Through a Lens Darkly: Black Photographers and the Emergence of a People (2014)

A film that explores how African American communities have used the camera as a tool for social change from the invention of photography to the present. This epic tale poetically moves ... See full summary »

Director:

Thomas Allen Harris

Writers:

Thomas Allen Harris, Don Perry

Stars:

Arthé Anthony, Anthony Barboza, Hugh Bell

4 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Arthé Anthony	...	Herself
Anthony Barboza	...	Himself
Hugh Bell	...	Himself
David G. Berger	...	Himself
Dawoud Bey	...	Himself
Sheila Pree Bright	...	Herself
Marcus Bruce	...	Himself
Michael Chambers	...	Himself
Albert Chong	...	Himself
Lisa Gail Collins	...	Herself
Bridget Cooks	...	Herself
Adger W. Cowans	...	Himself
Renee Cox	...	Herself
C. Daniel Dawson	...	Himself
Jonathan Eubanks	...	Himself

Storyline

A film that explores how African American communities have used the camera as a tool for social change from the invention of photography to the present. This epic tale poetically moves between the present and the past, through contemporary photographers and artists whose images and stories seek to reconcile legacies of pride and shame while giving voice to images long suppressed, forgotten, and hidden from sight.

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Genres:

Documentary | Family | History

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Details

Official Sites:

First Run Features [United States] Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 January 2014 (USA)

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$11,764, 29 August 2014, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$65,169, 25 January 2015

Company Credits

Production Co:

K Period Media, Through a Lens Darkly

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Color:

Color Black and White

User Reviews

This beautiful film was made with love!

This documentary is a surprising blend of art history, personal essay, and social critique. You'll learn about many photographers, including some you may not already know. There are interviews with (or remarks about) many artists, including James VanDerZee, the celebrated photographer of the Harlem Renaissance; Gordon Parks, whose great images from Life magazine will be familiar to many; Carrie Mae Weems; Lyle Ashton Harris; Glenn Ligon; and Renee Cox, among others. There are also interviews with historians such as Robin D. G. Kelley. In total, the interviewees offer many insightful remarks about what photography is, and what it can do. Seeing so many unfamiliar and, in most cases, beautiful images, from the time when photography began up to the present, you are sure to be touched and amazed. And the director's personal story will move you, too. This thoughtful film is a treasure, not to be missed!