Yemi Bamiro’s “Black Is Beautiful: The Kwame Brathwaite Story” tries to be two films at once — one about the meaning and legacy of “Black is Beautiful,” and another about Kwame Brathwaite, who gave that phrase its visual soul. Somewhere between these threads, the film loses focus, resulting in a documentary that’s visually arresting yet narratively adrift, leaving the audience longing for a deeper, more personal story behind the lens.
The film would have benefited from centering on Brathwaite himself, told through the archives of his work. His images are everywhere, capturing the beauty of African American life and fueling the “Black is Beautiful” movement, but the documentary offers little insight into the man behind the camera. Brathwaite’s photos didn’t just document change — they sparked it. Yet the film rarely explores his creative process or personal journey.
By emphasizing broader political themes and celebrity commentary, the narrative often feels split, with style overshadowing substance and missed opportunities for emotional depth.
The cast of interviewees includes Alicia Keys, Swizz Beatz, Gabrielle Union, Jesse Williams, and Tyler Mitchell. Each lends personal perspective and emotional weight to the documentary, but their contributions add sheen rather than genuine insight.
There’s an extraordinary portrait waiting in Brathwaite’s archives — a vision that could have captured the quiet genius who dignified Black beauty before it was widely acknowledged. Instead, broader social commentary and fragments of biography compete for the spotlight. The audience is left with stunning visuals and fleeting glimpses of the man himself, never fully immersed in his creative world.
Bamiro attempts to explain Brathwaite’s origins, highlighting his activism in Harlem, his role in founding the “Black is Beautiful” movement, and the rediscovery of his archive by his family in the 2010s.
Some of Brathwaite’s photographs include never-before-seen images of historic figures like Muhammad Ali, Nina Simone, and the Jackson Five.
At 98 minutes, the film moves more like a music video than a well-focused documentary, missing much of the needed emotional impact. It’s instructional, not inspirational.
It’s ironic that this film lacks focus when the need for focus is essential for a photographer — something Kwame Brathwaite demonstrated in 60 years of uncompromising photography.
After six decades of shaping how we see African American life, he deserves a documentary with its lens trained solely on him.
“Black Is Beautiful: The Kwame Brathwaite Story” will have its North American premiere at DOC NYC Thursday, Nov. 13, following its debut at the BFI London Film Festival.
DOC NYC Premiere details: SVA Theatre — 333 W 23rd St, New York, NY 10011 Doors open at 8:45 p.m.; Screening begins promptly at 9:15 p.m. Run Time: 98 minutes Directed by Yemi Bamiro | DOC NYC Premiere at SVA Theatre From the producers of “Will & Harper” and “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story”