A decade after the filmed death of Eric Garner from a police chokehold on the streets of New York caught the attention of the nation and saw protests throughout America, an upcoming documentary looks at what happens when the cameras are turned off.
Set to come out around the 10th anniversary of the July 17, 2014, killing of the 43-year-old horticulturist by a still unconvicted NYPD officer, Ballad of A Black Mother turns the spotlight on Gwen Carr, Garner’s mother. Directed by Brad Bailey, the 35-minute film features Carr’s journey from city employee to justice advocate as the Staten Island matriarch grieves the loss of her son.
Put in a prohibited and fatal chokehold by Officer Daniel Pantaleo that summer day almost a decade ago after Garner complained of constant harassment by the cops, the Black man’s cries 11 times of “I can’t breathe” went unrecognized. Facedown and pinned on the Staten Island sidewalk,...
Set to come out around the 10th anniversary of the July 17, 2014, killing of the 43-year-old horticulturist by a still unconvicted NYPD officer, Ballad of A Black Mother turns the spotlight on Gwen Carr, Garner’s mother. Directed by Brad Bailey, the 35-minute film features Carr’s journey from city employee to justice advocate as the Staten Island matriarch grieves the loss of her son.
Put in a prohibited and fatal chokehold by Officer Daniel Pantaleo that summer day almost a decade ago after Garner complained of constant harassment by the cops, the Black man’s cries 11 times of “I can’t breathe” went unrecognized. Facedown and pinned on the Staten Island sidewalk,...
- 5/2/2024
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Editor’S Note: The following blog originally ran in June of 2020. We’re re-posting it here in honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 15. The updated piece includes minor edits and, more importantly, updated info re: streaming availability.
***
In the wake of international protests sparked by the murder of George Floyd by Derek Chauvin of the Minneapolis Police Department on May 25, 2020, practically every big-name streaming service quickly assembled, from their selection of available titles, their own specially curated collection of Black cinema. These collections have provided an invaluable resource for film fans of all racial demographics eager to learn more about the troubled history of American racial inequality.
Thankfully, there’s a lot of truly amazing stuff being spotlighted within these curated lists. We’ve plucked out a few (but definitely not all) of our favorite titles below. Whether based on a true story or totally invented, narrative or nonfiction,...
***
In the wake of international protests sparked by the murder of George Floyd by Derek Chauvin of the Minneapolis Police Department on May 25, 2020, practically every big-name streaming service quickly assembled, from their selection of available titles, their own specially curated collection of Black cinema. These collections have provided an invaluable resource for film fans of all racial demographics eager to learn more about the troubled history of American racial inequality.
Thankfully, there’s a lot of truly amazing stuff being spotlighted within these curated lists. We’ve plucked out a few (but definitely not all) of our favorite titles below. Whether based on a true story or totally invented, narrative or nonfiction,...
- 1/12/2024
- by Film Independent
- Film Independent News & More
This festival season brought with it a pair of ambitious adaptations of scholarly texts. In Venice, Ava DuVernay premiered Origin, a narrative take on Isabel Wilkerson’s tome, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. The Selma director anchored her adaptation in a tender love story, using Wilkerson’s personal life to understand the intellectual and emotional labor supporting the book’s framework. And at the Toronto International Film Festival, Roger Ross Williams debuted his own film translation of an influential text on race.
In Stamped From the Beginning, Williams uses Ibram X. Kendi’s book of the same name to recast the narrators of Black history. The documentary, which will premiere on Netflix in November, convenes contemporary Black women scholars and organizers to synthesize and contextualize Kendi’s central thesis. The author makes the briefest appearances throughout the film, attesting to Williams’ mission to center Black women.
There’s a...
In Stamped From the Beginning, Williams uses Ibram X. Kendi’s book of the same name to recast the narrators of Black history. The documentary, which will premiere on Netflix in November, convenes contemporary Black women scholars and organizers to synthesize and contextualize Kendi’s central thesis. The author makes the briefest appearances throughout the film, attesting to Williams’ mission to center Black women.
There’s a...
- 9/19/2023
- by Lovia Gyarkye
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In the summer of 2014, America looked on in horror as high-profile killings of Black men made headlines - Eric Garner, Michael Brown, John Crawford III. And then, on Nov. 22, 12-year-old Tamir Rice was shot and killed by a white police officer in Cleveland, Ohio. Tamir, the youngest of four siblings, had been playing with a toy gun across the street from his home.
Samaria Rice, Tamir's mother, will never be able to forget that day and all that came after - a justice system that didn't hold anyone to account for her son's killing, the post-traumatic stress disorder that she says she and her other three children deal with on a daily basis. Now the founder and CEO of the Tamir Rice Foundation, which serves children through arts and culture after-school programming, Samaria works to better her community. If there was anything to come from what she considers the sacrifice of her baby boy,...
Samaria Rice, Tamir's mother, will never be able to forget that day and all that came after - a justice system that didn't hold anyone to account for her son's killing, the post-traumatic stress disorder that she says she and her other three children deal with on a daily basis. Now the founder and CEO of the Tamir Rice Foundation, which serves children through arts and culture after-school programming, Samaria works to better her community. If there was anything to come from what she considers the sacrifice of her baby boy,...
- 5/11/2023
- by Samaria Rice
- Popsugar.com
Spoiler Alert: This recap contains spoilers for Season 2, Episode 3 of “Blindspotting,” now streaming on Starz.
The latest episode of Starz’s “Blindspotting” forces Ashley (Jasmine Cephas Jones) and Miles (Rafael Casal) into parenting mode after their young son Sean, played by Atticus Woodward, uses the N-word.
Titled “N*ggaz and Jesus,” Ashley takes Sean to visit Miles (Rafael Casal) who is serving a five-year sentence at San Quentin State Prison. It’s a tough but necessary conversation as they teach Sean why using the word is wrong.
The moment comes during a conversation when Sean unexpectedly blurts the word out, but Sean presses and they are forced to discuss it with the boy.
Producer Jess Wu Calder stepped in to make her directorial debut with the episode and says it was “the most terrifying thing I’ve ever done.” In the script, Calder explains the line said, “Sean learns about...
The latest episode of Starz’s “Blindspotting” forces Ashley (Jasmine Cephas Jones) and Miles (Rafael Casal) into parenting mode after their young son Sean, played by Atticus Woodward, uses the N-word.
Titled “N*ggaz and Jesus,” Ashley takes Sean to visit Miles (Rafael Casal) who is serving a five-year sentence at San Quentin State Prison. It’s a tough but necessary conversation as they teach Sean why using the word is wrong.
The moment comes during a conversation when Sean unexpectedly blurts the word out, but Sean presses and they are forced to discuss it with the boy.
