Between Shadow and Light: Love Affair with Modern Monochrome Films

In an era saturated with colour, spectacle and digital excess, modern monochrome cinema feels like a quiet rebellion. Black and white films, once considered relics of the past, are returning not as nostalgia, but as a paradox, because what is the gain when there is colour available? By stripping away colour, filmmakers reveal deeper emotional hues, intimacy within isolation, clarity within moral ambiguity, and beauty within darkness. Between shadow and light, these films remind us that contrast is not just visual, but human. In the absence of colour, we do not see less; we feel more. Find out more in Between Shadow and Light: Love Affair with Modern Monochrome Films

In the early days of cinema, films were black and white simply because colour technology did not exist. Cameras could only capture light and shadow, so filmmakers worked creatively within that limitation. Instead of relying on colour, they used strong lighting, dramatic shadows and expressive performances to tell powerful stories. The audience did not feel something was missing because the emotions, storytelling and characters were enough to keep them engaged.

Today, some filmmakers still choose black and white on purpose. In a world full of bright visuals and digital effects, black and white feels different and meaningful. It creates a timeless mood, highlights emotions and allows viewers to focus more deeply on the story. By removing colour, filmmakers remind us that great cinema is not about visual effects, but about feeling, atmosphere and human connection.

The Lighthouse (2019)

Directed by Robert Eggers, The Lighthouse uses black-and-white cinematography to create a haunting, intense atmosphere. The story follows two lighthouse keepers isolated on a remote island, slowly losing their sanity. The monochrome visuals enhance the feeling of loneliness, madness and mystery. The strong contrast between light and shadow reflects the psychological tension between the characters. By removing colour, the film feels raw, historic and almost dreamlike. It proves that black and white can make a modern psychological drama more powerful and visually striking.

C’mon C’mon (2021)

C’mon C’mon, directed by Mike Mills, is a gentle and emotional story about a journalist travelling across America with his young nephew. The black-and-white visuals give the film a soft, intimate feeling. Without colour, the focus shifts to conversations, expressions and quiet moments between characters. The cinematography makes everyday life look poetic and meaningful. The monochrome style also creates a sense of memory, as if the audience is looking back at a personal story. It shows how black and white can make a modern family drama feel timeless and deeply human.

Roma (2018)

Directed by Alfonso Cuarón, Roma is a deeply personal story set in 1970s Mexico. The black and white cinematography adds elegance and realism to the narrative. The film follows the life of a domestic worker and captures both intimate family moments and larger social changes. The absence of colour allows viewers to notice small details, emotions and expressions more carefully. It also creates a documentary-like authenticity. Through its visual simplicity, Roma feels both nostalgic and powerful, proving that black and white can beautifully tell modern stories rooted in memory and history.

Mank (2020)

In Mank, black and white is not just a visual choice; it feels like stepping back into the heartbeat of 1940s Hollywood. The film follows Herman J. Mankiewicz, a brilliant yet troubled screenwriter, as he isolates himself in the desert to finish the screenplay for Citizen Kane. As he writes, memories unfold of studio politics, broken friendships and the cost of ambition. The monochrome cinematography wraps the story in nostalgia, with deep shadows and glowing studio lights recreating the glamour and tension of the era. Without colour, every cigarette haze, every sharp exchange of dialogue feels more dramatic and intimate. Mank becomes less about Hollywood spectacle and more about the fragile, complicated human behind one of cinema’s greatest masterpieces.

The Ceremony

Set over one tense night in a Bradford car wash, The Ceremony unfolds as a slow-burning confession whispered in the dark. Directed by Bradford-born filmmaker Jack King and shot entirely in stark black and white, the film follows two migrant workers pulled into a moral crisis that grows heavier with every passing hour. The monochrome aesthetic strips away distraction, allowing shadows, silence, and strained expressions to speak louder than words.

Made on a micro-budget outside London’s industry circle, the film’s BAFTA nomination and Sean Connery Prize win mark it as a powerful regional breakthrough. More than a social drama, The Ceremony is an intimate examination of responsibility, survival and moral pressure in contemporary Britain, proving that deeply local stories can carry universal emotional weight.

Obex

Blurring the boundaries between nostalgia and nightmare, the new film Obex unfolds as a strange and intimate fantasy rooted in the late 1980s. Directed by Albert Birney, the film centres on Conor Marsh, a reclusive man whose quiet existence revolves around his loyal dog, Sandy. When a newly released computer game called Obex enters his life, fascination slowly turns into obsession. After Sandy suddenly disappears, Conor becomes convinced that the answers lie within the game itself, pushing him to step beyond reality and into its pixelated universe.

The stark black-and-white cinematography deepens the sense of isolation and emotional fragility, giving the film a dreamlike, almost hypnotic quality. Shadows stretch, textures feel raw, and the absence of colour mirrors Conor’s detachment from the real world. As fantasy and reality collide, Obex becomes more than an adventure; it transforms into a thoughtful reflection on escapism, technology and the human need for connection, proving once again how powerful monochrome storytelling can be in modern cinema.

You can step into the surreal world of Obex at its UK Premiere at the Glasgow Film Festival on 2nd March. Experiencing it on the big screen allows its stark black-and-white visuals and dreamlike atmosphere to fully surround you, making the journey between reality and the digital unknown even more immersive.

Following its festival debut, the film will be available to stream from 9th March on platforms including Amazon, Apple TV, YouTube Movies, Sky Store and Virgin Media Store. Whether in a cinema or at home, Obex invites you to lose yourself in its strange, nostalgic universe, and perhaps reflect on how closely our own lives are tied to the screens we hold.

If you enjoyed reading Between Shadow and Light: Love Affair with Modern Monochrome Films, then why not read The Abandons has been Cancelled Despite High Viewership

.Cent MagazineLondon. Luxury Mindset