Belly

Cinematographer Malik Sayeed, a student of Haile Gerima, has worked with luminaries such as Spike Lee (He Got Game, 1998), Arthur Jafa (Dreams Are Colder Than Death, 2014), and Beyoncé (Black Is King, 2020). His work on Hype Williams’s crime drama, Belly, garnered him an Independent Spirit Award nomination, honoring the film’s neo-noir, color-saturated vision. Belly stars Nas and DMX as two gang members who get drawn in too deep and try to escape the only lives they have ever known. Over the years, Belly has developed a cult following that recognizes the film’s influence on the visual aesthetics of both Hollywood and hip-hop. 

Director: Hype Williams. Cast: DMX, Nas, Hassan Johnson, Taral Hicks. 1998. 96 minutes. USA. Color. English. 35mm.

All film screenings of Imperfect Journey: Haile Gerima and His Comrades are available here.