Belly

Monday, April 11, 2022

35mm print!


Legacy Russell and Anaïs Duplan present BELLY (Hype Williams, 1998)

Curator and writer Legacy Russell, with writer and multidisciplinary artist Anaïs Duplan, present the controversial and visually riveting neo-noir, BELLY (1998). Childhood friends Sincere (Nas) and Buns (DMX) build an empire of drug trafficking and backstabbing. But Sincere grows weary of their lifestyle, while Buns sinks deeper and deeper into bigger, riskier deals. After an arrest, the cops offer Buns a deal – assassinate the head of a Muslim group or life in prison. Sincere imagines leaving the drug trade and moving to Africa. Though he’s never been, he is motivated by a fantasy of diasporic homecoming; the idea that escape is possible and there is a place to belong. At its release, this now cult classic was banned from being shown in basketball player Magic Johnson’s theater chain due to “negative and violent depictions of African Americans.”

Screening as part of the Spring 2022 season of Queer|Art|Film.


  • Year 1998
  • Running Time 96 minutes
  • Director Hype Williams
  • Accessibility Assistive Listening, T-Coil

IFC Center does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. In addition to the synopses, trailers and other links on our website, further information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media, IMDb and DoesTheDogDie.com as well as through general internet searches.