For Black Enterprise, Souleo talked to film producer Datari Turner to get some perspective on the blockbuster movie's significance and what is limiting the success of black films overseas. Here's some of what Turner had to say:
I think it definitely helps Black Hollywood and Black films continue to get made. Now in Hollywood 70-80% of profits come from overseas. One thing Hollywood tells you is that Black films don’t translate well overseas. So when it can do that domestically it shows that we have an audience if the quality is there …
I think the reason why they haven’t started to be profitable overseas is because we don’t have anybody on the ground over there working those films to make sure they get into theaters and retail stores over there. Black culture translates everywhere but for whatever reason they are not opening films [told from the African American perspective] in a lot of countries outside the U.S. …
Domestically, with Black films, I think we have a long way to go. Right now we need to continue to have openings like Think Like a Man and Jumping the Broom. In terms of separating African films vs. Black films, to me it’s all the same thing. I want to see more films with people of color being made period.
Read Souleo's entire interview with Datari Turner at Black Enterprise.
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