Black is Beautiful: The Kwame Brathwaite Story
Synopsis
Kwame Brathwaite spent his life documenting black American history, photographing and befriending some of its biggest stars over his lifetime. He also founded grassroots fashion shows he called "Naturally" that celebrated natural black beauty and Afrocentrism in a time when it was deemed controversial, and heralded a new dawn for blackness across the globe.
Forgotten by history until his son uncovered his vast archive of photos in the 2010s, the film covers the revival of Kwame's legacy in the last few years of his life. Family, friends and artistic admirers championed Kwame's work in a bid to put his name on the map before his passing in 2023. Kwame's story weaves together the story of the black experience, cultural icons and activism, taking a Forrest Gump journey through the biggest names and moments in American culture.
Official Selection BFI London Film Festival 2025 - Official Competition - World premiere
Official Selection DOC NYC 2025
Details
- Year
- 2025
- Type of project
- Features
- Running time
- 99 min
- Director
-
Yemi Bamiro
- Producer
- Joanna Boateng, Lizzie Gillett, Ian Bonhôte
- Executive Producer
- Andee Ryder
- Editor
- Otto Burnham
- Screenwriter
- Otto Burnham, Yemi Bamiro
- Director of Photography
- Jean-Louis Schuller
- Composer
- Kwes, Marli Wren
- Archive Consultant
- Lizzy McGlynn
- Junior Producer
- Isadora Macleod
Genre
Categories
Production Status
Production Company
Misfits Entertainment
Lizzie Gillett22 Soho Square
London
W1D 4NS
Page updates
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