When an American Pursues Bulgarian Dreams

As a movie enthusiast with a penchant for stories that delve into the human condition and the complexities of diversity, I found “The Black Sea” to be a compelling and thought-provoking film. The narrative, set against the picturesque yet isolating backdrop of a small Bulgarian town, is a testament to the universal power of human connection in overcoming seemingly insurmountable barriers.

The Black Sea isn’t strictly a political movie. Instead, it offers an engaging yet humble narrative about a man from Black Brooklyn who finds himself in a tiny Bulgarian town inhabited solely by white residents. This film serves as a powerful reminder that meaningful human connections can form anywhere on the planet, even between people with starkly diverse backgrounds.

Despite its overarching, optimistic theme, the co-directors Crystal Moselle (The Wolfpack, Betty on HBO) and Derrick B. Harden subtly explore topics such as immigration and racism in a manner that gives this film a striking resonance, even though it’s timeless in essence.

Khalid, an eclectic individual who spontaneously abandoned his barista job to settle in a Black Sea coastal village, humorously remarks, “My dreams in America seemed to remain unanswered.” He continues, “Back home, running a store was an impossible dream for me. However, here, I couldn’t help but succeed in opening a café with my partner Ina (Irmena Chichikova), something that would have been nearly unattainable back home due to the dominance of foreigners in the retail sector.

His comment speaks simultaneously to the opportunities that make America such a beacon to the world (for now, at least) and the racism embedded in its national fabric that makes it so hard for a guy who looks like Khalid to become successful. (The Black Sea also is nuanced enough to note that Khalid can sometimes be a victim of his own wanderlust. When he starts calling friends and relatives back home asking if they can wire him some money, it’s obvious they’ve bailed this dude out more times than they can count.)

In this predominantly fair-skinned Bulgarian region, Khalid’s dark complexion stands out vividly. For miles around, there appears to be no other person with a similar skin tone. This very uniqueness is what draws him here initially; in the introductory scene, a sick Bulgarian woman seeks guidance from a psychic who predicts her recovery depends on a Black man touching her. “Where can I find a Black man?” she queries. In response, her trusted advisor proposes, “Try Facebook.

Longing for a substantial reward after just a casual encounter, Khalid travels abroad, but finds that the woman is deceased and no one intends to reimburse him, leaving him without funds for his return ticket. To add insult to injury, his passport gets stolen, trapping him indefinitely in an unfamiliar place where locals either disregard or idolize him as a curiosity.

As a film enthusiast myself, let me tell you about Khalid, played brilliantly by Harden in his cinematic debut. With a Brooklyn accent so thick it could spread on toast, he’s like a breath of fresh air in this tale. He’s gregarious, charismatic, and wearer of his heart on his sleeve, making everyone around him feel like long-lost friends within no time. It’s almost as if he knows the entire town! Ina, stunned by his quick knack for establishing rapport, can’t help but wonder, “Do you know everyone here?” This connection, fueled in part by a shared love for the same hip-hop artists, is evident when he spots a Bulgarian guy donning a DMX T-shirt and excitedly exclaims, “Hey man, you into DMX too? Can you help me find a job?

If Harden didn’t possess such a captivating nature, The Black Sea wouldn’t function nearly as well as it does. Yet he’s intriguing and unforeseeable to watch, bearing the entire movie with an ease that suggests it’s weightless. This is all the more remarkable because the film doesn’t have a script. Every scene is improvised, ranging from actors like Harden and Chichikov to random Bulgarian people whom Moselle and Harden recruit off the streets and place in front of a camera. This method suits Moselle perfectly; she has shown skill in guerrilla filmmaking and a keen eye for capturing spontaneous moments that appear organic in scripted projects like Betty and the series based on it, Skate Kitchen. Harden shares this daring approach.

The movie’s mood shifts between intense and uplifting moments. For instance, when Georgi (Stoyo Mirkov), a harsh character who temporarily employs Khalid for odd tasks, brutally beats him with a shoe following accusations of infidelity towards his wife, the camera does not shy away, adding a stark, unyielding atmosphere. On the other hand, scenes at Blue Flowers, the small eatery operated by Khalid and Ina, are filled with rapid, cheerful moments – like a man in a captain’s hat playing “Hit the Road, Jack” on an accordion, or Khalid and Ina dancing exuberantly on a table to LL Cool J’s “Doin’ It”. These brief instances collectively radiate a strong, contagious sense of joy. When the multicultural group, spearheaded by Khalid, chants “Go, Brooklyn, go Brooklyn”, it’s a poignant display of unity and cultural harmony.

For Ina and Khalid, the Black Sea frequently serves as both a captivating sight and a source of apprehension, prompting them to hesitate before venturing into its mysterious and unstable depths. However, when they do take the plunge, their journey symbolizes Khalid’s journey in this movie, and possibly a message about dealing with turbulent periods: by clinging to each other for support, navigating the challenges hand-in-hand, and striving to stay afloat during difficult times.

2024-11-21 19:54

When an American Pursues Bulgarian Dreams

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