An African Filmmaker's Journey Through Race, Art, and the Divide Between Two Continents

Abstract

This essay chronicles the personal and professional journey of an African filmmaker navigating the intersections of race, identity, and artistic expression in his move from Europe to the US, confronted with different understandings of Blackness and racial difference. The essay reflects on how cultural dislocation, systemic bias, political commitments, and differing aesthetic values shape the filmmaker’s vision and voice. It also gestures toward possibilities for building a more unified Black Arts scene in the United States, transcending established divisions between African-American and African communities.