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Becoming Black

IMDb 7.2

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Synopsis

In the 1960s, a white couple living in East Germany tells their dark-skinned child that her skin color is merely a coincidence. As a teenager, she accidentally discovers the truth. Years before, a group of African men came to study in a village nearby. Sigrid, an East German woman, fell in love with Lucien from Togo and became pregnant. But she was already married to Armin. The child is Togolese-East German filmmaker Ines Johnson-Spain. In interviews with Armin and others from her childhood years, she tracks the astonishing strategies of denial her parents, striving for normality, developed following her birth. What sounds like fieldwork about social dislocation becomes an autobiographical essay film and a reflection on themes such as identity, social norms and family ties, viewed from a very personal perspective.

Documentary
Berlin, GermanyBiographyAfro-germanTogoBlack Perspective

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Frequently asked questions

What is Becoming Black (2019) about?

In the 1960s, a white couple living in East Germany tells their dark-skinned child that her skin color is merely a coincidence. As a teenager, she accidentally discovers the truth. Years before, a group of African men came to study in a village nearby. Sigrid, an East German woman, fell in love with Lucien from Togo and became pregnant. But she was already married to Armin. The child is…

Who stars in Becoming Black?

Becoming Black stars Ines Johnson-Spain (Self), Armin Gundermann (Self), Madeleine Papangou Johnson (Self), Germaine Papangou Johnson (Self), Geneviève Papangou Johnson (Self). The film was directed by Ines Johnson-Spain.

How long is Becoming Black?

Becoming Black has a runtime of 1 min and premiered in 2019.

Is Becoming Black worth watching?

Becoming Black holds an IMDb rating of 7.2/10. Fans of Documentary are most likely to enjoy it — TasteRay can tell you how well it matches your personal taste.

Where can I watch Becoming Black?

Streaming availability for Becoming Black changes by country and service. TasteRay tracks where it is available across Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Max, Apple TV+ and 50+ other platforms — the current options for your country are shown on this page.