Through a Lens Darkly: Black Photographers and the Emergence of a People

2014 | Documentary, Family, History

Synopsis

A film that explores how African American communities have used the camera as a tool for social change from the invention of photography to the present. This epic tale poetically moves between the present and the past, through contemporary photographers and artists whose images and stories seek to reconcile legacies of pride and shame while giving voice to images long suppressed, forgotten, and hidden from sight.

Scores

Overall Score
27.7
Popularity Percentile (Year)
6.6%
Box Office Percentile (Year)
31.5%
Review Aggregate
68.8

Critic Consensus

63.2% Fresh • 19 critic reviews

Critic reception is mixed, with 63% of 19 logged reviews marked Fresh. Across reviews, critics repeatedly emphasize dark, emotional, historical. Common reservations focus on execution consistency, even when reviewers praise standout elements.

darkemotionalhistoricalvisually strikingthought-provokingstylized

Cast

CastYearReported SalaryInflation AdjustedNotes
N/A

Aggregated Reviews

Rotten Tomatoes critic score63.0
RT critic review count19
Rotten Tomatoes audience score73.0
RT audience rating count100
IMDb rating7.2
IMDb votes201

Box Office ?

CategoryYearReportedInflation Adjusted
Domestic2014$65,169$86,369
International2014N/AN/A
Worldwide2014$65,169$86,369

Earnings / Profitability

Estimated net revenues and net expenses for films based on reported and estimated numbers. This income statement should be considered most viable for the first 24 months after the inital movie's release (ie after most lucrative pay windows).
CategoryYearReportedInflation Adjusted
Revenues
Theatrical Net Revenue2014$32,584$43,184
Digital Rentals ?2014$1,312,000$1,738,802
Digital Purchases ?2014$1,039,000$1,376,993
Physical Rentals ?2014$1,495,000$1,981,333
Physical Purchases ?2014$4,030,000$5,340,984
TV & Streaming Revenue2014$75,000$99,398
Total Revenues2014$7,983,584$10,580,695
Expenses
Budget ?2014$250,000 (est)$331,327 (est)
Print & Advertising (P&A) ?2014$80,000 (est)$106,025 (est)
Participations2014$319,000$422,773
Residuals ?2014$481,000$637,472
Interest & Overhead2014$50,000$66,265
Total Expenses2014$1,180,000$1,563,861
Movie Net Profit or Loss2014$6,803,584$9,016,833

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