In English and German with english subtitles

What is joy? What gives us strength, what lets us breathe more easily? In Black Joy, filmmaker Kemi Fatoba explores the meaning of joy: she travelled to Berlin, New York City and London, spoke with activists, community leaders and artists, meeting Natasha A. Kelly, ADEFRA, Kirk Henry and Troy Lopez of RosaCaleta, Tsellot Melesse and Beverly Destiny Renekouzou.

With Black Joy, Kemi Fatoba succeeds in creating a counter-image to the dominant media narrative that so often sensationalizes pain and suffering. At the same time, she builds a beautiful archive: through open interviews, she reveals the multifaceted dimensions of joy within Black communities. The film makes tangible what Black joy looks like, feels like, tastes and sounds like.

As viewers, we also experience how joy takes on different forms — changing according to cultural context and diasporic experience. What all social contexts share is that Black joy is a central element of resilience, survival and transformation. Thus, the documentary becomes an empowering celebration of joy — of Black Joy.

BLACK EYES ON BLACK BODIES is a film series running since 2023 at Ballhaus Naunynstraße, curated by Mona Okulla Obua. In February 2024, a film of the same name was shown: Black Joy (Blaka Koloku) by Rafik Opti — a documentary and Afro-futurist film exploring the search for independence among Black residents of Amsterdam. There is a necessity to portray Black joy; we present different perspectives on it!

Following the film screening, there will be a discussion with director Kemi Fatoba. The evening will be moderated by Katrina Singleton.