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The World of Black Film

A Journey Through Cinematic Blackness in 100 Films With a Foreword by John Akomfrah
By Ashley Clark
Laurence King Publishing
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Brief Description
My Brother Ashley Clark has broken it down to what Black film was, is present day, and what the future might be. BLAK IZ BLAK. YA-DIG? SHO-NUFF. Enjoy this BLAK CINEMATIC SCIENCE. - Spike Lee This book belongs on the shelf of every film lover, every... Read More
Format: Hardback
$9900

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An entertaining, informed, and thought-provoking survey of important and influential Black films from around the world.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

My Brother Ashley Clark has broken it down to what Black film was, is present day, and what the future might be. BLAK IZ BLAK. YA-DIG? SHO-NUFF. Enjoy this BLAK CINEMATIC SCIENCE. - Spike Lee

This book belongs on the shelf of every film lover, every student of cinema, and everyone who believes in the transformative power of storytelling. It's a celebration, an education, and an inspiration all at once. - Julie Dash

Resonant, exciting and eye-opening - one of the best books I've read about Black cinema. - Mark Cousins

An indispensable guide for any film lover yearning to learn more about Black cinema. - GQ

The World of Black Film is an entertaining, informed, and thought-provoking survey of important and influential Black films from around the globe. Starting with the unfinished silent comedy Lime Kiln Club Field Day (1913) and concluding with Steve McQueen's World War II epic Blitz (2024), this book takes readers on an exciting journey through an eclectic mix of classics and hidden gems spanning more than 100 years and 30 countries.

Beautifully designed and bursting with eye-catching film imagery and poster art, this is essential reading for general film fans, enthusiasts of Black cinema, educators, and students alike.

Includes a foreword by Sir John Akomfrah, CBE RA.

Films and directors include:

  • Black Orpheus (Marcel Camus, 1959)
  • Black Girl (Ousmane Sembene, 1966)
  • Hollywood Shuffle (Robert Townsend, 1987)
  • Malcolm X (Spike Lee, 1992)
  • Belle (Amma Asante, 2013)
  • Timbuktu (Abderrahmane Sissako, 2015)
  • Moonlight (Barry Jenkins, 2016)
  • Black Panther (Ryan Coogler, 2018)
  • Saint Omer (Alice Diop, 2022)
  • Dahomey (Mati Diop, 2024)
  • Blitz (Steve McQueen, 2024)

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781529438253

Publisher: Quercus Publishing

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 12 February 2026

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Laurence King Publishing

Illustration: c300 colour photos

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 20.0mm

Width: 194.0mm

Height: 234.0mm

Weight: 823g

Pages: 224

Collections

Arts & Culture Ashley Clark Laurence King Publishing Non-Fiction

About the Author

Ashley Clark is a writer, broadcaster, and film programmer. He has organized numerous film seasons at international venues including London's BFI Southbank, New York's Museum of Modern Art, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and Toronto's TIFF Lightbox. His writing has appeared in The Guardian, Reverse Shot, Sight & Sound, and Film Comment, and he is the author of Facing Blackness: Media and Minstrelsy in Spike Lee's Bamboozled (2015). Ashley was born in London, lives in Jersey City, and works in New York City, where he has been the curatorial director of the Criterion Collection since 2020.

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