Producer Jess Wu Calder stepped in to make her directorial debut with the episode and says it was “the most terrifying thing I’ve ever done.” In the script, Calder explains the line said, “Sean learns about...
- 4/24/2023
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
“It’s just a show,” is the common response from someone seeing a person crying at the death of a fictional person on screen. But TV acolytes will know that it can be hard to rein in the emotions when your favourite character for the past seven years has just been killed off.
In the battle of TV versus cinema, the former has always packed more of a punch when it comes to impactful deaths – probably because we’ve come to know the character better over a longer period of time. And when someone who you’ve grown used to seeing day-in and day-out suddenly vanishes from your life forever, there are going to be some emotional ramifications.
Sometimes, in the saddest of circumstances, the demise of a character even marks the demise of the show itself, with creators and writers failing to keep us interested beyond their death blow.
In the battle of TV versus cinema, the former has always packed more of a punch when it comes to impactful deaths – probably because we’ve come to know the character better over a longer period of time. And when someone who you’ve grown used to seeing day-in and day-out suddenly vanishes from your life forever, there are going to be some emotional ramifications.
Sometimes, in the saddest of circumstances, the demise of a character even marks the demise of the show itself, with creators and writers failing to keep us interested beyond their death blow.
- 4/13/2023
- by Annabel Nugent
- The Independent - TV
Tyre Nichols was laid to rest Wednesday following a memorial service in Memphis, nearly one month after the 29-year-old died after being beaten by five police officers during a Jan. 7 traffic stop.
Vice President Kamala Harris made an appearance at the funeral after being invited to speak at the last minute by the Rev. Al Sharpton. Harris denounced the actions of the police officers who beat Nichols and called on Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, saying that President Joe Biden would sign it into law.
Vice President Kamala Harris made an appearance at the funeral after being invited to speak at the last minute by the Rev. Al Sharpton. Harris denounced the actions of the police officers who beat Nichols and called on Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, saying that President Joe Biden would sign it into law.
- 2/1/2023
- by Daniel Kreps and Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
It’s fitting that “Judge Mathis” star Greg Mathis will be getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on May 4 because his life reads like a Hollywood story.
Born in Detroit and raised by a single mother in a housing project and in other areas, Mathis’ young adult life included time with the Errol Flynn’s street gang and incarceration in the Wayne County Jail as a juvenile.
He credits a cousin for turning his life around by helping him get into college. He eventually got a law degree, became a district court judge and active in politics, even serving as the Michigan head of Jesse Jackson’s 1988 U.S. presidential campaign.
But since 1999, he’s presided over a different kind of courtroom: the one for his eponymous syndicated, Daytime Emmy-winning program.
Mathis explains that he took the TV job on the condition that he could tell his...
Born in Detroit and raised by a single mother in a housing project and in other areas, Mathis’ young adult life included time with the Errol Flynn’s street gang and incarceration in the Wayne County Jail as a juvenile.
He credits a cousin for turning his life around by helping him get into college. He eventually got a law degree, became a district court judge and active in politics, even serving as the Michigan head of Jesse Jackson’s 1988 U.S. presidential campaign.
But since 1999, he’s presided over a different kind of courtroom: the one for his eponymous syndicated, Daytime Emmy-winning program.
Mathis explains that he took the TV job on the condition that he could tell his...
- 5/4/2022
- by Whitney Friedlander
- Variety Film + TV
Fresh Off Ted Lasso, Emmy Winner Ashley Nicole Black Is On a Mission to 'Make More People Feel Seen'
Ashley Nicole Black was in between seasons of HBO’s Emmy-nominated A Black Lady Sketch Show when her good friend Emily Heller suggested that Bill Lawrence take a meeting with her, as a potential addition to the Ted Lasso writers’ room.
“I’m not a sporty person,” Black tells TVLine with a laugh. “The last time I played soccer, I was 8 years old.”
More from TVLineTed Lasso's Brett Goldstein Meets 'Kindred Spirit' Oscar the Grouch in Must-See Sesame Street VideoBel-Air Bosses and Jabari Banks Talk Reimagining Fresh Prince, 'Electric' Will/Carlton Feud in Peacock DramaEverything's Gonna Be All...
“I’m not a sporty person,” Black tells TVLine with a laugh. “The last time I played soccer, I was 8 years old.”
More from TVLineTed Lasso's Brett Goldstein Meets 'Kindred Spirit' Oscar the Grouch in Must-See Sesame Street VideoBel-Air Bosses and Jabari Banks Talk Reimagining Fresh Prince, 'Electric' Will/Carlton Feud in Peacock DramaEverything's Gonna Be All...
- 2/21/2022
- by Ryan Schwartz
- TVLine.com
Eric Adams, the mayor-elect for New York City, is calling on his fellow Democrats to reject a Black Lives Matter activist’s threats that there would be “riots and bloodshed” if plainclothes policing is reinstalled in the city.
BLM activist Hawk Newsome made the threats during a meeting Wednesday with Adams, a former police officer who made a return to law and order a prime plank in his election campaign. Adams is New York City’s second Black mayor.
At a press conference on Friday, Adams addressed Newsome’s calls to violence.
“National, state and city electeds should stand up and say, ‘We will never allow anyone to make those comments,’ that there will be blood in our streets, because you know where that blood ends up? In the streets of our community,” Adams said.
“I think that this is an excellent moment for the local and state and federal...
BLM activist Hawk Newsome made the threats during a meeting Wednesday with Adams, a former police officer who made a return to law and order a prime plank in his election campaign. Adams is New York City’s second Black mayor.
At a press conference on Friday, Adams addressed Newsome’s calls to violence.
“National, state and city electeds should stand up and say, ‘We will never allow anyone to make those comments,’ that there will be blood in our streets, because you know where that blood ends up? In the streets of our community,” Adams said.
“I think that this is an excellent moment for the local and state and federal...
- 11/13/2021
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
It’s been seven years since Eric Garner was killed during a police stop on Staten Island. Video of Garner’s death in a chokehold ignited protests, but yielded few consequences: Officer Daniel Pantaleo faced no criminal charges, and it would be five years before he was fired from the NYPD. But next month, the Garner family is hoping to get answers: A judicial inquiry, tasked with investigating allegations of “neglect of duty” by NYPD officers and other high-ranking city officials surrounding Garner’s killing, is set to begin this October.
- 9/13/2021
- by Tessa Stuart
- Rollingstone.com
Spike Lee is using his platform as the first-ever Black jury president at the Cannes Film Festival to speak out against American racism on an international level. During a festival press conference on July 6, the Do the Right Thing director recalled that not much has changed since the film premiered in 1989. "A couple weeks ago was the 32nd anniversary of the film," he said to Chaz Ebert. "I wrote it in 1988. When you see brother Eric Garner, when you see king George Floyd murdered, lynched. I think of Radio Raheem. And you think and hope that 30 motherf*cking years later, Black people would stop being hunted down like animals."
The 64-year-old also called out the corruption of Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, and Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro. "This world is run by gangsters," he shared with Yahoo! News. "Agent Orange, this guy in Brazil, and Putin are gangsters. They have no morals,...
The 64-year-old also called out the corruption of Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, and Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro. "This world is run by gangsters," he shared with Yahoo! News. "Agent Orange, this guy in Brazil, and Putin are gangsters. They have no morals,...
- 7/8/2021
- by Grayson Gilcrease
- Popsugar.com
Spike Lee spoke up on the US’s racial justice crisis in typically forthright fashion on the first day of the 2021 Cannes film festival, where he is president of the jury that will pick the winner of the Palme d’Or.
Having been asked a question about his 1989 film Do the Right Thing, in which a black youth, Radio Raheem, is killed by police, Lee responded: ‘I wrote it in 1988. When you see brother Eric Garner, when you see king George Floyd murdered, lynched, I think of Radio Raheem; and you would think and hope that 30 motherfucking years later, that black people stop being hunted down like animals.’
‘You hope that black people will stop being hunted down like animals’, says Spike Lee...
Having been asked a question about his 1989 film Do the Right Thing, in which a black youth, Radio Raheem, is killed by police, Lee responded: ‘I wrote it in 1988. When you see brother Eric Garner, when you see king George Floyd murdered, lynched, I think of Radio Raheem; and you would think and hope that 30 motherfucking years later, that black people stop being hunted down like animals.’
‘You hope that black people will stop being hunted down like animals’, says Spike Lee...
- 7/6/2021
- The Guardian - Film News
Gyllenhaal was speaking alongside fellow jurors at the jury press conference on Tuesday (July 6).
“A majority of women may choose different movies [to honour],” said Maggie Gyllenhaal, a member of this year’s Cannes Competition jury, which for only the second time following 2018 is comprised of a majority of women.
“When women are really expressing themselves, even inside a very male culture, we make movies differently,” Gyllenhaal continued, speaking at the jury press conference on Tuesday (July 6) ahead of the opening night premiere of Annette in Competition.
Fellow juror Austrian director Jessica Hausner told a story of passengers leaving the bus of...
“A majority of women may choose different movies [to honour],” said Maggie Gyllenhaal, a member of this year’s Cannes Competition jury, which for only the second time following 2018 is comprised of a majority of women.
“When women are really expressing themselves, even inside a very male culture, we make movies differently,” Gyllenhaal continued, speaking at the jury press conference on Tuesday (July 6) ahead of the opening night premiere of Annette in Competition.
Fellow juror Austrian director Jessica Hausner told a story of passengers leaving the bus of...
- 7/6/2021
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
The director has spoken about race at the Cannes film festival, where he is the first black president of the Palme d’Or jury
Spike Lee commented on the US’s current racial justice crisis in typically forthright fashion at the Cannes film festival on Tuesday, saying he hoped the time had come that “black people will stop being hunted down like animals”.
Lee, who is the president of the jury that will pick the winner of the Cannes Palme d’Or, was speaking at the jury’s press conference on the first day of the festival. Having been asked a question about his 1989 film Do the Right Thing, which contains a scene in which a black youth, Radio Raheem, is killed by police, Lee responded: “I wrote it in 1988. When you see brother Eric Garner, when you see king George Floyd murdered, lynched, I think of Radio Raheem; and...
Spike Lee commented on the US’s current racial justice crisis in typically forthright fashion at the Cannes film festival on Tuesday, saying he hoped the time had come that “black people will stop being hunted down like animals”.
Lee, who is the president of the jury that will pick the winner of the Cannes Palme d’Or, was speaking at the jury’s press conference on the first day of the festival. Having been asked a question about his 1989 film Do the Right Thing, which contains a scene in which a black youth, Radio Raheem, is killed by police, Lee responded: “I wrote it in 1988. When you see brother Eric Garner, when you see king George Floyd murdered, lynched, I think of Radio Raheem; and...
- 7/6/2021
- by Andrew Pulver
- The Guardian - Film News
Spike Lee did not mince his words at the Cannes Film Festival jury press conference this afternoon, which raised the curtain on his history-making tenure as the event’s first Black Competition jury president in its 74-year history.
Lee is returning to the festival that helped launch his career when She’s Gotta Have It screened here in 1986. Three years later he showed his seminal movie Do The Right Thing in Cannes Competition.
Asking a question about what the fest means to Lee, Chaz Ebert, the wife of the late famed film critic Roger Ebert, noted that her husband had been appalled that Do The Right Thing had not received any awards from the Cannes jury that year, and had even threatened to boycott the festival as a result.
Lee said that he had “a special place in [his] heart for Roger” and noted that U.S. press at the time...
Lee is returning to the festival that helped launch his career when She’s Gotta Have It screened here in 1986. Three years later he showed his seminal movie Do The Right Thing in Cannes Competition.
Asking a question about what the fest means to Lee, Chaz Ebert, the wife of the late famed film critic Roger Ebert, noted that her husband had been appalled that Do The Right Thing had not received any awards from the Cannes jury that year, and had even threatened to boycott the festival as a result.
Lee said that he had “a special place in [his] heart for Roger” and noted that U.S. press at the time...
- 7/6/2021
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
Spike Lee is making history at Cannes Film Festival. The Oscar-winning director is the first Black president of the jury, where he’ll head the nine artists and actors — including Maggie Gyllenhaal, Tahar Rahim and Song Kang-ho — tasked with voting on the prestigious Palm d’Or.
“Cannes is the world’s greatest film festival,” Lee said on Tuesday afternoon in the South of France. “No disrespecting other film festivals.”
Lee has been coming to Cannes since 1986, when his first film “She’s Gotta Have It” debuted at the festival. “One of my most memorable Cannes had nothing to do with film,” Lee said. “It was back in the 1990s, when the New York Knicks were good. We were in the NBA finals. I flew from Nice to New York for a game and came back.” He took a beat. “The Knicks lost that game.”
Chaz Ebert asked the first question at the press conference,...
“Cannes is the world’s greatest film festival,” Lee said on Tuesday afternoon in the South of France. “No disrespecting other film festivals.”
