Co-directed by Crystal Moselle (The Wolfpack, That One Day) and rapper/filmmaker Derrick B. Harden in his directorial debut, The Black Sea is a comedy/drama film telling the story of a man from Brooklyn who gets stuck in a small town on the Black Sea, where he’s the only black person in the town.

The Black Sea world premiered at the 31st SXSW Festival. It was also selected to screen at the 50th Seattle International Film Festival and the 55th Nashville Film Festival where it won the top award of Best Narrative Feature.

The film also stars Derrick B. Harden, along Irmena Chichikova, Samuel Finzi, and Stoyo Mirkov.

Release Date

Directed by Crystal Moselle and Derrick B. Harden, The Black Sea opened in select US theaters on November 22, 2024.

Synopsis

Khalid, a charismatic big dreamer from Brooklyn, gets stuck in a small town on the Black Sea after chasing an opportunity for money that goes wrong. Being the only black guy in the town, he quickly becomes the center of the village’s attention. His New York City street bop is all he has to survive. In his pursuit to get home he finds connections he never expected, and goes on a surprisingly transformative journey…finding love, community, and a way to make his dreams come unexpectedly true.

“The idea for the film is very simple yet we discovered many complexities within it. Made by the pure
enjoyment, fulfillment of creating,” says co-directors Crystal Moselle and Derrick B. Harden in the film’s directors’ statement. “The idea that we can do anything is what led us. A tribute to those brave hearts who step into unknowns and come out the other side smiling with a sense of togetherness.”

Reviews

Ryan Lattanzio in an IndieWire review gave the film a B-, writing, ““The Black Sea” does become a cinematic slam poem about how shattered dreams lead people to become castaways, or refugees, or immigrants, far from their place of origin. – Everyone here, from in front of and behind the camera, is discovering life in real time.”

Katherine Mcnevins in an Austin Chronicle review praised the film, writing, “For Harden, it’s an impressive debut that raises questions about the difference between a tourist, refugee, and immigrant, and explores how sometimes you have to travel a long physical distance to find what’s always been inside yourself.”

Official Trailer

Watch the official trailer for The Black Sea.