Krishna Viswanath's 1968 Documentary Black and White Examines Racism in Czechoslovakia

Krishna Viswanath, born in Calcutta, directed the 1968 documentary Black and White, which confronts racial attitudes in Czechoslovak society. The film opens with a child questioning an African adult's skin color, asking if they are dirty and inquiring about their name. This scene symbolizes Czechoslovak society's encounter with racial difference. Viswanath's perspective as a non-Czechoslovak citizen provides an external viewpoint on the country's racism. The documentary uses voiceover to represent Czechoslovak society's collective voice. ARTMargins Online published an article by Tereza Stejskalová analyzing this work as part of a special issue on Global South archives. The film serves as a historical document exposing racial prejudice during that era.