Lee has been coming to Cannes since 1986, when his first film “She’s Gotta Have It” debuted at the festival. “One of my most memorable Cannes had nothing to do with film,” Lee said. “It was back in the 1990s, when the New York Knicks were good. We were in the NBA finals. I flew from Nice to New York for a game and came back.” He took a beat. “The Knicks lost that game.”
Chaz Ebert asked the first question at the press conference,...
- 7/6/2021
- by Ramin Setoodeh
- Variety Film + TV
One day after Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted of the murder of George Floyd, a New York judge scheduled an inquiry into the city’s handling of Eric Garner’s 2014 death on Staten Island. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, whose administration sought to delay the inquiry, could be forced to testify at the proceedings, now tentatively scheduled for July 19.
Like Floyd, Garner’s death in police custody was filmed; on the tape he can be heard telling police “I can’t breathe.” The video captured NYPD officer...
Like Floyd, Garner’s death in police custody was filmed; on the tape he can be heard telling police “I can’t breathe.” The video captured NYPD officer...
- 4/27/2021
- by Tessa Stuart
- Rollingstone.com
At the outset of this year’s very unusual Oscarcast, Regina King noted the Derek Chauvin verdict this past week, telling viewers, “If things had gone differently this week in Minneapolis, I may have had to trade in my heels for marching boots.”
Then, she added, “I know that a lot of you at home want to reach for your remote when you feel like Hollywood is preaching to you, but as a mother of a Black son, I know the fear that so many live with and no amount of fame or fortune changes that.”
Her remark was an acknowledgement that a share of the audience does tune out if they believe Hollywood is trying to send a message, but her status doesn’t shield her from worries shared by other Black parents.
It also was a signal that the Oscars were not going to ignore what’s been happening on the streets,...
Then, she added, “I know that a lot of you at home want to reach for your remote when you feel like Hollywood is preaching to you, but as a mother of a Black son, I know the fear that so many live with and no amount of fame or fortune changes that.”
Her remark was an acknowledgement that a share of the audience does tune out if they believe Hollywood is trying to send a message, but her status doesn’t shield her from worries shared by other Black parents.
It also was a signal that the Oscars were not going to ignore what’s been happening on the streets,...
- 4/26/2021
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Kim Potter, the former Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, police officer who shot and killed Daunte Wright was charged with second-degree manslaughter, Wednesday April 14th.
According to a statement from the office of Washington County Attorney, Pete Orput, Potter was taken into custody by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Wednesday. A date for her first court appearance has yet to be announced.
“Certain occupations carry an immense responsibility and none more so than a sworn police officer,” Imran Ali, Washington County assistant criminal division chief and director of the Major Crime Unit said in the statement.
According to a statement from the office of Washington County Attorney, Pete Orput, Potter was taken into custody by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Wednesday. A date for her first court appearance has yet to be announced.
“Certain occupations carry an immense responsibility and none more so than a sworn police officer,” Imran Ali, Washington County assistant criminal division chief and director of the Major Crime Unit said in the statement.
- 4/14/2021
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
The first time Ryan Coogler, Charles King and Shaka King collaborated, no one was planning to make movie history. Instead, they were trying to face a crisis.
It was the fall of 2014, and the fallout from the police killings of Michael Brown and Eric Garner were still reverberating in America. In response, a Black Hollywood brain trust emerged, meeting on Sundays, huddled over their laptops in the dining room of Charles’ Studio City home, convened by a shared sense of frustration and pain. Coogler, Charles and a handful of Black actors and filmmakers, some participating via phone, discussed ways ...
It was the fall of 2014, and the fallout from the police killings of Michael Brown and Eric Garner were still reverberating in America. In response, a Black Hollywood brain trust emerged, meeting on Sundays, huddled over their laptops in the dining room of Charles’ Studio City home, convened by a shared sense of frustration and pain. Coogler, Charles and a handful of Black actors and filmmakers, some participating via phone, discussed ways ...
- 3/31/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The first time Ryan Coogler, Charles King and Shaka King collaborated, no one was planning to make movie history. Instead, they were trying to face a crisis.
It was the fall of 2014, and the fallout from the police killings of Michael Brown and Eric Garner were still reverberating in America. In response, a Black Hollywood brain trust emerged, meeting on Sundays, huddled over their laptops in the dining room of Charles’ Studio City home, convened by a shared sense of frustration and pain. Coogler, Charles and a handful of Black actors and filmmakers, some participating via phone, discussed ways ...
It was the fall of 2014, and the fallout from the police killings of Michael Brown and Eric Garner were still reverberating in America. In response, a Black Hollywood brain trust emerged, meeting on Sundays, huddled over their laptops in the dining room of Charles’ Studio City home, convened by a shared sense of frustration and pain. Coogler, Charles and a handful of Black actors and filmmakers, some participating via phone, discussed ways ...
- 3/31/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Slick, unsettling Danish law-enforcement thriller “Shorta” — or as it’s been generically retitled in the United States, “Enforcement” — opens with a familiar “I can’t breathe” moment as a team of police scramble to restrain a 19-year-old Muslim man, suggesting that what happened to Eric Garner in Staten Island, and to George Floyd in Minneapolis, is hardly an America-specific problem. Like those men, Talib Ben Hassi dies from complications of the police chokehold, and as in those cases, the community rises up against the establishment that was sworn to protect it.
In other words, “Shorta” begins where films such as “Do the Right Thing” and “Les Misérables” abruptly stopped. That’s an awfully ambitious (if somewhat foolhardy) setup for helmers Anders Ølholm and Frederik Louis Hviid to construct their debut feature — a thriller that’s both a relentless adrenaline rush and a social-issue Rorschach test for all who watch it.
In other words, “Shorta” begins where films such as “Do the Right Thing” and “Les Misérables” abruptly stopped. That’s an awfully ambitious (if somewhat foolhardy) setup for helmers Anders Ølholm and Frederik Louis Hviid to construct their debut feature — a thriller that’s both a relentless adrenaline rush and a social-issue Rorschach test for all who watch it.
- 3/20/2021
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: While 2020 was most everyone’s worst year, you’d be hard pressed to find a filmmaker who got more done than Spike Lee. He’s in the middle of the awards season race with his superb Netflix drama Da 5 Bloods; got raves for the virtual Toronto Film Fest and HBO premieres of American Utopia, based on the live Broadway show by former Talking Heads front man David Byrne; and generated the short films New York, New York and 3 Brothers, the latter of which played on CNN and drew connective tissue between the police custody deaths of George Floyd, Eric Garner and Radio Raheem, latter a fictional character from Lee’s 1989 film Do The Right Thing. Here he reflects on 2021 and the year ahead.
Deadline: Aside from the Groundhog Day reality most of us are living as we await Covid vaccine distribution, how are you doing?
Spike Lee: Well,...
Deadline: Aside from the Groundhog Day reality most of us are living as we await Covid vaccine distribution, how are you doing?
Spike Lee: Well,...
- 2/10/2021
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
Remember when the 2014 docudrama “Selma” came up surprisingly short at the Oscars, only earning nominations for Best Picture and Best Original Song and nothing for writing, directing or acting? Star David Oyelowo, who played Martin Luther King Jr. in that film, came forward to say that Oscar voters rejected the film because the cast and crew wore “I Can’t Breathe” shirts to protest police brutality. What a difference six years makes. In the wake of yet more instances of police violence, there are numerous films in the awards conversation questioning whether cops should really be the heroes of all our narratives.
See‘Judas and the Black Messiah’ producer Charles D. King on the ‘divine’ timing of telling this story amid the BLM movement [Exclusive Video Interview]
The “Selma” team was protesting the murder of Eric Garner by NYPD officers, who choked him to death for allegedly selling loose cigarettes while he told them he couldn’t breathe.
See‘Judas and the Black Messiah’ producer Charles D. King on the ‘divine’ timing of telling this story amid the BLM movement [Exclusive Video Interview]
The “Selma” team was protesting the murder of Eric Garner by NYPD officers, who choked him to death for allegedly selling loose cigarettes while he told them he couldn’t breathe.
- 1/30/2021
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
Refresh for updates: A notable day for Americans, January 6th, 2021 was an emotional rollercoaster that kicked off with historic wins of the Georgia elections and later featured the dangerous riots surrounding the Electoral College Certification on Capitol Hill.
Like many Georgia residents, Hollywood figures rejoiced early Wednesday morning as Raphael Warnock declared victory over Republican incumbent Kelly Loeffler. Jon Ossoff won over opponent David Perdue later on Wednesday afternoon, handing Democrats control over the Senate.
Upon the success in the Georgia elections, a number of Hollywood stars and notable names – from Wanda Sykes to Mark Ruffalo to Kerry Washington, reveled in the results. Many praised Stacey Abramas for her efforts to mobilize voters to cast their ballots for Warnock and Ossoff, as she had previously done for the President-elect during the November 2020 election.
.@staceyabrams is a real superhero. Once again saving us all. pic.twitter.com/rOEFUM63Hs
— Mark Ruffalo...
Like many Georgia residents, Hollywood figures rejoiced early Wednesday morning as Raphael Warnock declared victory over Republican incumbent Kelly Loeffler. Jon Ossoff won over opponent David Perdue later on Wednesday afternoon, handing Democrats control over the Senate.
Upon the success in the Georgia elections, a number of Hollywood stars and notable names – from Wanda Sykes to Mark Ruffalo to Kerry Washington, reveled in the results. Many praised Stacey Abramas for her efforts to mobilize voters to cast their ballots for Warnock and Ossoff, as she had previously done for the President-elect during the November 2020 election.
.@staceyabrams is a real superhero. Once again saving us all. pic.twitter.com/rOEFUM63Hs
— Mark Ruffalo...
- 1/6/2021
- by Alexandra Del Rosario
- Deadline Film + TV
On November 20, 2014, 28-year-old Akai Gurley was killed by an NYPD officer’s bullet in the stairwell of a Brooklyn housing project. Another unarmed Black man dead at the hands of the police; another surge of street protests and demands for justice. But this one was different: the officer, Peter Liang, was Chinese American. Liang claimed the shooting was entirely accidental. When he was indicted, many wondered if he was being scapegoated for the shortcomings of a justice system that had only recently failed to bring charges against the white policemen who killed Michael Brown and Eric Garner. After Liang […]
The post “It Feels like this Case was a Warning Sign for the Future”: Ursula Liang on Her Doc NYC Feature, Down a Dark Stairwell first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “It Feels like this Case was a Warning Sign for the Future”: Ursula Liang on Her Doc NYC Feature, Down a Dark Stairwell first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 11/11/2020
- by Nelson Kim
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
On November 20, 2014, 28-year-old Akai Gurley was killed by an NYPD officer’s bullet in the stairwell of a Brooklyn housing project. Another unarmed Black man dead at the hands of the police; another surge of street protests and demands for justice. But this one was different: the officer, Peter Liang, was Chinese American. Liang claimed the shooting was entirely accidental. When he was indicted, many wondered if he was being scapegoated for the shortcomings of a justice system that had only recently failed to bring charges against the white policemen who killed Michael Brown and Eric Garner. After Liang […]
The post “It Feels like this Case was a Warning Sign for the Future”: Ursula Liang on Her Doc NYC Feature, Down a Dark Stairwell first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “It Feels like this Case was a Warning Sign for the Future”: Ursula Liang on Her Doc NYC Feature, Down a Dark Stairwell first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 11/11/2020
- by Nelson Kim
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
Long before the tragic deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Michael Brown, Eric Garner and others helped galvanize the Black Lives Matter movement, people of color had been dying at the hands of white law enforcement officers for centuries. The British filmmaker and political activist Ken Fero has been documenting U.K. cases of suspicious deaths in police custody for over 20 years, most notably in his controversial debut feature Injustice (2001). Co-directed with Tariq Mehmood, that film earned positive reviews and widespread festival screenings, but its release was seriously stifled by threats of legal action from official police bodies, who ...
- 10/14/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Long before the tragic deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Michael Brown, Eric Garner and others helped galvanize the Black Lives Matter movement, people of color had been dying at the hands of white law enforcement officers for centuries. The British filmmaker and political activist Ken Fero has been documenting U.K. cases of suspicious deaths in police custody for over 20 years, most notably in his controversial debut feature Injustice (2001). Co-directed with Tariq Mehmood, that film earned positive reviews and widespread festival screenings, but its release was seriously stifled by threats of legal action from official police bodies, who ...
- 10/14/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A review of “Jig-a-Bobo,” this week’s Lovecraft Country, coming up just as soon as that Cream of Wheat ad watches me go…
“The white folks, they just keep coming.” —Montrose
Running a television show is such an all-consuming job that you can’t blame the people who do it for not wanting to take on additional responsibility by directing those shows. For every Sam Esmail or Vince Gilligan or Pamela Adlon who gets behind the camera as often as possible on their own shows, there’s a Shonda Rhimes...
“The white folks, they just keep coming.” —Montrose
Running a television show is such an all-consuming job that you can’t blame the people who do it for not wanting to take on additional responsibility by directing those shows. For every Sam Esmail or Vince Gilligan or Pamela Adlon who gets behind the camera as often as possible on their own shows, there’s a Shonda Rhimes...
