Special Jury Prize for Creative Collaboration, Sundance Film Festival 2019
Winner, Best Director, Sundance Film Festival 2019
Plan B and A24, 2019 release
dir. Joe Talbot
“shot so gorgeously by cinematographer Adam Newport-Berra that nearly every frame could be paused, printed, and hung on a wall. But it’s not a movie for admiring in freeze frame; it’s the kind you fall into with your whole heart and emerge from feeling, for two hours at least, what it is to fully be transported by the magic of film.”
Leah Greenblatt, Entertainment Weekly
“You could take almost any shot — of faces, buildings, roadside weeds — and hang it on a gallery wall, then look at it for hours. I found myself wanting to pause the movie (impossible in a theater) and just see what the movie beckoned me to see. That’s to cinematographer Adam Newport-Berra’s credit, of course, but it’s also what elevates the feature debut from merely interesting to something terrific.”
Alissa Wilkinson, Vox
“A whirling blur of masterful cinematography”
Syreeta McFadden, NBC
“Much must also be said for the gorgeous cinematography from Adam Newport-Berra too, as the entire piece is a gorgeous work of art that revels in his colourful and atmospheric photography, meaning the slow-motion sequences feel justified and not unnecessarily stylistic.”
Lewis Knight, The Mirror
“There’s a lot to unpack with Talbot’s debut feature, but as it’s presented in a lighthearted, joyous innocence, not hamstrung by its own themes, making for a downright magical experience from beginning to end. This is heavily aided by the stunning cinematography by Adam Newport-Berra”
Adam Patterson, Film Pulse
“Talbot, cinematographer Adam Newport-Berra, editor David Marks and composer Emile Mosseri collaborate for a number of cinematic sequences that are simply jaw-dropping.”
Gregory Allen, The Playlist
“All the creative and technical contributions are top-drawer, notably Adam Newport-Berra’s richly colored cinematography”
Todd McCarthy, Hollywood Reporter
“It gets a true adrenaline from this filmmaking in its first half, going from one visually stunning scene from the next, introducing a wildly new color palette compared to the last. This is the kind of movie that sucks you in with its vision, that begs to be rewatched in order to savor every shot…The Last Black Man in San Francisco” remains consistently gorgeous and unpredictable.”
Nick Allen, rogerebert.com
“Striking compositions courtesy of prolific DP Adam Newport-Berra highlight the emblematic architecture of San Francisco. The delicate quality of the lighting choices and hues dominate the film add an evocative timelessness to the entire affair. Yet these are not picture-postcard views; the urban images here will be more familiar to locals than to tourists or transplants.”
Carlos Aguilar, The Wrap
“Gorgeously shot, keenly felt, and utterly original in both style and execution.”
Leah Greenblatt, Entertainment Weekly
“plaintive, gorgeous and finally exultant”
Manohla Dargis, The New York Times
“Last Black Man” is more of a mood piece, leaning on DP Adam Newport-Berra’s radiant cinematography.”
Peter Debruge, Variety
“The Last Black Man in San Francisco tackles diverse issues and heady themes with a strikingly artistic approach. Director/co-writer Joe Talbot is exceptional in his feature debut. His shot selection, coupled with the hued color palette of cinematographer Adam Newport-Berra, is mesmerizing. The film has a dreamlike quality that reinforces the dramatic depth of the script…Every technical aspect of The Last Black Man in San Francisco is magnificently crafted. There's an abundance of talent behind the camera.”
Julian Roman, Movieweb
“It pulled me in with its gorgeous visuals and heartfelt vibes - one of the best films of the fest.”
-Alex Billingon, firstshowing.net
“Striking, artful visuals carefully capturing the ornate beauty of San Francisco from a man whose love for the city is made apparent.”
Benjamin Lee, The Guardian
“The opening scenes of The Last Black Man in San Francisco were enough to take my breath away…The cinematography is intoxicating and beautiful.”
Ali Shimkus, Slug magazine
The film moves along with the rhythms of the city, the moods change, Jimmie’s and Montgomery’s less ambitious friends make fun of them, harsh reality interferes with dreams, and the film gets you in its grip and hits you hard in the heart. The stunning cinematography is the work of Adam Newport Berra”
Pete Hammond, Deadline
“Breathtaking”
Stephen Saito, moveablefeast.com
“Shot in a woozy, unreal, and dryly comedic style that splits the difference between Spike Jonze and Spike Lee, “The Last Black Man in San Francisco” slows the world down just enough for you to feel it changing.”
Indiewire