Synopsis

A white couple living in the German Democratic Republic in the 1960s, tells their Black child that her skin color is purely by chance and has no meaning. This is also what the girl prefers to believe, until she accidentally discovers the truth as a teenager.

Years before, a group of men from various African countries is invited by the Government of the GDR to live and study at an Eastern German Union College “Fritz Heckert” in Bernau, a village, close to Berlin. Informal encounters with the local population are not frowned upon. Nevertheless, on the secluded campus love doesn’t escape some GDR citizens and African students, like Sigrid from Leipzig and Lucien from Togo. But Sigrid is already married and has a little boy with Armin.
When she falls pregnant with Lucien’s child, it breaks the family apart.

But after a period of separation, the couple decides to stay together and make a fresh start.

The film tracks the elaborate strategies the pair invent to retain a sense of “normalcy” after the birth of their Black child. The child is filmmaker Ines Johnson-Spain.

Meeting her stepfather Armin and others from her childhood years, she tracks the
silence and denial her parents and the closer surroundings had developed.

In an intimate portrayal but also critical exploration she brings together painful and confusing childhood memories with an examination of social and political implications, that testify a culture of rejection and structural racism. After she discovered the truth about her ancestry it will take many more years, before she decides to embark on a journey to Togo to look for her African family. Together with the movingly encounters with her new found family BECOMING BLACK develops into a reflection on themes such as affiliation, social norms and concepts of family, seen from a very personal perspective.

Directors Note

coming soon

Behind the scenes

Shooting Togo and Benin 2016 / 2019

Team

INES JOHNSON-SPAIN
Writer / Director

SEBASTIAN WINKELS
ANNE MISSELWITZ
Director of Photography

YANA HÖHNERBACH
Editor

ELFE BRANDENBURGER
Additionel Editor

CORNEILLE HOUSSOU
ULLA KÖSTERKE
MANUELA SCHININÁ
Sound

BROOKE TRESIZE
Sound Design / Mix

JEAN-PAUL BOURELLY
Original Score

CLAUDIA LANDSBERGER
Dramaturgical Consultant

TARA MAHAPATRA
Development Consultant

ARTEM STRETOVYCH
Colour Grading

POST REPUBLIC
Post-Production

CLAUDIA LANDSBERGER
International Marketing Consultant

ABOU-BAKAR BADAROU
Production Manager (Benin)

SÉRAPHIN N’TARÉ ADJOGAH
Production Manager (Togo)

FABIAN MOTZ
Production Manager

ANAHITA NAZEMI
Producer

KATRIN SANDMANN
STEFAN MATHIEU
Executive Producers

Technical details

Length: 91min
Screening format: DCP 2K, HD
Sound: 5.1
Language: German / French
Subtitled Versions: English / German / French

  • Credits

    (featuring in order of appearance)
    Madeleine Papangou Johnson Germaine Papangou Johnson R.I.P.Geneviève Papangou Johnson

