A Noir Classic and Two Documentary Sets

Samuel Fuller’s 1953 noir Pickup on South Street is another June highlight. Known for its sharp dialogue and Cold War tension, the film stars Richard Widmark as a pickpocket who unwittingly becomes entangled with a communist spy ring. It is widely regarded as one of Fuller’s finest works.

Documentary fans will find two distinct offerings. Martin Bell’s Streetwise (1984) and its follow-up, Tiny: The Life of Erin Blackwell (2016), are being released as a two-film set. The films trace the lives of homeless teenagers in Seattle, with the later feature revisiting one of the original subjects decades later. The pairing offers a rare longitudinal view of its subjects’ lives.

Also on the schedule is Visions of Eight, a 1973 documentary about the Munich 1972 Olympics. The film compiles segments from eight directors — Miloš Forman, Kon Ichikawa, Claude Lelouch, Juri Ozerov, Arthur Penn, Michael Pfleghar, John Schlesinger, and Mai Zetterling — each bringing a distinct perspective to the Games. The result is a multifaceted portrait of athleticism and spectacle.

As is customary, Criterion has released cover art for each title, which can be viewed on the company’s website. The June lineup reflects the label’s ongoing commitment to preserving both canonical and underrepresented works, from mid-century Japanese epics to contemporary queer cinema.

For collectors and newcomers alike, the month offers a chance to explore a wide range of film history — from the political grit of Fuller’s noir to the personal vision of Rees and Riggs. The releases are expected to be available in both Blu-ray and DVD formats, with supplements typical of Criterion’s editions.