Anytube

Anytube

Becoming Black

2019-10-09

91 mins

The Plot

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.

Cast and Crew

Ines Johnson-Spain

Ines Johnson-Spain

Self

Armin Gundermann

Armin Gundermann

Self

Madeleine Papangou Johnson

Madeleine Papangou Johnson

Self

Germaine Papangou Johnson

Germaine Papangou Johnson

Self

Geneviève Papangou Johnson

Geneviève Papangou Johnson

Self

Irène Papangou Johnson

Irène Papangou Johnson

Self

Christel Anders

Christel Anders

Self

Werner Anders

Werner Anders

Self

Rosi Judisch

Rosi Judisch

Self

Christophe Kuessi Johnson

Christophe Kuessi Johnson

Self

Michael Gundermann

Michael Gundermann

Self

Raymond Johnson

Raymond Johnson

Self

Perpétue Johnson

Perpétue Johnson

Self

Asiaba Johnson

Asiaba Johnson

Self

Gisela Mwaungulu

Gisela Mwaungulu

Self

Ernst Hoffmann

Ernst Hoffmann

Self

Robert Kuessi Johnson

Robert Kuessi Johnson

Self

Ruben Kweku Dabam Johnson

Ruben Kweku Dabam Johnson

Self

Gisele Hountondji

Gisele Hountondji

Self

Gabriel Ampah Johnson

Gabriel Ampah Johnson

Self

Jacqueline Agbokou

Jacqueline Agbokou

Self

Felicia Johnson

Felicia Johnson

Self

Philipe Dütsch

Philipe Dütsch

Self

Julius Hensel

Julius Hensel

Self

Benino Eßling

Benino Eßling

Self

Cécile Dütsch

Cécile Dütsch

Self

Louisa Schirner

Louisa Schirner

Self

Mario Hensel

Mario Hensel

Self

Videos & Trailers

Becoming Black - 2020 - Trailer