EXCLUSIVE: Kahlil Joseph’s debut feature BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions is set to debut globally on all digital platforms on March 6.
Directed by artist and filmmaker Joseph and shot by Academy Award–nominated cinematographer Bradford Young, the film weaves together news clips, archival footage, scripted scenes, and music to form a unique story about Black life and history.
The film was adapted from Joseph’s seminal video art installation, which was shown at the Venice Biennale in 2019. The film was released theatrically by indie distributor Rich Spirit through boutique screenings in select cities. The film is currently part of a theatrical residency at 180 Studios in London. Stateside, BLKNWS screened for over 100 days at the Lumiere Cinema in Los Angeles and 60 days at the IFC Center in New York.
Joseph is the artist best known for his intellectually and emotionally dense installation works and music videos for artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Sampha, Flying Lotus, and Beyoncé, including the Emmy-nominated Lemonade. His gallery work has been shown everywhere from the Tate Modern to the Hammer Museum. 180 Studios has collaborated with Joseph for a decade, from staging his Kendrick Lamar ‘m.a.A.d’ installation as part of The Infinite Mix (2016) to commissioning his film Fly Paper (2018).
BLKNWS debuted at last year’s Sundance Film Festival before a series of much-talked-about screenings at the 2025 Berlinale.