- 10/5/2020
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Rollingstone.com
The actor on Black Lives Matter, discussing representation with Steve McQueen and remembering co-star Chadwick Boseman
Speaking to Nicole Beharie, it becomes apparent that she is really passionate about science. During our interview, the actor erupts into a flurry of asides, from the discovery of two new black holes to her ardour for neuroscience. “I’m fascinated by Pavlov’s theory of domesticating animals,” she says at one point. “Seeing how culture affects things and why people are the way they are.”
Beharie’s interest in the human condition might explain the range and depth of the roles she has played to date, starting with her critically acclaimed lead performance in 2008’s American Violet as a wrongly convicted single mother who refuses to take a plea bargain. Since then, she has starred as the intended parent of a surrogate child in Hulu’s Little Fires Everywhere; the wife of a...
Speaking to Nicole Beharie, it becomes apparent that she is really passionate about science. During our interview, the actor erupts into a flurry of asides, from the discovery of two new black holes to her ardour for neuroscience. “I’m fascinated by Pavlov’s theory of domesticating animals,” she says at one point. “Seeing how culture affects things and why people are the way they are.”
Beharie’s interest in the human condition might explain the range and depth of the roles she has played to date, starting with her critically acclaimed lead performance in 2008’s American Violet as a wrongly convicted single mother who refuses to take a plea bargain. Since then, she has starred as the intended parent of a surrogate child in Hulu’s Little Fires Everywhere; the wife of a...
- 9/26/2020
- by Leah Sinclair
- The Guardian - Film News
Currently airing on Epix is “Enslaved,” a Samuel L. Jackson-hosted docuseries that sheds new light on 400 years of human trafficking from continental Africa to the West. Based on a DNA test identifying his ancestral tribe, the series traces Jackson’s personal journey from the USA to Gabon for his induction into the local Benga tribe, providing unprecedented access to local customs that are typically not made public.
Accompanying Jackson on this six-episode journey are British author/broadcaster Afua Hirsch and investigative journalist Simcha Jacobovici, who are there to put Jackson’s discoveries into context. Each episode follows three separate story lines: the quest for a sunken slave ship, a personal journey by Jackson and a historical investigation.
“When the project was presented to me they told me that they identified these ships that were in the Atlantic that were ships that were taking enslaved people all the way to...
Accompanying Jackson on this six-episode journey are British author/broadcaster Afua Hirsch and investigative journalist Simcha Jacobovici, who are there to put Jackson’s discoveries into context. Each episode follows three separate story lines: the quest for a sunken slave ship, a personal journey by Jackson and a historical investigation.
“When the project was presented to me they told me that they identified these ships that were in the Atlantic that were ships that were taking enslaved people all the way to...
- 9/22/2020
- by Tambay Obenson
- Indiewire
“Don’t tell me your position, don’t need no sympathy,” California singer-songwriter Tré Burt sings in his piercing new folk polemic. “Your bleeding heart’s complicit if you ain’t in the street.”
That song is “Under the Devil’s Knee,” a haunting folk-roots number that mourns the lives of George Floyd, Eric Garner, and Breonna Taylor, all of whom were killed by police officers.
“I wanted to reinstate the humanity of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Eric Garner and so many other brothers and sisters slain by police in the way I know how,...
That song is “Under the Devil’s Knee,” a haunting folk-roots number that mourns the lives of George Floyd, Eric Garner, and Breonna Taylor, all of whom were killed by police officers.
“I wanted to reinstate the humanity of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Eric Garner and so many other brothers and sisters slain by police in the way I know how,...
- 9/22/2020
- by Jonathan Bernstein
- Rollingstone.com
Less than a week after George Floyd died at the hands of Minneapolis police and protests started springing up around the country, LL Cool J posted an a cappella rap in support of the Black Lives Matter movement to Instagram. “Watching that man die slow left a hole,” he said with fire in his eyes. “He cried for his mama as the murder unfold … I’m telling those with melanin, you’re not alone.” He also named several other black men and women, including Eric Garner, Breonna Taylor, and Amadou Diallo,...
- 8/28/2020
- by Kory Grow
- Rollingstone.com
The only things missing from the opening night of the Democratic National Convention on Monday were Beyoncé, the Rolling Stones and Barack Obama – and the former Potus is coming later this week.
Other than an audio glitch at the beginning of kingmaker Rep James Clyburn’s stint in front of the camera from his home state of South Carolina, the first of four nights of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ official bid for the White House was just over two-hours of fast paced television that may just seal the deal.
Cutting to the chase, this wasn’t your grandmother’s Democratic Convention or even a redux of the mistaken confidence of 2016. Hosted with a strong hand by Eva Longoria and full of punchy short segments and speeches from the biggest names in the party and the world of entertainment and sports, the beginning of the Bidenathon was a polished political...
Other than an audio glitch at the beginning of kingmaker Rep James Clyburn’s stint in front of the camera from his home state of South Carolina, the first of four nights of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ official bid for the White House was just over two-hours of fast paced television that may just seal the deal.
Cutting to the chase, this wasn’t your grandmother’s Democratic Convention or even a redux of the mistaken confidence of 2016. Hosted with a strong hand by Eva Longoria and full of punchy short segments and speeches from the biggest names in the party and the world of entertainment and sports, the beginning of the Bidenathon was a polished political...
- 8/18/2020
- by Dominic Patten and Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will each make appearances on the first night of the Democratic National Convention, which will be a bit of a feat of staging such a large scale event in a time of Covid-19.
The program lineup will feature a mix of live and taped segments and, in addition to political figures and “real-life” testimonials, will include celebrities such as Eva Longoria and performances by Leon Bridges, Maggie Rogers and Billy Porter and Stephen Stills.
Other speakers on Monday will include Bernie Sanders, but more notable are Republicans who will get a prime-time speaking slot: John Kasich, former governor of Ohio; Susan Molinari, former congresswoman from New York; Christine Whitman, former governor of New Jersey; and Meg Whitman, former CEO of Hewlett Packard and 2010 California gubernatorial candidate. The theme of the night is “We the People.”
Whitman is of course now the CEO of Quibi, the...
The program lineup will feature a mix of live and taped segments and, in addition to political figures and “real-life” testimonials, will include celebrities such as Eva Longoria and performances by Leon Bridges, Maggie Rogers and Billy Porter and Stephen Stills.
Other speakers on Monday will include Bernie Sanders, but more notable are Republicans who will get a prime-time speaking slot: John Kasich, former governor of Ohio; Susan Molinari, former congresswoman from New York; Christine Whitman, former governor of New Jersey; and Meg Whitman, former CEO of Hewlett Packard and 2010 California gubernatorial candidate. The theme of the night is “We the People.”
Whitman is of course now the CEO of Quibi, the...
