Kahlil Joseph (filmmaker) facts for kids

Kahlil Joseph (born in 1981) is an American filmmaker, music video director, and video artist. He is known for making short films that explore the experiences of African Americans in the United States. His films often make you think and feel a lot. In 2017, he received an Artadia Award for his work.

Early Life and Inspiration

Kahlil Joseph was born in Seattle, Washington, in 1981. His father, Keven Davis, was a well-known lawyer for sports and entertainment. Kahlil's younger brother, Noah Davis, was a painter and museum curator.

Joseph went to Loyola Marymount University but did not finish his studies there. He learned a lot about filmmaking by studying the work of Apichatpong Weerasethakul. Weerasethakul is a Thai director who makes experimental films.

Starting His Career

Joseph began his career in the entertainment world as an intern. He worked at a company in Los Angeles that finishes films after they are shot. Later, he became a production assistant. This means he helped out on film sets, like for music video director Hype Williams.

In 2012, Joseph wrote and directed his first short film, The Mirror Between Us. He became more recognized in 2013 for a short film he made for Flying Lotus' song, Until the Quiet Comes. This film won a special prize at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. Since then, Joseph has directed videos for many famous artists. These include Kendrick Lamar, FKA Twigs, and Beyonce.

In 2019, Joseph showed his highly praised video art project, BLKNWS, at the Venice Biennale. This is a big art show. It has been shown in many ways since then, including at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. In 2022, it was announced that Joseph would direct a full-length movie version of BLKNWS. This movie will be made for the company A24.

Working with Brands and Music

Joseph used to work as an assistant to photographer Melodie McDaniel. He also worked at Directors Bureau, a company in Los Angeles that makes commercials. He has directed a commercial for the British phone company O2. He also made a short film for the fancy fashion brand Kenzo.

Joseph has directed music videos for many artists. These include Blvck Spvde (Black Spade), Flying Lotus, Shabazz Palaces, Sampha, and Kendrick Lamar.

Beyoncé Knowles first asked Joseph to direct the film that went with her 2016 album, Lemonade. Joseph and Knowles together won a BET Award for Video Director of the Year for the song "Sorry". Later, Knowles changed much of the film with other directors. Joseph's original version of Lemonade can now only be seen in art museums.

Art Shows and Museum Work

In 2014, artist Kara Walker organized an art show called Ruffneck Constructivists. She included Joseph's 2011 music video for Shabazz Palaces' Black Up. She also showed his 2012 short film Until the Quiet Comes for the Flying Lotus song.

In 2015, The Underground Museum showed an exhibition called Oracle. This show featured Joseph's art alongside works by other artists. Joseph's short film m.A.A.d. was shown here for the first time. It was projected onto two screens at once. It was shown again in 2016 at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. Joseph's first large museum show was in 2015. It was called Young Blood: Noah Davis, Kahlil Joseph, The Underground Museum at the Frye Art Museum in Seattle.

In 2017, the Tate Modern museum asked Joseph to create a short film called Black Mary. It was shown as part of an art installation. The six-minute film was inspired by the photos of Roy DeCarava. It features singer Alice Smith.

Joseph first showed his film Fly Paper in 2017. This was at his solo art show, Kahlil Joseph: Shadow Play, at New York's New Museum. The New Museum and The Vinyl Factory, a company from London, asked him to make this film. In 2018, Fly Paper was shown in Europe for the first time. It was later shown in London as part of another exhibition.

Filmography

Who Inspired Him

Kahlil Joseph has always been open about the artists who inspire him. He often refers to other art in his own work. He also pays tribute to other artists through his films. For example, his film Until The Quiet Comes was influenced by the work of Andrei Tarkovsky and Spike Lee. His short film Belhaven Meridian is a tribute to Charles Burnett’s 1977 film Killer of Sheep.

See also

In Spanish: Kahlil Joseph (director) para niños