Black Is King

Black Is King
Promotional release poster
Directed by	Beyoncé Emmanuel Adjei Blitz Bazawule Pierre Debusschere Jenn Nkiru Ibra Ake Dikayl Rimmasch Jake Nava
Written by	Beyoncé[1] Yrsa Daley-Ward[1] Clover Hope[1] Andrew Morrow[1]
Based on	The Lion King: The Gift[2]
Produced by	Jeremy Sullivan Jimi Adesanya Blitz Bazawule Ben Cooper Astrid Edwards Durwin Julies Yoli Mes Dafe Oboro Akin Omotoso Will Whitney Lauren Baker Jason Baum Alex Chamberlain Robert Day Christophe Faubert Brien Justiniano Rethabile Molatela Mothobi Sylvia Zakhary Nathan Scherrer Erinn Williams
Starring	Beyoncé Folajomi Akinmurele Connie Chiume Nyaniso Ntsikelelo Dzedze Nandi Madida Warren Masemola Sibusiso Mbeje Fumi Odede Stephen Ojo Mary Twala
Cinematography	Ryan Marie Helfant Mohammaed Atta Ahmed Michael Fernandez Danny Hiele Nicolai Niermann Malik Sayeed Santiago Gonzalez David Boanuh Erik Henriksson Laura Merians Kenechukwu Obiajulu Benoit Soler
Edited by	Andrew Morrow Maria-Celeste Garrahan Haines Hall Tom Watson
Music by	James William Blades[1] MeLo-X[1] Derek Dixie[1]
Production companies	Walt Disney Pictures[1][3] Parkwood Entertainment[1]
Distributed by	Disney+[1]
Release date	July 31, 2020 (2020-07-31)
Running time	85 minutes[1]
Country	United States
Language	English

Black Is King is a 2020 American musical film co-written, executive produced, and directed by Beyoncé.^[4] It is a visual companion to the 2019 album The Lion King: The Gift, curated by Beyoncé for the film The Lion King (2019).^[5]

The film tells the story of a young African prince (Folajomi Akinmurele) who is exiled from his kingdom after his father's death. As he grows into a man (Nyaniso Dzedze), he undergoes a journey of self-identity, using the guidance of his ancestor (Beyoncé), childhood love (Nandi Madida), and his own subconscious (Stephen Ojo) to reclaim his throne. The prince's journey acts as an allegory for the African diaspora's journey of discovering, reclaiming and celebrating their culture and heritage, which is echoed by the inclusion of spoken-word poetry that focuses on the question of black identity.

Black Is King was in production for over a year, across six countries on three continents. Beyoncé wanted to recruit a diverse cast and crew and to provide opportunities for new talent. The music, dances, costumes, hairstyles, and sets were designed to showcase the beauty and richness of the cultures in the African continent and diaspora. The film was released globally on Disney+ on July 31, 2020, and was aired the following day across Sub-Saharan Africa on M-Net and Canal+ Afrique and across the Middle East and North Africa on OSN. An extended version of "Black Parade" was used for the film's credits, and was included in a deluxe edition of The Gift released alongside the film.

The film received praise for Beyoncé's direction, the cinematography, score, costume design, subject matter, and cultural themes. It received six nominations at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, including Best Music Film. "Brown Skin Girl" won the award for Best Music Video, while "Black Parade" won the award for Best R&B Performance. It was Beyoncé's 28th Grammy win, making her the most awarded singer and female artist in Grammy history. The film also won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Costumes for a Variety, Nonfiction, or Reality Program at the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards.