Revolutionary Girl Utena: The Movie (2026)

While watching Casablanca, I was totally in awe of how the film uses lighting to shape our understanding of the characters, particularly Sam. For a film made in the 1940s, something I found especially significant was that Sam was not portrayed through the stereotypical roles often given to Black actors during that era. He does not speak with a Jim Crow caricature accent, and none of the other characters treat him differently because of his race. The cinematographer and gaffer reinforce this by making sure he is properly illuminated whenever he appears on screen, whether he is performing or delivering dialogue. I was nervous about how his character would be represented from the moment I first saw him because black and white films that rely heavily on low key lighting are often not favorable toward actors with darker complexions, since their features can blend into the shadows.