- 8/17/2020
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
#blackAF creator Kenya Barris is making the move from fictionalized documentary to a real documentary on high-profile attorney Ben Crump.
In the works for the past several pivotal months, the as-yet untitled film on the lawyer is set to stream on Netflix next year. Well known to cable news viewers and more than a few chastened police departments and delinquent corporations, the Tallahassee, Florida-based Crump is currently representing the grieving families of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery, among others.
The documentary will be produced by Barris and Oscar winner Roger Ross Williams. Hot off two Emmy nominations for the Michelle Obama doc Becoming (read our review here), Nadia Hallgren is set to direct the Crump project. Hallgren will also produce, along with Lauren Cioffi and EP Geoff Martz, co-founder with Williams of production shingle One Story Up.
Production on the project includes the much-watched June 8 memorial for Floyd.
In the works for the past several pivotal months, the as-yet untitled film on the lawyer is set to stream on Netflix next year. Well known to cable news viewers and more than a few chastened police departments and delinquent corporations, the Tallahassee, Florida-based Crump is currently representing the grieving families of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery, among others.
The documentary will be produced by Barris and Oscar winner Roger Ross Williams. Hot off two Emmy nominations for the Michelle Obama doc Becoming (read our review here), Nadia Hallgren is set to direct the Crump project. Hallgren will also produce, along with Lauren Cioffi and EP Geoff Martz, co-founder with Williams of production shingle One Story Up.
Production on the project includes the much-watched June 8 memorial for Floyd.
- 8/14/2020
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Ciara showed her support for Black Lives Matter in her latest music video for “Rooted,” featuring guest vocals from singer Ester Dean.
The visual features plenty of impressive dance moves — a trademark of a Ciara video, even though the pop star herself, who was pregnant at the time of filming, had to resort to posing instead. Both the song and video for “Rooted” also include many references to the Black Power movement and Black Lives Matter, with T-shirts and signs in tribute to Breonna Taylor and Eric Garner.
“Young girl...
The visual features plenty of impressive dance moves — a trademark of a Ciara video, even though the pop star herself, who was pregnant at the time of filming, had to resort to posing instead. Both the song and video for “Rooted” also include many references to the Black Power movement and Black Lives Matter, with T-shirts and signs in tribute to Breonna Taylor and Eric Garner.
“Young girl...
- 8/13/2020
- by Claire Shaffer
- Rollingstone.com
The world seems to be quickly coming to understand that navigating life as a Black person in America is an emotional and difficult journey. But what about paving a path in Hollywood? As support for the Black Lives Matter movement emboldens more Black people and people of color in the industry to speak out about their experiences, Aldis Hodge (“City on a Hill”) remains cautiously optimistic about seeing change both in the entertainment industry and the world as a whole.
“I say I hope this moment is different,” Hodge says during the Variety’s Black Men in Hollywood roundtable. “For us in the Black community — not to leave out Black women, men, LGBTQ+ [people], our whole community, everybody who Black — this is what we know, this is usual for us. We’ve been talking about this for a while. I think the shift that may have happened with Mr. Floyd and...
“I say I hope this moment is different,” Hodge says during the Variety’s Black Men in Hollywood roundtable. “For us in the Black community — not to leave out Black women, men, LGBTQ+ [people], our whole community, everybody who Black — this is what we know, this is usual for us. We’ve been talking about this for a while. I think the shift that may have happened with Mr. Floyd and...
- 7/21/2020
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Last year, director Roee Messinger debuted his film American Trial: The Eric Garner Story at the New York Film Festival, revealing his ambitious project — part documentary, part unscripted history — which imagines what could have happened if a grand jury had indicted ex-nypd Officer Daniel Pantaleo in Garner's death.
Garner died in 2014 after Pantelo placed him in a forbidden chokehold, with his final words, "I can't breathe," caught on video — an eerily similar scenario to the May police killing of George Floyd, who also said, "I can't breathe," as a Minneapolis ...
Garner died in 2014 after Pantelo placed him in a forbidden chokehold, with his final words, "I can't breathe," caught on video — an eerily similar scenario to the May police killing of George Floyd, who also said, "I can't breathe," as a Minneapolis ...
- 7/13/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Danny Glover was recently a juror and mentor at Turkey’s virtual International Migration Film Festival, for which he took a deep dive into films tackling the plight of migrants around the world from his home in San Francisco, just as protests over the death of George Floyd escalated in the U.S.
The actor-writer-producer and passionate political activist spoke to Variety about how he’s been associating the current global migrant crisis with the historical roots of violence against African Americans in the U.S. The screen icon, known for classics such as “Places in the Heart,” “The Color Purple” and the “Lethal Weapon” franchise, also discussed his parallel career as a producer of socially relevant films by global auteurs, such as Cannes Palme d’Or winner “Uncle Boonmee who can Recall his Past Lives,” and why “Lethal Weapon 5” should come back “within the political framework that we are in.
The actor-writer-producer and passionate political activist spoke to Variety about how he’s been associating the current global migrant crisis with the historical roots of violence against African Americans in the U.S. The screen icon, known for classics such as “Places in the Heart,” “The Color Purple” and the “Lethal Weapon” franchise, also discussed his parallel career as a producer of socially relevant films by global auteurs, such as Cannes Palme d’Or winner “Uncle Boonmee who can Recall his Past Lives,” and why “Lethal Weapon 5” should come back “within the political framework that we are in.
- 7/2/2020
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
In an interview on a new episode of Luminary’s Black List Podcast, hosted by Black List co-founder Franklin Leonard and Black List community director Kate Hagen, Spike Lee voices his agreement with growing calls to remove statues and iconography commemorating the Confederate States of America.
“F— that flag,” Lee said. “That flag, to me, [makes me feel] the same way my Jewish brothers and sisters feel about the swastika… And them motherf—ing Confederate statues need to come the f— down.”
The topic came up amid a larger discussion about Lee’s body of work, touching upon the opening of the writer-director’s 2018 film “BlacKkKlansman,” which opens by sampling a shot from “Gone with the Wind” that features a tattered Confederate flag before seguing into a speech by a white supremacist played by Alec Baldwin.
As Black Lives Matter protests continue in the United States following the murders of George Floyd, Rayshard Brooks...
“F— that flag,” Lee said. “That flag, to me, [makes me feel] the same way my Jewish brothers and sisters feel about the swastika… And them motherf—ing Confederate statues need to come the f— down.”
The topic came up amid a larger discussion about Lee’s body of work, touching upon the opening of the writer-director’s 2018 film “BlacKkKlansman,” which opens by sampling a shot from “Gone with the Wind” that features a tattered Confederate flag before seguing into a speech by a white supremacist played by Alec Baldwin.
