Black (2015 Belgian film)

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Black
Black (2015 Belgian film).jpg
Film poster
Directed by Adil El Arbi
Bilall Fallah
Written byAdil El Arbi
Bilall Fallah
Based onBlack
by Dirk Bracke
Back
by Dirk Bracke
Starring Martha Canga Antonio
Aboubakr Bensaihi
Cinematography Robrecht Heyvaert
Music byHannes De Maeyer
Release dates
  • 11 September 2015 (2015-09-11)(TIFF)
  • 11 November 2015 (2015-11-11)(Belgium)
Running time
95 minutes
CountryBelgium
LanguagesFrench
Dutch
Arabic

Black is a 2015 Belgian crime film written and directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, [1] based on the books Black and Back by Dirk Bracke. [2] The film is centered around two young gangsters who seek love, but are impeded by the rivalry between their gang allegiances.

Contents

The plot line is influenced by William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and Arthur Laurent's West Side Story but relocates the story to street gangs in modern-day Brussels, Belgium. It premiered at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival, where it was screened in the Discovery section. [3]

Plot

The film follows the story of Mavela, a young woman caught between loyalty and love amid Brussels' gang conflicts. She falls in love with Marwan, a member of a rival gang, leading to a dangerous and intense romance. As their relationship unfolds, they must navigate the challenges of their respective allegiances while trying to break free from the cycle of violence and crime that surrounds them. The movie portrays the gritty urban landscape, the struggles of youth in marginalized communities, and the power of human connection amidst adversity.

Cast

Accolades

Award / Film FestivalCategoryRecipients and nomineesResult
Magritte Awards [3] Best Actor Aboubakr BensaihiNominated
Most Promising Actress Martha Canga AntonioNominated
Best Flemish Film Nominated
Best Costume Design Nina CaspariNominated
Best Original Score Hannes De MaeyerNominated

Streetcasting

To amplify the harshness and roughness, they chose to work with unknown actors and actresses. Most of the cast were picked right off the streets, hence the term "streetcasting". In cooperation with the casting agency Hakuna Casting, Nabil Mallat and Chafic Amraoui visited Brussels' migrant neighborhoods looking for new talent. Caroline Bastin coached the newfound actors during the auditions. Because of the unique background of the cast, these talents were able to give the film's narrative a special touch. [2]

References

  1. ↑ "Black Review". Variety. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
  2. 1 2 "Black ~ Official site". black-themovie.com. Archived from the original on 18 July 2017. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  3. 1 2 "Magritte du Cinéma: "Les premiers les derniers" et "Keeper" sont favoris". La Libre Belgique (in French). 10 January 2017. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
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