    Irène Papangou Johnson Dr. Armin GundermannChristel Anders und Werner Anders
    Rosi JudischChristophe Kuessi JohnsonMichael Gundermann
    Dr. Raymond JohnsonPerpétue JohnsonAsiaba Johnson
    Gisela MwaunguluErnst HofmannRobert Kuessi Johnson
    Ruben Kweku Dabam JohnsonGisele HountondjiProf. Gabriel Ampah Johnson
    Jacqueline AgbokouFelicia JohnsonPhilipe Dütsch
    Julius HenselBenino EßlingCécile Dütsch
    Louisa SchirnerProf. Mario HenselJanvier Kingbo
    Justin ZinsouUlrich AbaloBonaventure Houssou
    Collectivité des Pêcheurs
    du Grand Popo
    Chef Livingston
    camera
    Sebastian Winkels
    Anne Misselwitz
    montage
    Yana Höhnerbach
    additional montage
    Elfe Brandenburger
    sound
    Corneille Houssou
    Ulla Kösterke
    Manuela Schininá
    original score composed by
    Jean-Paul Bourelly
    performed by
    Jean Paul Bourelly (guitarre etc.)
    more instruments by
    Vincent Henry
    (Clarinet / Soprano Saxophone / Bass Clarinet / Flute)
    Abdourahmane Diop (Sabar)
    Willi Kellers (Drums set)
    sounddesign and mix
    Brooke Trezise
    dramaturgical consulting
    Claudia Landsberger
    project consulting
    Tara Mahapatra
    photo archive
    Dr. Armin Gundermann
    Joane-Bettina Kalde „Sibylle-Heft 1-86“
    Bundesarchiv
    research / historical consulting
    Sebastian Pampuch
    Ruben Johnson
    additional research / historical consulting
    Dr. Thoms
    Dr. Steiniger
    (Verein Bauhausdenkmal Gewerkschaftshochschule Bernau)
    Prof. Heinz Deutschland
    Annette Becker
    translation english
    Megan Gay
    Stephen Jacob
    subtitles english/german
    Babelfisch
    assistant camera Benin / Togo
    Manuel Khaled Lauriano
    assistant editor
    Sandra Müller
    title design
    Magda Tuzinkiewicz
    photo editing
    Lukas Scholz
    colour grading
    Artem Stretovych
    The Post Republic GmbH
    postproduction producer
    Mathias Watson
    production managment Benin
    Abou-Bakar Badarou
    production managment Togo
    Séraphin N'Taré Adjogah
    transport and translation
    Mina, Togo / Benin
    Ben Djossou Amede
    Henry Mensah
    location managment Togo / Benin
    Christiane Chabi-Kao
    Magou Amede
    equipment rental
    Indycine Berlin GmbH
    Kortwich Film-Ton-Technik
    international marketing consulting
    Claudia Landsberger
    line producer
    Fabian Motz
    producer
    Anahita Nazemi
    executive producer
    Katrin Sandmann
    Stefan Mathieu
    with deep gratitude to
    Dr. Armin GundermannMichael GundermannKarin Gundermann
    Jaqueline AgbokouLilian Ekua Johnson R.I.P.Kuessi Johnson
    Asiaba Johnson (Agoué)Philippe JohnsonLa Famille Johnson in Togo/Benin
    Cécile Dütsch Philipe DütchMario Hensel
    Louisa SchirnerBenino Eßling
    Special Thanks for your trust and support
    Louise JohnsonAlfreda Johnson (Agoué)Madeleine Hensel
    Arlette und Madje AgbokouJerôme Koffi JohnsonChristiane Chabi Kao
    Magou AmedePilar OrtegaSandra Flores
    Tina SeidlerSantiago AndradeAndrea Calderon
    Richard Jack PardIdrissou Mora KpaiGreta Namboutin
    Sibille LehnertStephan KöhlerDjiba Kantara
    Branwen OkpakoSimon BrücknerFrida Beckert
    Ingeborg HeinemannAngelika LeviAndreas Hartmann
    Hélene NamboutinSusan Schimk – solo:filmBärbel Mauch
    Angelika RamelowKatharina SieverdingBonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung
    Petra GräweMadeleine BernstorffHerbert Schwering
    Daniela KohlInka DrewitzLaura Coppens
    Prof. LöschmannMarie SanchezSarah Maret
    Bernd WolpertMagarete HeitmüllerLaurence Wegener
    Prince Claus FundStefan Ivo – Indycine Berlin GmbHFrank Wilde
    Guesthouse Cocotier/CotonouMaison Blanche Grand PopoArchive Nationale du Benin
    DESIGNEREI berlin » Manufaktur für Gestaltung Osterhoff & Arndt GbR
    Commissioning Editor ZDF
    Das kleine Fernsehspiel
    Claudia Tronnier
    A production by
    Kobalt Documentary
    in coproduction with
    Das kleine Fernsehspiel (ZDF)
    funded by
    Bundesstiftung zur Aufarbeitung
    der SED-Diktatur
    Künsterlinnenprogramm
    Senatsverwaltung für Kultur und Europa
    Gerd Ruge Stipendium
    der Film- und Medienstiftung NRW
    distributed by
    Rushlake Media GmbH
    a film by Ines Johnson-Spain
    © 2019/Kobalt Documentary/ZDF