As Black Lives Matter protests continue in the United States following the murders of George Floyd, Rayshard Brooks...
- 7/1/2020
- by J. Kim Murphy
- Variety Film + TV
At 6:30 a.m. on Sunday morning, an hour after sunrise, about 100 protesters and two dozen police faced off on the edge of City Hall Park in New York City.
“I don’t see no riot here! Why are you in riot gear?” chanted the crowd, locked arm-in-arm three rows deep and spanning the northern perimeter of the park.
The officers were from the NYPD Strategic Response Group, a unit charged with handling “citywide mobilizations, civil disorders, and major events.” They donned batons, twist-tie handcuffs, and helmets; their presence has...
“I don’t see no riot here! Why are you in riot gear?” chanted the crowd, locked arm-in-arm three rows deep and spanning the northern perimeter of the park.
The officers were from the NYPD Strategic Response Group, a unit charged with handling “citywide mobilizations, civil disorders, and major events.” They donned batons, twist-tie handcuffs, and helmets; their presence has...
- 6/30/2020
- by Reed Dunlea
- Rollingstone.com
Former “Glee” star Amber Riley remembers the time early in her career when a producer told her that she and other actors of color were “a little more disposable, because that’s the way the world is.” As her professional trajectory continued, she witnessed her fair share of bad behavior, and knew who would — or would not — be held accountable.
“Being told that the white girls are not fireable is being told that you’re disposable,” she tells Variety. Riley internalized that message to the point that she was “distraught” going into auditions in her post-”Glee” career, dealing with anxiety and a loss of confidence.
“I just felt like, there’s a million Black actors that want this — what is special about me? … That’s what that feels like [when] nobody cares,” says Riley. “They don’t care that you’re being abused on set, whether that’s verbally or otherwise.
“Being told that the white girls are not fireable is being told that you’re disposable,” she tells Variety. Riley internalized that message to the point that she was “distraught” going into auditions in her post-”Glee” career, dealing with anxiety and a loss of confidence.
“I just felt like, there’s a million Black actors that want this — what is special about me? … That’s what that feels like [when] nobody cares,” says Riley. “They don’t care that you’re being abused on set, whether that’s verbally or otherwise.
- 6/30/2020
- by Elaine Low and Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Knowles-Lawson, penned an open letter to Senate leaders urging them to pass a Covid-19 relief bill that includes significant funding for the upcoming November elections.
Knowles-Lawson wrote the letter in partnership with the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights’ campaign, And I Still Vote. It’s addressed to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and urges them to pass the Heroes Act, a $3 trillion safety net bill that’s already cleared the House and will benefit those impacted most by Covid-...
Knowles-Lawson wrote the letter in partnership with the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights’ campaign, And I Still Vote. It’s addressed to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and urges them to pass the Heroes Act, a $3 trillion safety net bill that’s already cleared the House and will benefit those impacted most by Covid-...
- 6/25/2020
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Spike Lee will participate in a live conversation about his 1989 film, Do the Right Thing, on Thursday at 8 p.m. Et. The discussion will stream on American Film Institute (AFI) Movie Club’s YouTube channel.
American Fiim Institute in partnership with Universal Pictures selected Lee’s film as its movie of the week, a fitting choice for the times as the movie addresses themes of racial injustice and inequality, and police brutality. The film was nominated for two Academy Awards, four Golden Globes and garnered a Palme d’Or nomination.
American Fiim Institute in partnership with Universal Pictures selected Lee’s film as its movie of the week, a fitting choice for the times as the movie addresses themes of racial injustice and inequality, and police brutality. The film was nominated for two Academy Awards, four Golden Globes and garnered a Palme d’Or nomination.
- 6/25/2020
- by Althea Legaspi
- Rollingstone.com
The American Film Institute and Universal Pictures are teaming to offer free rentals of Spike Lee’s classic “Do The Right Thing” on digital platforms this week, and AFI will also host a special online conversation with the director this Thursday.
The Spike Lee Joint is AFI Movie Club’s selection for the day, and audiences looking to watch it can rent “Do The Right Thing” between June 22 and June 29 for free on Amazon, Apple, Charter, Comcast, Cox, Dish, DirecTV, FandangoNOW, Google, Microsoft, Redbox, Sony, Verizon and Vudu, among other services.
AFI will also host Lee in conversation about the film and about what it says about society today in the wake of the murder of George Floyd in a live discussion on June 25 at 8 p.m. Edt that can be viewed on the AFI YouTube channel.
Also Read: Spike Lee Calls George Floyd and 'Do The Right Thing...
The Spike Lee Joint is AFI Movie Club’s selection for the day, and audiences looking to watch it can rent “Do The Right Thing” between June 22 and June 29 for free on Amazon, Apple, Charter, Comcast, Cox, Dish, DirecTV, FandangoNOW, Google, Microsoft, Redbox, Sony, Verizon and Vudu, among other services.
AFI will also host Lee in conversation about the film and about what it says about society today in the wake of the murder of George Floyd in a live discussion on June 25 at 8 p.m. Edt that can be viewed on the AFI YouTube channel.
Also Read: Spike Lee Calls George Floyd and 'Do The Right Thing...
- 6/22/2020
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Can the younger generation achieve racial equality? Don't rule them out. This very point was made by Jada Pinkett-Smith, Willow Smith and Adrienne "Gammy" Banfield Norris on Friday's episode of Red Table Talk. In honor of Juneteenth, the panel of women—which included guests and Civil Rights activists Tamika D. Mallory and Dr. Angela Davis—held a candid conversation about racism in America. During the 35-minute episode, the conversation touched on police brutality, diversity and inclusion, cancel culture and more. While mom Jada expressed that "Black America is in a crisis," referring to the deaths of George Floyd, Rayshard Brooks, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice and...
- 6/19/2020
- E! Online
The systematic racism and violence committed by police officers against innocent Black people was already in the national conversation when director Reinaldo Marcus Green’s “Monsters and Men” premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2018. Nevertheless, Green’s debut has taken on additional resonance in recent weeks, in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death and the ensuing protests. Green’s movie unfolds as a triptych that evaluates a similar situation from three perspectives: the conflicted young man (Anthony Ramos) who films the death of an unarmed Black man at the hands of racist officers, a frustrated Black officer (John David Washington) uncertain whether to speak out about his colleagues’ behavior, and the challenges faced by a rising young athletic star (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) who can’t decide if he should take a knee. The drama was inspired by Eric Garner’s death, but continues to resonate two years later...
- 6/19/2020
- by Eric Kohn
- Thompson on Hollywood
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.