Armenian Director Mikael Nazarenko’s ‘BLACK & WHITE’ Premieres at New York’s Hip Hop Film Festival

Armenian filmmaker Mikael Nazarenko’s short film “BLACK & WHITE” premiered in New York on Friday as part of the 2026 Hip Hop Film Festival, bringing the Yerevan-born director’s latest work to an international audience.

The 18-minute film screened Aug. 21 at LOOK Cinema as part of the festival’s short-film program. The Hip Hop Film Festival, produced by Harlem Film House, is being held Aug. 19-23 in New York.

Shot in Russia, “BLACK & WHITE” follows an aspiring musician who moves from Africa to Russia, where he encounters racism while also struggling with an alter ego. His path changes when he finds a hip-hop crew that helps him reclaim his voice.

Nazarenko is the only Armenian who worked on the film.

The story places hip-hop at the center of a broader look at identity, belonging and the experience of trying to find a place in an unfamiliar society. Those themes bring the film naturally into a festival built around independent filmmaking and stories connected to hip-hop culture.

Born in Yerevan in 1998, Nazarenko began working in photography before expanding into film. His education and creative work have taken him through Armenia, Russia and France, exposing him to different visual and cinematic traditions.

His work has also reached American audiences before. Nazarenko presented a photography exhibition in the United States in 2025.

The New York premiere of “BLACK & WHITE” gives Nazarenko an opportunity to introduce his filmmaking to a wider audience and connect with directors, producers and other industry professionals gathered for the festival.

Founded in New York in 2016 and produced by Harlem Film House, the Hip Hop Film Festival provides a platform for independent filmmakers from around the world. Its program combines screenings with conversations and industry events aimed at connecting filmmakers with audiences and other professionals.

For Nazarenko, “BLACK & WHITE” marks another step from photography into narrative filmmaking — and another opportunity to bring the work of an Armenian filmmaker to an international stage.

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