Project Detail

Black is Beautiful: The Kwame Brathwaite Story

Black is Beautiful: The Kwame Brathwaite Story

Synopsis

This film follows the growth of the Afrocentric Black is Beautiful movement of the 60s and 70s through the lens of Kwame Brathwaite, pioneering Harlem photographer and its unsung godfather.
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

Categories

Production Status

Production Company

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