NBA Hall of Famer Grant Hill and veteran industry executive Kimberly Evans Paige boarded the forthcoming feature documentary “Romare Bearden: A Life in Collage” as executive producers.
The documentary offers a definitive, cinematic portrait of one of America’s most influential visual artists, Romare Bearden, and a cut of the film will screen at Cannes’ Marché du Film on Friday.
“Romare Bearden’s story is foundational to understanding the Black creative tradition,” said Hill. “For years, I’ve had the privilege of sharing our collection of Black masters with audiences across the country. Bearden was a pioneer whose art spoke to our shared history and cultural memory. Supporting this film feels like a natural extension of that mission — to preserve, celebrate, and elevate the brilliance of Black artists for generations to come.”
Directed by award-winning filmmaker Deborah Riley Draper (one of Variety’s 10 Documakers to Watch in 2016) and produced by Emmy winner Jarobi Moorhead, “Romare Bearden: A Life in Collage,” a release explains, positions Bearden at the center of American art and culture, “illuminating how his images continue to shape the visual language of Black life worldwide.” The documentary follows Bearden’s journey from North Carolina to the Negro Leagues, World War II, Paris, and ultimately Harlem, where he translated the everyday Black experience into groundbreaking collage and painting.
“Bearden’s work captures the complexity, beauty, and resilience of Black life in ways that are both intimate and expansive,” added Paige, a veteran C-suite brand architect with more than 25 years of experience in media, beauty and culture. “This film not only honors his legacy, but it also invites new audiences—especially young people and emerging artists—to see themselves reflected in his vision. I’m proud to help bring this story to screens, galleries, and classrooms around the world.”
“Romare Bearden: A Life in Collage,” the release adds, uses archival footage, collage-inspired visuals and commentary to “immerse audiences in the people, places and ideas that shaped Bearden’s artistic vision — from the Great Migration and the Harlem Renaissance to jazz, literature, and global modernism.” As such, the documentary features interviews with contemporary collectors — and cultural icons themselves — including Denzel Washington and Usher, alongside leading visual artists like Mickalene Thomas, Titus Kaphar and Derrick Adams, whose work extends Bearden’s legacy.
Titus Kaphar in “Romare Bearden: A Life in Collage.”
Scholars and cultural leaders, including Dr. Mary Schmidt Campbell (former President of Spelman College), Dr. Elizabeth Alexander (President of the Mellon Foundation) and Dr. Lowery Stokes Sims, also appear in the documentary to contextualize Bearden’s enduring influence on art, history and American identity.
“Romare Bearden’s art captures the beauty, complexity, and resilience of Black life,” said Draper. “Through his collages, he gave voice to entire generations, merging memory and imagination into a singular vision of what it means to be human and Black in America. This film is an invitation into his world—and a reminder of how urgently we need his perspective now.”
In addition to Hill and Paige, executive producers Robin Lyon, Jocelyn Moore and Alva Greenberg, and consulting producer Mikki Taylor round out the producing team.
“Romare Bearden: A Life in Collage” is a Coffee Bluff Pictures production, supported by the Artemis Rising Foundation, KPJR Films, Dr. Sandra Nichols and Ronnie Nichols. The film is currently in post-production and is represented by Ari Lever at CAA.
Romare Bearden (center), with director Deborah Riley Draper and producer Jarobi Moorhead,
