The Black Sea

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2:04

The Black Sea

2024

1h 36m

Comedy

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

92%

Tomatometer

24 Reviews

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Khalid, a charismatic big dreamer from Brooklyn with no follow-thru gets stuck in a small Bulgarian resort town and finds unexpected connection.

Critics Consensus

The Black Sea turns a fish-out-of-water premise into an effortlessly warm and disarming character study, finding emotional depth in the unpredictable ways strangers become family and new places become home.

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Robert Abele

Los Angeles Times

Dec 16, 2024

In a world increasingly obsessed with the notion of homelands and borders, it’s good to be reminded by a chill hang with an open-arms message that the world is strongest when we get to make our best lives anywhere we choose.

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Randy Myers

San Jose Mercury News

Dec 12, 2024

3/4

Directors Crystal Moselle and Harden’s amiable romcom is almost as charming as its lead actor – Harden – who makes this good spirited, upbeat indie shine so ever bright.

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Simon Abrams

RogerEbert.com

Nov 22, 2024

1.5/4

A tepid situation comedy in indie drama drag, "The Black Sea" lacks a sense of urgency.

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Weiting Liu

The Brooklyn Rail

Jan 31, 2025

As we’ve seen many American characters going to other countries to “find themselves,” Khalid develops a truly equal relationship with Bulgaria and its people and eventually does find himself.

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Dennis Harvey

48 Hills

Dec 19, 2024

The Black Sea is a pleasant fish-out-of-water story that seems primarily designed as a vehicle for Harden. He’s a natural, even if ideally he might be taken better in smaller doses -- or with better material.

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Dec 9, 2024

C+

Oddball indie drama about a Black American's adventure while stranded in a small seacoast town in Bulgaria.

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Kosta A

@RT22769268 Apr 25, 2026

I loved it! Its a wonderful and warm movie - light, positive, felt natural, almost like a documentary. Main character was great, but I especially loved Irmena Chichikova and Arkadiy Atanasov's roles - truly spectacular acting and amazing screen charisma. A must see!

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Lisa W

@RT01171413 Jun 17, 2025

I enjoyed it. I found Khalid's character interesting, I felt there are lessons we could learn from him, and the story realistic.

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Crystal Moselle

Director

Derrick B. Harden

Director

Irmena Chichikova

Actor

Derrick B. Harden

Khalid

Samuel Finzi

Actor

Stoyo Mirkov

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The Black Sea: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Khalid, a charismatic big dreamer from Brooklyn with no follow-thru gets stuck in a small Bulgarian resort town and finds unexpected connection.

Director: Crystal Moselle, Derrick B. Harden
Producer: Izabella Tzenkova, Crystal Moselle
Distributor: Metrograph Pictures
Production Co: Give Thanks, Kotva Films
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 22, 2024, Limited
Runtime: 1h 36m

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