- F eder lla ), ▁an ▁art ▁student , ▁expl ores ▁sexual ity , ▁Western ▁ide als ▁of ▁beauty , ▁and ▁her ▁own ▁self - worth ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 0 ' s ▁Los ▁Angeles . ▁Vincent ▁( A dis a ▁Anderson ), ▁her ▁long - time ▁friend , ▁feels ▁pressure ▁to ▁turn ▁their ▁plat onic ▁relationship ▁into ▁a ▁sexual ▁one ▁which ▁further ▁spark s ▁Al ana ' s ▁fr ustration ▁with ▁western , ▁patri arch al ▁beauty ▁standards ▁and ▁gender ▁norm s . ▁ ▁Cast ▁Mar got ▁Sa xt on - F eder lla ▁as ▁Al ana ▁Ad isa ▁Anderson ▁as ▁Vincent ▁ ▁Production ▁Creating ▁a ▁D ifferent ▁Image : ▁Port rait ▁of ▁Al ile ▁Sh aron ▁L ark in ▁is ▁a ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁document ary ▁about ▁the ▁making ▁of ▁A ▁D ifferent ▁Image ▁ ▁Re ception ▁The ▁film ▁is ▁considered ▁as ▁a ▁ground bre aking ▁for ay ▁into ▁a ▁real istic ▁character ▁portrait ▁of ▁a ▁young ▁Black ▁woman . ▁Kevin ▁Thomas ▁of ▁the ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁Times ▁her ald ed ▁it ▁as ▁"... extra ordinary , ▁a ▁fresh ▁and ▁clear ▁expression ▁of ▁an ▁ac ute ▁sens ibility ." ▁ ▁Awards ▁and ▁Rec ogn ition ▁ ▁First ▁Prize , ▁Black ▁American ▁Cinema ▁Society ▁Award ▁ ▁Official ▁Selection , ▁London ▁Black ▁Film ▁Festival ▁ ▁Best ▁Production ▁of ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁Black ▁Fil mm aker ▁Foundation ▁ ▁Run ner ▁up , ▁Best ▁Short ▁Film , ▁Film ex ▁ ▁Official ▁Selection , ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁L