"The Color Purple (Music from and Inspired by)" Soundtrack Album Has Arrived

Warner Bros. Pictures, WaterTower Music and gamma. Announce December 15th Arrival of THE COLOR PURPLE (MUSIC FROM AND INSPIRED BY)

All Star Line-up Includes Stars From the Film and the Music World, Including Alicia Keys, H.E.R., Usher, Megan Thee Stallion, Mary J. Blige, Fantasia Barrino, Jennifer Hudson, Missy Elliott, Halle Bailey, Keyshia Cole, Coco Jones, Taraji P. Henson, Ciara, Jorja Smith, Mary Mary and More

First Single, Lifeline, Written, Co-Produced and Performed by Alicia Keys, Out Now

Listen to the song, "Lifeline," here or at Lifeline - From the Original Motion Picture - "The Color Purple" (lnk.to).

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Warner Bros. Pictures, WaterTower Music and gamma. announce their partnership in curating the soundtrack album for the upcoming, newly reimagined motion picture release of The Color Purple. A star-studded musical journey, THE COLOR PURPLE (MUSIC FROM AND INSPIRED BY) features beloved songs from director Blitz Bazawule’s bold new film, in addition to original material inspired by the rich tapestry of the film’s narratives. The album became available December 15th.

The Color Purple’s preeminent onscreen ensemble delivers stunning performances, creating an emotional journey through Fantasia Barrino’s soulful melodies, Taraji P. Henson’s emotive depth, Colman Domingo’s captivating energy, Danielle Brooks’ powerful resonance, H.E.R.’s contemporary artistry, and Halle Bailey’s radiant vocals. New songs from the film combined with source material from Grammy Award-winning songwriters of The Color Purple musical, Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray, promises an auditory experience that’s both fresh and deeply nostalgic.

New material on this collection, stirred by the story’s rich emotional journey, is exquisitely performed by vocal powerhouses Alicia Keys, Mary J. Blige, Megan Thee Stallion, Jennifer Hudson, Keyshia Cole, Jorja Smith, Coco Jones, Ciara, Mary Mary; collaborations include a breathtaking duet by Usher x H.E.R. and a special remix by Missy Elliott.

And finally, the film’s sweeping end credit song, written and produced by lauded hitmaker The-Dream, is performed by the film’s transcendent north star, Fantasia.

The first offering from this musical bounty is its first single, Lifeline, written, co-produced and performed by Grammy Award-winning multi-platinum superstar Alicia Keys. Keys’ production partners include Tricky Stewart (Beyoncé and Rihanna); Marshmello (Selena Gomez, Juice Wrld) and TMS (Dua Lipa, Lewis Capaldi). Lifeline, released today, is Alicia’s heartfelt ode to the unequivocal comfort emanating from friends, family and community that holds us up as we face life’s challenging moments.

The creative engine for the project includes the film’s executive music producers, Grammy-winning film composer Nick Baxter, Tony-nominated composer and lyricist Stephen Bray, and multimedia artist Blitz Bazawule, who in addition to directing The Color Purple, was co-director on Beyoncé’s Black is King.

Additionally, the album is executive produced by music legend Quincy Jones and Scott Sanders, both of whom produce the new film and collaborated to create the Tony-winning Broadway musical, and gamma. Co-founder & CEO Larry Jackson.

“I am so immensely proud that the filmmakers and Warner Bros. Pictures chose us to collaborate on a hugely cultural album that musically brings to life this reimagined classic,” comments Jackson. “The Color Purple, in its many iterations, is unquestionably hallowed ground in black culture. Just as film director Blitz Bazawule has done a spectacular job in taking the film to another level artistically, we, too, wanted to bring an equally adventurous, creative take to this expanded soundtrack. Complementing the fabulously infectious musical moments of the new film, we wanted to further celebrate the stories of the film’s protagonists with additional current, contemporary songs that thematically spoke to their relatable experiences and struggles. And deeply influenced by the great, iconic R&B/pop soundtracks of the 1990s, I’ve always wanted to make an ‘Inspired By’ soundtrack that had cultural legends and new artists of a genre come together for a piece of art that defines a moment in time. I feel great pride in what the team at gamma. has creatively achieved with The Color Purple (Music From And Inspired By) and I hope everyone else enjoys what I feel is the BEST R&B soundtrack since some of the most iconic ones of the ‘90s!”

The score for the film, composed by Kris Bowers, will be released on December 25.

ABOUT THE COLOR PURPLE:

Warner Bros. Pictures invites you to experience The Color Purple, a bold new take on the classic story of love and resilience. Directed by Blitz Bazawule, the film is produced by Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Scott Sanders and Quincy Jones. The screenplay is by Marcus Gardley, based on the novel by Alice Walker and the musical stage play, book (of the musical stage play) by Marsha Norman, music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray.

Warner Bros. Pictures Presents an Amblin Entertainment Production, A Harpo Films Production, An SGS Pictures Production/A QJP Production, The Color Purple. It will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures and opened in theaters in North America on December 25, 2023 and will open internationally beginning January 18, 2024.

ABOUT WATERTOWER MUSIC:

WaterTower Music, the in-house label for the Warner Bros. Discovery companies, releases recorded music as rich and diverse as the companies themselves. It has been the soundtrack home to many of the world’s most iconic films, television shows and games since 2001.

ABOUT gamma.:

gamma., founded by CEO Larry Jackson and President Ike Youssef, is a modern media and technology enterprise created to revolutionize the way artists create, distribute, and monetize their content and brand. Announced gamma. repertoire includes a long-term agreement with entertainment icon Snoop Dogg for exclusive rights to market and distribute the iconic Death Row Records catalog including new music from Snoop Dogg and R&B rising star October London; mega, a joint venture with multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning superstar Usher & industry pioneer L.A. Reid; a global partnership with 3x Grammy-nominated, Diamond-certified recording artist French Montana; music from rap’s new queen Sexyy Red through a partnership with Open Shift; a new multi-media project from multi-platinum artist/entrepreneur Russ; and a partnership with multi platinum iconic rapper and mogul Rick Ross’ Maybach Music Group. Digital distributor Vydia is a wholly-owned division of gamma.

The company is headquartered in Los Angeles, with offices in New York, London, Miami, Nashville, Lagos and Dubai.

thegamma.com

Vydia.com

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from June 12th to 18th, 2022 - Update #16

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

SPORTS - From YahooSports:  The Golden State Warriors are the 2022 NBA World Champions.  They beat the Boston Celtics 103-90 in Game 6 of the 2021-22 NBA Finals Championship Series to win the best-of-seven series 4 games to 2. This is the Warriors fourth title in eight years.

EMMYS - From Deadline:  Chris Rock and Dwayne Johnson have been approached about hosting this year's Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony on NBC this Sept. 1st, although neither is expected to accept the offer.

NETFLIX - From Deadline:  Melissa McCarthy and Amy Schumer are among the stars appearing in Jerry Seinfeld's Netflix comedy film, "Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story."

ANIMATION - From Deadline:  Brian Cox, Gaia Wise, and Miranda Otto have joined the voice cast of New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Animation's "The Lord of the Rings: The War of Rohirrim."

MOVIES - From Deadline:   "Man on Fire" costars Denzel Washington and Dakota Fanning will reunited on Sony's "The Equalizer 3," which is due September 2023.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Wendell Pierce, and Karen LeBlanc will star in an episode of Fox's anthology crime drama, "Accused," which focuses on defendants on trial.

From Deadline:  The syndicated talk show, "The Wendy Williams Show," will officially end Fri., June 17th, with its final original episode after a 13 year run.  Williams will not be present for the final episode.  In the fall, it will be replaced by a syndicated talk show hosted by Sherri Shepherd.

TONY AWARDS - From Variety:  Here is complete list of winners at the 2022 / 75th Tony Awards, held Sun., April 12, 2022.  "A Strange Loop" wins "Best Musical" and "The Lehman Trilogy" wins "Best Play."

From Variety:  Singer-actress Jennifer Hudson has become the 17th "EGOT" recipient.  That is a person who has won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award. Hudson won her Tony last night for producing "A Strange Loop."

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 6/10 to 6/12/2022 weekend box office is "Jurassic World: Dominion" with an estimated take of 143.3 million dollars.

DISNEY - From Variety:  Chris Evans, star of Disney/Pixar's "Lightyear," talks about the intimidation of voicing a character made famous by the voice of actor, Tim Allen.

OBITS:

From YahooEntertainment:  Actor Philip Baker Hall has died at the age of 90, Sunday, June 12, 2022.  Hall was in his late 30s when his prolific film and TV career began with the film "Cowards."  He played numerous character roles on TV series and in television films.  He may be best remembered for his role as the hard-nosed library detective, Lt. Joe Bookman, on Season 3 Episode 5, "The Library," on NBC's former sitcom, "Seinfeld," in which he was hunting down a book that Jerry Seinfeld had borrowed in 1971 and never returned.  Hall was also known for his lead role in Paul Thomas Anderson's 1996 film, "Hard Eight," and for his supporting role in Anderson's 1997 film, "Boogie Nights."

From THR:  Film and television costume designer, May Routh, has died at the age of 87, June 1, 2022.  Routh began as a fashion illustrator for such magazines and "Elle" and "Vogue" before she began working in film and television.  She is best known for her work on such films as "The Man Who Fell to Earth" (1976) and "Being There" (1979).  Routh also received Emmy nominations for her work on the TV films, "Lucy & Desi: Before the Laughter" (CBS, 1991) and "Andersonville" (TNT, 1996).

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UVALDE, TEXAS MASS SHOOTING:

From YahooAP:  An 18-year-old gunman slaughtered 19 children and two teachers on Tues., May 24th, 2022 in Uvalde, Texas.  All 21 victims were in the same 4th grade classroom at Robb Elementary.

From Jacobin:  "The Uvalde Massacre has exposed the lies that once justified police militarization" by Branko Marcetic

From Truthout:  We don’t need more evidence that police can’t be trusted.

From Truthout:   44 percent of GOP voters view mass shootings as part of living in “Free Society”

From ABCNews:  Arnulfo Reyes, a teacher who survived the school massacre in Uvalde, Texas, calls the local police "cowards" because of slow response to an active shooter at his school, Robb Elementary.  All of 11 students in his class were killed.

From DallasNews:  Joe Garcia, the husband of Irma Garcia, one of the two teachers killed at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, has died of a heart attack two days after the murder of his wife.  They had been married for 24 years and had been high school sweethearts.

From Axios:  Texas gubernatorial candidate, Beto O'Rourke, interrupted Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's gaslighting press conference on the Uvalde elementary school mass shooting.

From USAToday:  Beto O'Rourke's outburst at Gov. Greg Abbott's Uvalde news conference shows the spine Democrats need.

From BostonGlobe:  Steve Kerr, head coach of the NBA's Golden State Warriors, asks "When are we going to do something?"

From NBCNews:  A Robb Elementary teacher describes "the longest 35 minutes of my life" and the terror she now feels.

From NBCNews:  The Uvalde school district had an extensive safety plan, but 19 children were killed at Robb Elementary anyway.  Even security plans that appear to be up to the latest research-based standards may have gaps and fall short of preventing the worst-case scenario, experts said.

From MSN:  Angeli Rose Gomez, the mother who was handcuffed outside Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, was able to get inside the school and rescue her two children.

From YahooNews:   Daniel Defense, the maker of the rifles used by the Uvalde massacre killer, has used "incendiary ads" in the past, including one in which a toddler holds one of its rifles.

From TheIntercept:  The police aren't obligated to protect anyone NOT in their custody, as the Supreme Court has ruled twice.

From RollingStone:  Right wing lies about the Second Amendment and why they tell them are killing America's childrne.

From Vice:  The law enforcement personnel in Texas that arrived at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas on Tues., May 24th did the opposite of what their own training documentary videos show.

From Vox:  Uvalde police keep changing their story.

From TheDailyBeast:  The families in Uvalde, Texas who lost loved one in the Robb Elementary massacre say that the cops there are "Nothing more than cowards" and that they need to pay for doing nothing while a gunman rampaged through the school last Tues, May 24th.

From TheNewYorker:  Thoughts and prayers, Uvalde, Texas. This is the America that Republicans and the right wing have being thinking about and praying for all these decades.

From ABC:  Sources say that Uvalde police and school district no longer cooperating with Texas probe of shooting of the May 24th massacre of 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas.

From GuardianUK:  Canada plans to freeze all handgun ownership.

From RSNWashPost:  Is it time to show the true horror of mass shooting - in pictures?

From MSN:  Angeli Gomez, the Uvalde mother who rescued her two children from the Robb Elementary shooting massacre, says that a police officer threatened to arrest her if she did not stop telling her story.

From RSNTheAtlantic:  The Uvalde police chose dishonor. Where was there courage?

From RSNWashPost:  Brenda Bell:  I hid from the Texas Tower sniper (Charles Joseph Whitman) in 1966. His successors have found us all.

From RSNTheIntercept:  "AR-15s Were Made to Explode Human Bodies. In Uvalde, the Bodies Belonged to Children" by Murtaza Hussain

From RSNNPR:  The tragic history of police responding too late to active shooters.

From VICE:  There is likely bodycam footage of the school shooting in Uvalde, TX, but the public may never see it.

BLM-BUFFALO:

From ABCNews:  A 18-year-old white MAN shot 13 people, killing 10 at a Buffalo, New York Tops Friendly Markets supermarket on Saturday, May 14, 2021.

From RSNAP:  The white male suspect in the Buffalo Tops Supermarket shooting, Payton Gendron, was charged with federal hate crimes on Wed., June 15th and could face the death penalty if convicted.

From Truthout:  The racist attack in Buffalo at the Tops Friendly supermarket was crafted to terrorize us.  We can fight back, and here’s how we fight back.

From WGRZ:  Who are the victims of the Buffalo Tops Friendly Markets grocery store shooting. This comes from local station WGRZ Channel 2 and includes video and some victim photos.

From BuffaloNews:  One of the 10 Black murder victims of the Buffalo massacre was Katherine "Kat" Massey.  She was a leader in her community and civil rights activist and advocate for education.

From NewYorkPost:  One of the 10 Black murder victims of the Buffalo massacre was Andre Mackniel. He was at TOPS Supermaket to pick up a birthday cake for his son.

From Truthout:  The racist attack in Buffalo, NY at the Tops supermarket was crafted to terrorize us, so here is how we fight back.

From CNN:  What is known about the 18-year-old MAN, Payton Gendron.

From NPR:  198 mass shooting this year ... so far.

From Truthout:  White supremacist massacre of 10 people in Buffalo, NY shows that the “Alt-Right” ideology leads to murder.

From RollingStone:  Buffalo rampage killing is "Straight Up Racially Motivated Hate Crime."

From InformedComment:  Rene Binet, the originator the "great replacement" was a French Nazi, and he saw all American as "Negroes," an "impure mestizo 'race'."

From WashPost:  Only 22 people saw the live-stream of a white terrorist kill Black shoppers at the Buffalo Tops Friendly Markets supermarket, but millions have seen it since...

From GuardianUK:  Buffalo Tops Friendly Markets shooter may have been motivated by "eco-fascism," a focus on overpopulation and environmental degradation.

From RSN:  "What Lessons Have We Learned From the Buffalo Shooting?" by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

From Truthout:  “Innocent” White People Are Also Complicit in the Anti-Black Murders in Buffalo by George Yancy.

From Truthout:  "Black Lives Matter" cofounder discovered that Alicia Garza has learned that her name is mentioned in the Buffalo Tops supermarket killer's manifesto.

From GuardianUK:   Cornell West says, "Trump isn't out there with a gun, but he's enabled this war against Black people.

From Slate:  From the Tulsa Race Massacre to the Buffalo Tops Friendly Markets shootings: the legacy of anti-Black violence.

From Truthout:  After mass shootings, Republicans shield white supremacists from scrutiny

From MSN:  Angeli Gomez, the Uvalde mom who rescued her children from the school shooting at Robb Elementary, says that local police have threatened to have her arrested if she does not stop telling her story.

UKRAINE:

From TheDailyBeast:  Russian soldiers allegedly raped and killed a 1-year-old Ukrainian boy and have reportedly raped or sexually abused children as young as 9 months old.

HATE WATCH:

From NPR:  31 members of the white nationalist Patriot Front arrested near a "Pride Month" event in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.  They are believed to have been planning to riot held at a local before moving on to rioting downtown.  They were not the only haters trying to sour the "Pride in the Park" event, which included families with children.

From SpokesmanReview:  The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office released the names and photos of all 31 "Patriot Front" members who are suspects in a planned riot at the "Pride Month" event in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from January 23rd to 31st, 2022 - Update #22

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Director Rawson Marshall Thurber will "creatively oversee" eOne's "Dungeons & Dragons" TV series, which thus far, is not tied to a particular network or streamer.

BOX OFFICE - BoxOfficePro:   The winner of the 1/28 to 1/30/2022 weekend box office is Sony Pictures/Marvel Studios' "Spider-Man: No Way Home" with an estimated take of 11 million dollars.

DISNEY - From Deadline:  "Hocus Pocus 2," the sequel to the popular 1993 Disney film, "Hocus Pocus," is set to debut Halloween 2022 on Disney+.

CULTURE - From Vox:   "The New Orleans funeral reminds us that grief is a burden that can be shared" by Nicole Young. This is an article about the New Orleans tradition of a funeral "second line."

NETFLIX - From Deadline:  The live-action "Masters of the Universe" film has moved from Sony Pictures to Netflix.  Kyle Allen ("West Side Story") will play Prince Adam/He-Man.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Sources say that Jason Momoa is joining the tenth "Fast & Furious" film, "F10."

MOVIES - TheNewYorker:  "The Damage Done by a Hollywood Stereotype" is an interview with actor Robert Capron who was "Rowley Jefferson," the best friend/jolly fat kid in the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" film series.

MOVIES - From THR:   New Line is moving forward with the development of a sequel to its 2021 hit and reboot, "Mortal Kombat,"  The film's screenwriter will be Jeremy Slater, the head writer of Marvel Studios' "Moon Knight" series.

DISNEY - From  THR:  Disney will use cultural consultants, including form the dwarfism community, while in production of its live-action version of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves."  This is in response to criticism from Emmy-winning actor, Peter Dinklage.

NETFLIX/ANIMATION - From ETCanada:  Netflix has dropped a teaser trailer for "Pinocchio," a stop-motion animated film from director Guillermo del Toro that will debut in the fall.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Actor Dylan McDermott will replace actor Julian McMahon on the CBS series, "FBI: Most Wanted."  McMahon's is slated to make his last appearance on the series on March 8th, with McDermott debuting in April.

NETFLIX - From Deadline:   Netflix has reportedly paid near 65 million dollars for director Lee Daniels' star-studded exorcism movie package.  Stars in the cast include Octavia Spencer and Glenn Close.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 1/21 to 1/23/2022 weekend box office is Sony Pictures/Marvel Studios' "Spider-Man: No Way Home" with an estimated take 14.13 million dollars.

From Negromancer:  My review of "Spider-Man: No Way Home."

OSCARS - From Variety:  Jennifer Hudson and her film, "Respect," could set a record for Black women at the Academy Awards.

MOVIES - From THR:  The "Scream" filmmakers found actor Mason Gooding so charming that the decided not to kill off his character, "Chad Meeks-Martin."

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Actor Julian McMahon is leaving CBS' "FBI: Most Wanted" after three seasons.  He character, "Agent Jess LaCroix," leaves the series in an episode airing March 8th, 2022.

STREAMING - From Deadline:  Legendary and Warner Bros. are developing a sequel to the classic 1983 film, "A Christmas Story."  Entitled "A Christmas Story Christmas" it will debut on HBO Max and actor Peter Billingsley will reprise his role as "Ralphie Parker."

OBITS:

From THR:   American actor, Howard Hesseman, has died at the age of 82, Saturday, January 29, 2022.  Hesseman was best known for his work on television.  He memorably portrayed rock DJ "Dr. Johnny Fever" on the late CBS sitcom, "WKRP in Cincinnati" (1978-82).  He was twice nominated for the "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy or Variety or Music Series" Primetime Emmy for his performance as Fever.  He later portrayed high school history teacher, "Charlie Moore," on the first four seasons of the former ABC series, "Head of the Class."

From Deadline:   Actress and singer, Carol Speed, has died at the age of 76, Friday, January 14, 2022.  Speed was best known for her role in the blaxploitation films, "The Big Bird Cage" (1972), "The Mack" (1973), and "Abby" (1974), a horror film in which she plays a minister's wife who is possessed by a demon.

From THR:  American voice actor, Peter Robbins, has died at the age of 65, by suicide sometime during the third week of January 2022, according to a statement made by his family Tuesday, January 25, 2022.  Robbins was the first actor to perform the voice of "Charlie Brown" in classic television specials based on the "Peanuts" newspaper comic strip.  Robbins first voice Charlie Brown in the TV documentary film, "A Boy Named Charlie Brown" (1963), which was about "Peanuts" and its creator, Charles M. Schultz.  He also voiced Charlie Brown in such beloved TV classics as "A Charlie Brown Christmas" (1965) and "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" (1966).

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AWARDS:

From COFCA:  The Columbus Film Critics Association name "The Power of the Dog" the "Best Film" of 2021.

From Deadline:  Netflix's Black Western, "The Harder They Fall," was named the "Best Picture" of 2021 at the 13th annual African American Film Critics Association Awards.  The Western tied with "King Richard" for most wins with four.  Will Smith was named "Best Actor" for "King Richard."

From Deadline:  The nominations for the 2022 / 28th Screen Actors Guild Awards have been announced.

From Variety:  The snubs and surprises in the nominations for the 28th Screen Actors Guild Awards.

From Variety:   At the 2022 / 79th Golden Globes, "The Power of the Dog" wins "Best Motion Picture-Drama" and "West Side Story" wins "Best Motion Picture-Musical or Comedy."

From Variety:  The National Society of Film Critics names the Japanese film, "Drive My Car," the best film of 2021.

From AwardsWatch:  The nominations for the 22nd Annual Black Reel Awards were announced a few weeks ago. Netflix's Black Western, "The Harder They Fall," has a record 20 nominations.  The winners will be announced February 27, 2022.

From AwardsWatch:  The Columbus Film Critics Association announced the nominations for their annual film awards.  Director Jane Campion's "The Power of the Dog" leads with 12 noms.  The winners will be announced Thurs., Jan. 6th, 2022.

From Deadline:  The Los Angeles Film Critics Association has named the Japanese film, "Drive My Car," the "Best Picture" of 2021.

From Deadline:  The 2022 / 37th annual Film Independent Spirit Awards have announced their nominations. "Zola" leads with six nominations. The winners will be announced Sun., March 6, 2022.

From THR:  The 2022 / 79th Golden Globes Awards nominations have been announced.  "Belfast" and "The Power of the Dog" lead with seven nominations each.  Winners will be announced Jan. 9th, 2022.

From GoldDerby:   The 2022 Critics Choice Awards nominations have been announced. "Belfast" and "West Side Story" leads with 11 nominations each. Winners will be announced Jan. 9th, 2022.

From Deadline:   The American Film Institute announced the "2021 AFI Awards" Top 10 list, and the list includes "Dune," "The Tragedy of Macbeth," and "West Side Story."

From THR:  Director Aleem Khan's "After Love" tops the 2021 British Independent Film Awards, winning six awards, including "Best Film of 2021."

From Variety:   The New York Film Critics Circle has named the Japanese drama, "Drive My Car," as the "Best Film of 2021."

From Deadline:  The National Board of Review hands director Paul Thomas Anderson's "Licorice Pizza" it "Best Film" and "Best Director" awards.  Will Smith picks up the "Best Actor" award for "King Richard."

From THR:  Netflix’s "The Lost Daughter," directed by actress Maggie Gyllenhaal, dominated the 2021 Gotham Awards in New York on Monday night (Nov. 29th).  The film won in four of the five categories in which it was nominated, including "Best Feature."

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"RUST" ACCIDENTAL SHOOTING DEATH:

From Deadline:  This link will take you to Deadline's Halyna Hutchins page, which articles related to everything about her shooting death on the set of the Western film, "Rust."

From THR:   A Republican New Mexico legislator, State Sen. Cliff Pirtle of Roswell, on Monday introduced a bill that would require all film set personnel who handle firearms to complete a safety course offered by the New Mexico Game and Fish Department.  This is in the wake a cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, being fatally shot on the set of the Western, "Rust," last year by Alec Baldwin with a weapon he says he thought was not loaded with live ammunition.

From Deadline:  Alec Baldwin and the other producers of the doomed Western film, "Rust," want a California judge to dismiss the lawsuit filed against them by the script supervisor, Mamie Mitchell.

From Deadline:   Alec Baldwin has finally turned over his cell phone to police for their probe into the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Baldwin's Western film, "Rust," last October in New Mexico.

From Variety:  One of the producers of tragic Western film, Rust, Emily Salveson, pushes tax shelters and hid income.

From THR:  "I let go of the hammer and 'Bang,' the gun goes off" says Alec Baldwin says in his first interview of the moment when a gun he was holding accidentally killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the Western film, "Rust."

From Deadline:  Alec Baldwin will sit down with ABC's news-reading clown George Stephanopoulos for a one hour special tomorrow night to talk about what happened on the set of the movie "Rust."  It will be Baldwin’s first extensive interview about the shooting.

From Deadline:  Industry veteran, Thall Reed, the father of Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on the Western, "Rust," may have handed the police a tip on why the film's cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, was shot to death on the set.

From THR:  A search warrant affidavit filed Tuesday for a prop shop sheds light on how alleged live ammunition ended up on the set of the Western film, "Rust," where cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed in October.

From Deadline:  A month after cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, was shot and killed on the New Mexico set the movie Western, "Rust," by a prop gun “discharged” by Alec Baldwin, those closest to the cinematographer held a private ceremony and interred her ashes at an unknown location.

From Deadline:  Actor Daniel Baldwin defends his brother, Alec Baldwin, in the accidental shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film, "Rust."  "Someone loaded that gun improperly," Daniel says.

From Deadline:  The newest lawsuit involving the tragic shooting on the set of the Western film, "Rust," has been filed by the film's script supervisor, Mamie Mitchell, against Alec Baldwin, the producers, the production company, armorer Hanna Gutierrez Reed, and others.

From Deadline:  Serge Svetnoy, the gaffer on "Rust," has filed a lawsuit against several parties related to the film, including the production, the financiers, star Alec Baldwin, armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed, and first Assistant Director David Halls.

From THR:   In the wake of the tragic accidental shooting on the set of his film, "Rust," Alec Baldwin on Monday took to social media to urge Hollywood to employ a police officer on every film and TV set that uses guns.

From THR:   The budget for "Rust" - Alec Baldwin was set to earn $150,000 as lead actor and $100,000 as producer, while $7,913 was earmarked for armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed and $17,500 was set aside for the rental of weapons and $5,000 for rounds.

From Deadline:  Attorneys for Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on the set of the film, "Rust," said that they’re looking into whether a live bullet was placed in a box of dummy rounds with the intent of  “sabotaging the set.”

From THR:   Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on the film, "Rust," released a statement through her lawyers.  She says she had “no idea where the live rounds came from” that were recovered by the Santa Fe County Sheriff's during the investigation of the accidental on-set shooting death of Halyna Hutchins.

From Jacobin:  An opinion piece says that cinematographer Halyna Hutchins' death on the set of the film, "Rust," was not a freak accident, but was about Alec Baldwin and his fellow producers' cost-cutting decisions.  Baldwin accidentally fired the gun that killed Hutchins.

From Deadline:   Two of executive producers on "Rust," Allen Cheney and Emily Salveson, disavow responsibility for the film's troubled production.

From THR:   Iconic "Ghostbusters" actor Ernie Hudson is reeling from the news of the death of Halyna Hutchins, like the rest of Hollywood. Hudson also appeared in the film, "The Crow," the film in which its star, Brandon Lee, was killed because of an on-set accidental shooting.  He also agrees with the call to ban real guns from movie sets.

From THR:  The Sheriff of Sante Fe County says that his office has recovered three guns and 500 rounds of ammunition from the set of the movie "Rust" where cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed.

From Deadline:  Regarding criminal charges in the death of Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film "Rust," District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altweis, "all options are on the table - no one has been ruled out."

From THR:  Does Hollywood Need Guns? Will new regulations lead to an overreactions to a tragedy.

From Deadline:   "Rust" producers have opened an internal investigation into the fatal shooting on the set of the Western film.  They have hired outside lawyers to conduct interviews with the film's production crew.

From Deadline:  "Rust's" AD (assistant director), Dave Halls, has come under scrutiny in the wake of the on-set shooting death of the film's cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins.

From Deadline:  The affidavit of Sante Fe Sheriff's Department Detective Joel Cano has been made public. It can be read at "Deadline."  The affidavit was for a search warrant from the property were the Western, "Rust," was being filmed.

From THR:  The production company behind "Rust" has shut the film down until the police investigation into the fatal, on-set shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins is through.  The Sante Fe County Sheriff's Office has also revealed a timeline of the shooting.

From Deadline:  The Santa Fe Sheriff’s Department confirmed Thursday night that Alec Baldwin “discharged” a prop gun on the New Mexico set of the movie, "Rust."  As a result, one crew member, director of photography Halyna Hutchins, was killed and director Joel Souza was injured and remains in a local hospital - his condition unknown.

From THR:  "Rust" director, Joel Souza, who was wounded in the accidental on-set shooting, says that he is "gutted" by the death of his cinematographer on the film, Halyna Hutchins.

From Deadline:  The fatal shooting on the set of "Rust" may have been "recorded" according to detective for Santa Fe Sheriff's Department.

From Deadline:  The production company behind the film, "Rust," will launch an internal safety review after the fatal accident that killed Halyna Hutchins; possible prior gun incidents; and a camera crew walkout.

From CNN:   Crew member yelled "cold gun" as he handed Alec Baldwin prop weapon, court document shows.

From Variety:  Actor Alec Baldwin releases statement on the death of Halyna Hutchins: "There are no words to convey my shock and sadness."

From Variety:  The prop gun that killed “Rust” cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza on during an on-set accident on Thursday contained a “live single round,” according to an email sent by IATSE Local 44 to its membership.

Review: "Chi-raq" Dares to Be Truly Different

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 17 (of 2020) by Leroy Douresseaux

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

Chi-Raq (2015)
Running time: 127 minutes (2 hours, 7 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong sexual content including dialogue, nudity, language, some violence and drug use
PRODUCER/DIRECTOR:  Spike Lee
WRITERS:  Spike Lee and Kevin Willmott (based on the play by Aristophanes)
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Matthew Libatique
EDITOR:  Ryan Denmark and Hye Mee Na
COMPOSER:  Terence Blanchard

DRAMA/MUSICAL/POLITICS

Starring:  Nick Cannon, Teyonah Parris, Wesley Snipes, Angela Bassett, Samuel L. Jackson, John Cusack, Jennifer Hudson, David Patrick Kelly, D.B. Sweeney, Dave Chappelle, Steve Harris, Harry Lennix, Irma P. Hall, Thomas J. Byrd, Roger Guenveur Smith, and La La Anthony

Chi-Raq is satirical political drama and musical from director Spike Lee.  Set in Chicago, Chi-Raq uses the classical Greek comedy play, Lysistrata (written by Aristophanes), as the basis for a story about the gang violence that is plagues real-world Chicago.  In Chi-Raq, a woman leads a group of like-minded females to challenge the on-going violence in Chicago's Southside.

Lysistrata (Teyonah Parris) dates Demetrius “Chi-Raq” Dupree (Nick Cannon), leader of the Spartans gang (who wear purple).  He is in the middle of an on-going war against the rival gang, the Trojans (who wear orange), lead by Cyclops (Wesley Snipes), who orders a hit on Chi-Raq during a Spartan music concert.

After Chi-Raq (presumably) kills a child with a stray bullet during a shootout, Lysistrata finds herself having to examine her part in the ongoing violence in Chicago's Southside.  Lysistrata organizes a group of women who are associated with male gang members and encourages them to withhold sex from their men until they stop the violence.  Lysistrata's movement challenges the nature of race, sex, and violence in the United States of America, and it begins to spread around the world.  However, as more people go without sex, the movement raises tensions in all of Chicago.

Chi-Raq is another bold stroke of idiosyncratic Spike Lee art.  Lee was Kanye West before Kanye West.  Stubborn and independent from the beginning, Lee remains that way.  Chi-Raq is everything it seems:  political satire, social satire, farce, comedy, Negro spiritual, racial drama, soulful musical, and even a cry in the wilderness to Black folks in America.  “Stop killing ourselves!” Lee screams via his art.  If only it were that simple.

Chi-Raq is film art, beautiful, poignant, brash, colorful – all of it embodied by the full-throated, shameless narration of Samuel L. Jackson's refreshing Dolmedes.  In the end, hopefully, Chi-Raq can be more than art.  Can it initiate social change.  Well, the problems that it depicts and tackles are complicated and ingrained in ways that would have us throw up our hands in surrender if we took time to really think about those problems.

I can hope for the best, but in the meantime, I can appreciate a filmmaker who really deserves to be called a “visionary,” Spike Lee.  Chi-Raq is a testament to his imagination.

9 of 10
A+

Friday, September 2, 2016


NOTES:
2016 Black Reel Awards:  1 win: “Outstanding Actress, Motion Picture” (Teyonah Parris); 6 nominations: “Outstanding Motion Picture” (Spike Lee), “Outstanding Supporting Actress, Motion Picture” (Angela Bassett), “Outstanding Director, Motion Picture” (Spike Lee), “Outstanding Ensemble” (Kim Coleman-Casting Director), “Outstanding Score” (Terence Blanchard), and “Outstanding Original or Adapted Screenplay, Motion Picture” (Spike Lee and Kevin Willmott)

2016 Image Awards:  4 nominations: “Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture” (Teyonah Parris), “Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture” (Angela Bassett), “Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture” (Jennifer Hudson), and “Outstanding Independent Motion Picture”


The text is copyright © 2016 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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BET Celebrates Michelle Obama and Rashida & Quincy Jones in December

BET Celebrates Black Excellence with Two Uplifting Specials Premiering in December

“A THOUSAND WORDS WITH MICHELLE OBAMA” Premieres on Wednesday, December 5 AT 9PM ET

“Q85: A MUSICAL CELEBRATION FOR QUINCY JONES” Premieres on Sunday, December 9 AT 8PM ET

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BET Networks is set to premiere two powerful specials in December, embracing the holiday spirit that uplifts and celebrates black excellence. “A THOUSAND WORDS WITH MICHELLE OBAMA” premieres on Wednesday, December 5,2018 at 9PM ET and “Q85: A MUSICAL CELEBRATION FOR QUINCY JONES” will air on Sunday, December 9, 2018 at 8PM ET.

“A THOUSAND WORDS WITH MICHELLE OBAMA” is an empowering new one-hour special featuring former First Lady Michelle Obama in candid conversation with former Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama Valerie Jarrett at the Leading Women Defined symposium at the St. Regis hotel in Miami, FL. The women discuss a range of topics as Michelle Obama shares words of uplift, stories of sisterhood, the importance of self-care and her marked growth through her husband’s eight years in office.

Tune in to the captivating conversation with the Former First Lady as she shares anecdotes and salient advice from her worldwide bestselling autobiography, Becoming. “A THOUSAND WORDS WITH MICHELLE OBAMA” premieres Wednesday, December 5 at 9 PM ET/PT on BET.

WATCH & SHARE: Please see exclusive clips from the highly anticipated special below. Additional assets and photos are available at: BET Press Room.

Michelle Obama on confidence and identity, “I always laugh when people ask, ‘how did you figure out how to be the First Lady?’”: https://youtu.be/YsrQciMbUsQ

…On sisterhood, “When I meet good women, hold on to them and don’t compete with them”: https://youtu.be/zYrg_ov0mOs

…On “sharing your shine”: https://youtu.be/JYyP_HsVkLc

…On self-care, “You’re worthy of a quality of life…why do you think you deserve to live a grind…to only leave yourself the crumbs of your day?”: https://youtu.be/pxY4RLeybY4

For photos and exclusive assets from BET Presents: “Q85: A Musical Celebration for Quincy Jones,” please visit BET Press Room.

For any broadcast requests for the above content via downloadable link, please contact Melissa.Nyarko@bet.net.

“Q85: A MUSICAL CELEBRATION FOR QUINCY JONES” is a star-studded evening that celebrates the life and legacy of the icon. Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, Brian McKnight, John Legend, Gloria Estefan, Emily Estefan, Fantasia, Charlie Wilson, Jennifer Hudson, Ne-Yo, Meghan Trainor, Patti Austin, Yolanda Adams, Ledisi, Cynthia Erivo, and Gregory Porter all hit the stage to pay tribute to Mr. Jones performing his classic works in this nostalgic musical special. Additionally, Oprah Winfrey, Will Smith, Danny Glover, Usher Raymond, Dave Chappelle, LL Cool J, Rashida Jones, Ludacris, and Aloe Blacc share their personal stories of how Quincy has impacted them throughout the years.


ABOUT BET NETWORKS:
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from January 21st to 31st, 2018 - Update #33

Support Leroy on Patreon.

STREAMING - From TVfanatic:  DC Comics/Entertainment's still unnamed streaming service has ordered a series set in Superman's base city of operations, Metropolis, before Superman arrived.

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MOVIES - From ThePlaylist:  Denzel Washington to direct "A Journal for Jordan."

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 1/26 to 1/28/2018 weekend box office is "Maze Runner: The Death Cure" with an estimated box office haul of $23.5 million.

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GRAMMYS - From Variety:  This page is a winners list that is being updated during the ceremony.

From YahooEntertaiment:  Bruno Mars has a magical night at the 60th Grammy Awards winning in all six categories in which he was nominated, including in the big three categories:  Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Record of the Year.

From YahooMusic:  The highs and lows of the 2018 Grammy Awards, according to Yahoo Music's Chris Willman.

From HollywoodLife:   Jay-Z lost every Grammy category in which he was nominated - 8 categories - and his fans are upset.

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MOVIES - From GuardianUK:  Steven Spielberg said the urgency to make "The Post," his Oscar-nominated film, was President Trump.

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MUSIC - From Deadline:  Aretha Franklin has chosen Oscar-winning actress and Grammy-winning singer, Jennifer Hudson, to portray her in MGM's upcoming biopic about Franklin.

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SCANDAL - From THR:  Three more women accuse Emmy-winning actor, Jeremy Piven, of sexual misconduct.  Since November of 2017, five other women have accused Piven of various forms of sexual misconduct and harassment.

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GRAMMYS - From Variety:   A complete list of 2018 Grammy Awards nominees.

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TELEVISION - From YahooSports:  ESPN sports personality Jemele Hill is leaving ESPN's "SportsCenter" to work at ESPN's "The Undefeated," which focuses on culture and race.

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TELEVISION - From YahooEntertainment:  Actress Alley Mills, who played the mother on ABC's late "The Wonder Years" (1988 to 1993), says that the show was cancelled because of what she calls a baseless sexual harassment lawsuit.

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CULTURE - From Wired:  "The Dirty War Over Diversity Inside Google."

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COMICS-FILM - From PageSix:  First photos of Brie Larson in Captain Marvel costume.

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ANIMATION - From THR:  Warner Animation Group is looking to make an animated feature film based on "The Cat in the Hat."  It is part of a deal Warner Animation has signed with Dr. Seuss Enterprises.

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TELEVISION - From THR:  Classic CBS television series, "Murphy Brown" (1988 to 1998) is returning to CBS in 2018-19 with thirteen new episodes.  The star of the series, Candice Bergen, and series creator, Diane English, are reportedly returning.

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OSCARS - From Variety:  Oscar nominations - 2018 - the complete list.

From Variety:  NBA legend and former Los Angeles Laker, Kobe Bryant, shares an Oscar nomination with Glen Keane for the animated short film, "Dear Basketball."

From THR:  Greta Gerwig became the fifth woman to receive an Oscar nomination for "Best Director."  She earned the nod for her acclaimed film, "Lady Bird."

From Variety:  2018 Oscar snubs and surprises.

From Variety:  Meryl Streeps breaks her own Oscar nominations record. Her nomination as "Best Actress" for "The Post" is her 21st and is the most by a performer.

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COMICS-FILM - From BleedingCool:  Gary Oldman wants to be in a Marvel Studios movie.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  The nominees for the 38th annual Razzie Awards have been announced.  The "Razzies" make note or what the voters thinks are the worst films and performers of the year.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle" is the winner of the 1/19 to 1/21/2018 weekend box office with an estimated total $20 million.  This is its third straight week at No. 1.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Jordan Peele Says It Feels Like “We’re In The Sunken Place” Right Now – PGA Awards

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TELEVISION - From TheVillageVoice:  The Voice's Lara Zarum talks about Ryan Murphy's "The Assassination of Gianni Versace" (FX).

----------
POLITICS - From TheGuardian:  Noted Oscar-nominated and Golden Globe-winning actress Kathleen Turner writes, "Trump’s judges threaten reproductive rights for generations to come"

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COMICS-FILM - From BleedingCool:  A young Barack Obama may appear in "Legends of Tomorrow" Season 3.

----------
MOVIES - From ThePlaylist:  Steven Spielberg's next films may be a fifth "Indiana Jones" movie and a new film version of the classic Broadway musical, "West Side Story."  The 1961 film won the Oscar for "Best Picture."

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COMICS - From BleedingCool:  Dynamite Entertainment will produce a comic book based on the "Jeepers Creepers" film franchise.

OBITS:

From ConsortiumNews:  Robert Parry, the editor and publisher of Consortiumnews.com died at the age of 68, Saturday, January 27, 2018.

From Billboard:  R&B singer Denise LaSalle died at the age of 78, Tuesday, January 9, 2018.  She had a string of hits in the from the 1970s to the early 1980s.  LaSalle's first hit was the song, "Trapped By a Thing Called Love," which topped the R&B charts and made it to #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1971, eventually being certified gold for sale of 1 million.

From SkiMagazine:  The pioneering ski filmmaker, Warren Miller, has died at the age of 93, Wednesday, January 24, 2018.  He is credited with directing over 50 films, beginning with "Deep and Light" in 1950.

From NYTimes:  The beloved science fiction and fantasy author, Ursula K. Le Guin, has died at the age of 88, Monday, January 22, 2018.  Her most famous works are the Earthsea series and the novel, "The Left Hand of Darkness."

From Billboard:  South African jazz musician, Hugh Masekela, has died at the age of 78, Tuesday, January 23, 2018.  Considered a legend, Masekela was often called the "Father of South African jazz."  He collaborated with American musicians such as Harry Belafonte, Paul Simon, and Herb Albert.  His best known musical number may be 1968's "Grazing in the Grass."

Tyrese Gibson is Festival Ambassador at 2015 Urbanworld Film Festival

Urbanworld Film Festival Announces Tyrese Gibson as Festival Ambassador and Adds Shame to 2015 Festival Line-up

Urbanworld Digital, hosted by HBO, Announces Line-Up

Nation’s Premiere Showcase for Multicultural Cinema to Be Held in New York September 23 – 27, 2015

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The 19th Annual Urbanworld Film Festival (www.urbanworld.org), presented by BET Networks with founding sponsor HBO, announced the addition of the world premiere of Shame to its slate on Saturday, September 26, 2015 at 6:30pm at Manhattan's AMC Empire 25 on 234 West 42nd Street.

    “We are proud to support Urbanworld Digital, as it provides a unique opportunity to connect diverse content creators and industry influencers within the rapidly evolving digital landscape.”

Tyrese Gibson and Academy Award® winner Jennifer Hudson star in Shame, a Paul Hunter film produced by Denzel Washington. In the short film written by Gibson, up-and-coming soul singer Lionel Jacobs (played by Gibson) is working the nightclub scene, trying to climb to the top of the charts while married to his background singer Bobbi Ann (played by Hudson). He wants to do right by his wife and their children but, his struggle with drugs and alcohol test the strength of his fidelity and their relationship. A conversation with Gibson will follow the screening.

Gibson will also serve as the ambassador for this year’s festival. “I'm honored to serve as the ambassador of the 2015 Urbanworld Film Festival and to premiere my short film Shame in such a creative and exciting environment. I strive to create art across all mediums that supports and showcases our diverse landscape and Urbanworld is the perfect partner as they actively and significantly do the same. I'm thrilled to join the filmmakers showcasing their projects at the festival as we inspire, encourage and excite others through film.” says Gibson.

Also confirmed to participate in the festival, ABC News Correspondent Deborah Roberts will moderate the panel discussion with prima ballerina Misty Copeland and Nelson George from the closing night film A Ballerina’s Tale on Saturday, September 26, 2015. Gbenga Akinnagbe and Tai Beauchamp will host the festival’s invitation-only awards brunch. Academy Award® winner Geoffrey Fletcher, Orange Is The New Black’s Selenis Leyva, Raven-Symoné, Loretta Devine, Lamman Rucker, Angie Martinez, Bevy Smith and Omari Hardwick are also confirmed to attend the week-long events.

Urbanworld Digital, presented by HBO since 2010, is a day dedicated to exploring the intersection of digital technology and content creation by exposing its audiences to the innovation and opportunities that exist. This year, the series of panels, presentations and conversations will be on Thursday, September 24 from 12 noon until 6:00 pm. Festival filmmakers and digital influencers, as well as a mix of executives, entrepreneurs and content creators seeking ideas on how to best leverage digital platforms to amplify their work on both the creative and business sides of the industry are invited. “HBO recognizes the importance of technology as it relates to content creation, distribution and multicultural audiences,” said Dennis Williams, Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility at HBO. “We are proud to support Urbanworld Digital, as it provides a unique opportunity to connect diverse content creators and industry influencers within the rapidly evolving digital landscape.” Session curators include HBO Now, Global Grind, Time Warner, The Virtual Reality Company, NBCUniversal and Urban Movie Channel (UMC). UMC will curate A Conversation with Bob Johnson, RLJ Entertainment Chairman and BET Founder.

This year's Urbanworld Music will include partnerships with New York's finest music masters via a series of parties curated by some of the best DJ’s in New York City. Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Garcia will appear on Thursday, September 24 and DJ Moma of Everyday People will lead the festivities on Friday, September 25. E.Z. Mo Breezy of Saturday Morning Cartoons fame will co-host on Saturday, September 26. www.urbanworld.org/music includes a full list of the events.

BET Networks will review the finalist scripts for the best screenplay competition with consideration for potential development at the network and a $5,000 award to the winner. The four scripts selected as finalists include four female writers—Are They Dead Yet? written by Inda Craig-Galván, Bleeding Sunshine written by Yaa Boaa Aning, Chasing Jeremy written by Mary McCallum and Y Los Hipsters Que written by Yohanna Baez. A live screenplay reading event will be hosted by BET Networks in partnership with WGA East, where an ensemble of actors will perform a selected scene from each finalist’s script in front of an audience.

Along with presenting sponsor BET Networks and founding sponsor HBO, key supporters of Urbanworld Film Festival include premiere sponsors Comcast NBCUniversal Telemundo and Time Warner. Industry Circle supporters are Fox Audience Strategy, Fox Global Directors Initiative, Interactive One, MoviePass, RLJ Entertainment, Urban Movie Channel, The Swirl Group, Directors Guild of America, Writers Guild of America and AMC Entertainment. In addition, Urbanworld collaborates with a myriad of media, promotional and community partners.

For the complete slate of films, film synopsis, ticket information, complete list of sponsors and the most up to date full daily schedule of films and events for the nation’s largest competitive multicultural film festival, September 23-27, 2015 in New York, visit www.urbanworld.org and @UWFilmFest on Twitter.


ABOUT URBANWORLD® FILM FESTIVAL
The Urbanworld® Film Festival, founded in 1997 by Stacy Spikes, is the largest internationally competitive festival of its kind. The five-day festival includes narrative features, documentaries, short films, spotlight screenings, events, live staged screenplay readings, the Urbanworld® Digital track focused on digital and social media panels and workshops and Urbanworld Music, which highlights emerging talent in live performances during after party events. Over the last 19 years, Hollywood studios, indie film distributors, and established and emerging filmmakers have consistently chosen Urbanworld® to premiere box office and award-winning hits. Urbanworld® has also provided a platform for some of today's leading brands seeking to reach key influencers across the industry and within the consumer marketplace. The Urbanworld® Film Festival is an initiative of the Urbanworld® Foundation Inc., a nonprofit organization that endeavors to consistently manifest its mission of redefining and advancing the presence and impact of the multicultural community in cinema and cross-platform media. By implementing initiatives that actively support and develop content creators of color, Urbanworld significantly contributes to the evolution of the media and entertainment landscape and the diversity that it reflects. Gabrielle Glore serves as Festival Director for the Urbanworld Film Festival. The festival website is www.urbanworld.org.

ABOUT BET NETWORKS
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; Centric, the first network dedicated to Black women; BET Digital Networks - BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

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Amazon Studios Acquires Spike Lee's New Film, "Chi-Raq"

Amazon Studios Announces Spike Lee’s Chi-Raq as First-Ever Amazon Original Movie

Film features Nick Cannon, Wesley Snipes, Jennifer Hudson, Teyonah Parris, D.B. Sweeney, Harry Lennix, Steve Harris, Angela Bassett with John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(NASDAQ:AMZN)–Amazon Studios today announced that Spike Lee’s next major film (working title, Chi-Raq) is the first-ever Amazon Original Movie produced. Chi-Raq will feature Nick Cannon, Wesley Snipes, Jennifer Hudson, Teyonah Parris, D.B. Sweeney, Harry Lennix, Steve Harris, Angela Bassett with John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson. In what will be her breakout-starring role, Teyonah Parris will play the central lead character. Chi-Raq was shot entirely in Chicago and wrapped last week.

    “I’m honored to be part of the film that will launch Amazon Studios and to tell a story that is so important. Please don’t be fooled by the title of Chi-Raq, this new Spike Lee joint will be something very special. We have assembled a stellar cast”

Written by both the critically acclaimed filmmaker Spike Lee (Do The Right Thing), and writer/director Kevin Willmott (C.S.A.: Confederate States Of America), and directed by Lee, Chi-Raq will shed light on the serious, but often overlooked issue of violence in inner city Chicago.

“Spike Lee is one of the most distinct and visionary filmmakers of our time,” said Ted Hope, Head of Motion Picture Production at Amazon Studios. “It would be impossible to find a better filmmaker with whom to launch our studio. He has a unique voice, a distinct eye, and he tackles important subjects with humor and heart, pointing to solutions and not exploiting the problems. Chi-Raq may be his greatest, and definitely his boldest film yet—everything about it is distinctive.”

“I’m honored to be part of the film that will launch Amazon Studios and to tell a story that is so important. Please don’t be fooled by the title of Chi-Raq, this new Spike Lee joint will be something very special. We have assembled a stellar cast,” said Spike Lee.

Bob Berney, Head of Marketing and Distribution at Amazon Studios, explained, “For Chi-Raq, and for future projects, we will collaborate with a top-tier theatrical distributor who shares our vision and passion. We will work together to craft bold and distinctive marketing and distribution approaches for all our films.”

First announced in January, Amazon Original Movies is an initiative by Amazon to produce and acquire original movies for theatrical release and early window distribution exclusively for Prime members. With creative development and production headed up by independent film visionary Ted Hope, Amazon Original Movies focuses on unique stories, voices, and characters from top and up-and-coming creators. Bob Berney recently joined the Amazon Original Movies team to lead theatrical distribution and marketing efforts and will be managing third-party distributors.

Amazon Original Movies will join Amazon Original Series such as Catastrophe, Bosch, Mozart in the Jungle, Alpha House and multi-Golden Globe winner Transparent, all available exclusively on Amazon for Prime members. Also premiering this fall are new Amazon Original series Hand of God, Red Oaks, and The Man in the High Castle.


About Amazon Instant Video
Amazon Instant Video offers Amazon Prime members instant access to stream tens of thousands of movies and TV episodes, including award-winning Amazon Original Series, available at no additional cost. New release movies and current TV shows are available for rent or purchase.

Prime members can enjoy binge-worthy TV shows including Amazon Original Series airing now such as the multi-Golden Globe-winning series Transparent, the hour-long drama Bosch, based on Michael Connelly’s best-selling books, the Roman Coppola and Jason Schwartzman comedy, Mozart in the Jungle, and the comedy created by and starring Rob Delaney and Sharon Horgan, Catastrophe, in addition to HBO favorites like The Sopranos, True Blood and Girls, and popular primetime series including 24, Downton Abbey, Extant, Falling Skies, Grimm, Hannibal, Justified, Orphan Black, Teen Wolf, The Americans, and Under the Dome. Prime members also have access to a collection of kids shows now airing including Amazon Original Series Annedroids, Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street and the Annecy, Annie and multi-Emmy Award-winning Tumble Leaf, as well as popular shows from Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. including SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer, Team Umizoomi, and Blue’s Clues. In addition to tens of thousands of titles to instantly stream, the Amazon Prime membership (www.amazon.com/prime) includes more than one million songs, more than a thousand playlists and hundreds of stations through Prime Music, unlimited Free Two-Day Shipping on millions of items, early access to select Lightning Deals, unlimited photo storage with Amazon Photos, and access to borrow from more than 800,000 books for Kindle owners–all for $99 a year.

Customers can watch movies and TV shows with the Amazon Video app. The Amazon Video app is available on hundreds of devices including Amazon Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, Roku, smart TVs and Blu-ray players from Samsung, Sony, LG, and Panasonic, the Xbox, PlayStation, and Wii game consoles, as well as on mobile devices like Fire tablets, Fire phone, iPhone, iPad, and Android tablets and phones. Customers can also watch online at Amazon.com/AIV.

Comprehensive cast and crew information, including bios and filmographies, is available on Amazon’s IMDb (www.imdb.com), the world’s most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content.

About Amazon
Amazon.com opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995. The company is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire phone, Fire tablets, Fire TV, and Amazon Echo are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon.

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Jennifer Hudson to Sing at 87th Oscars

Oscar® Winner Jennifer Hudson To Perform At 87th Oscars®

Oscar and Grammy-winning singer and actress Jennifer Hudson will be performing on the 87th Oscars, show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announced today. The Oscars, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, will air on Sunday, February 22, 2015 live on ABC.

"We're creating several musical sequences for the Oscars and we couldn't be happier that our friend, Jennifer Hudson, will be performing in one of them," says Zadan and Meron.

Hudson won the Oscar for Actress in a Supporting Role for the 2006 film “Dreamgirls.” Her other acting credits include “Sex and the City” (2008), “The Secret Life of Bees” (2008), “Winnie Mandela” (2013) and “The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete” (2013). Hudson’s self-titled debut album won the 2008 Grammy Award for Best R&B Album and was certified Gold, as was her second album, “I Remember Me.” This year she was nominated for Best R&B Performance for the song “It’s Your World,” from her 2014 album, “JHUD.”

The 87th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 22, 2015, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live on the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. The Oscars, produced by Zadan and Meron, also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

2015 NAACP Image Award Nominations - Recording and Literature Categories

The 2015 NAACP Image Awards will be presented in a 2-hour special that will air live on Friday, February 6, 2015 on TV One at 9pm ET/8CT (tape-delayed for PT – Pacific Time).  The ceremony will be preceded by a one-hour pre-show, which will air live from the red carpet at 8pm ET/7CT (PT tape-delayed).

Nominees in the Recording and Literature categories for the 2015 / 46TH NAACP Image Awards:

RECORDING

Outstanding New Artist
• 3 Winans Brothers (BMG)
• Aloe Blacc (XIX Recordings/Interscope Records)
• Erica Campbell (My Block Inc./eOne Music)
• Jhene Aiko (Def Jam Recordings)
• Liv Warfield (Kobalt Label Services)

Outstanding Male Artist
• John Legend (Columbia Records)
• Kem (Motown - Capitol)
• Kendrick Lamar (Interscope Records)
• Michael Jackson (Epic Records)
• Pharrell Williams (Columbia Records)

Outstanding Female Artist
• Alicia Keys (RCA Records)
• Beyoncé (Columbia Records)
• Jennifer Hudson (RCA Records)
• Ledisi (Verve Records)
• Mary J Blige (Capitol)

Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration
• "Being With You" - Smokey Robinson feat. Mary J Blige (Verve)
• "Brand New" - Pharrell Williams feat. Justin Timberlake (Columbia Records)
• "Gust of Wind" - Pharrell Williams feat. Daft Punk (Columbia Records)
• "Love, Marriage & Divorce" - Toni Braxton & Babyface (Def Jam Recordings)
• "Stay with Me" - Sam Smith feat. Mary J Blige (Capitol)

Outstanding Jazz Album
• "Beautiful Life" - Dianne Reeves (Concord)
• "Dave Koz and Friends: The 25th of December" - Dave Koz (Concord Records)
• "Living My Dream" - Jonathan Butler (Rendezvous Music)
• "My Old Friend: Celebrating George Duke" - Al Jarreau (Concord)
• "Up" - Stanley Clarke (Mack Avenue Records)

Outstanding Gospel Album - (Traditional or Contemporary)
• "Duets" - Donnie McClurkin (RCA Inspiration)
• "Help" - Erica Campbell (My Block Inc./eOne Music)
• "I Will Trust" - Fred Hammond (RCA Inspiration)
• "Journey To Freedom" - Michelle Williams (eOne Music)
• "Where My Heart Belongs" - Gladys Knight (Shadow Mountain Records)

Outstanding Music Video
• "i" - Kendrick Lamar (TDE/Interscope)
• "It's You" - KEM (Motown - Capitol)
• "Love Never Felt So Good" - Michael Jackson feat. Justin Timberlake (Epic Records)
• "Pretty Hurts" - Beyoncé (Columbia Records)
• "You & I (Nobody in the World)" - John Legend (Columbia Records)

Outstanding Song
• "Good Kisser" - Usher (RCA Records)
• "i" - Kendrick Lamar (TDE/Interscope)
• "Pretty Hurts" - Beyoncé (Columbia Records)
• "The Man" - Aloe Blacc (Interscope Records)
• "We Are Here" - Alicia Keys (RCA Records)

Outstanding Album
• "Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics" - Aretha Franklin (RCA Records)
• "Beyoncé Platinum Edition" - Beyoncé (Columbia Records)
• "G I R L" - Pharrell Williams (Columbia Records)
• "JHUD" - Jennifer Hudson (RCA Records)
• "Love, Marriage & Divorce" - Toni Braxton & Babyface (Def Jam Recordings)


LITERATURE

Outstanding Literary Work - Fiction
• "A Wanted Woman" - Eric Jerome Dickey (Penguin Random House)
• "An Untamed State" - Roxane Gay (Grove/Atlantic - Black Cat)
• "Another Woman's Man" - Shelly Ellis (Kensington Publishing Corp.)
• "Momma: Gone" - Nina Foxx (Brown Girls Publishing)
• "The Prodigal Son" - Kimberla Lawson Roby (Grand Central Publishing/Hachette Book Group)

Outstanding Literary Work - Non-Fiction
• "Bad Feminist" - Roxane Gay (Harper Perennial/HarperCollins)
• "Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption" - Bryan Stevenson (Spiegel & Grau)
• "Place not Race: A New Vision of Opportunity in America" - Sheryll Cashin (Beacon Press)
• "The Bill of the Century: The Epic Battle for the Civil Rights Act" - Clay Risen (Bloomsbury Press)
• "Who We Be: The Colorization of America" - Jeff Chang (St. Martin's Press)

Outstanding Literary Work - Debut Author
• "Forty Acres" - Dwayne Alexander Smith (Atria Books)
• "Queen Sugar" - Natalie Baszile (Pamela Dorman Books/Penguin Random House)
• "Remedy For A Broken Angel" - Toni Ann Johnson (Nortia Press)
• "The 16th Minute of Fame: An Insider's Guide for Maintaining Success Beyond 15 Minutes of Fame" - Darrell Miller (Dunham Books)
• "Time of the Locust" - Morowa Yejide (Atria Books)

Outstanding Literary Work - Biography/ Auto-Biography
• "Breaking Ground: My Life in Medicine" - Louis Sullivan with David Chanoff (University of Georgia Press)
• "Handbook for an Unpredictable Life: How I Survived Sister Renata and My Crazy Mother, and Still Came Out Smiling (with Great Hair)" - Rosie Perez (Crown Archetype)
• "Life In Motion" - Misty Copeland (Touchstone)
• "Mayor for Life" - Marion Barry, Omar Tyree (Strebor Books)
• "Stand Up Straight and Sing!" - Jessye Norman (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

Outstanding Literary Work - Instructional
• "10-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse" - JJ Smith (Atria Books/Simon & Schuster)
• "101 Scholarship Applications: What It Takes to Obtain a Debt-Free College Education" - Gwen Richardson (Cushcity Communications)
• "Afro-Vegan: Farm-Fresh African, Caribbean, and Southern Flavors Remixed" – Bryant Terry (Ten Speed Press)
• "Justice While Black: Helping African-American Families Navigate and Survive the Criminal Justice System" - Robbin Shipp, Nick Chiles (Agate Bolden)
• "Promises Kept: Raising Black Boys to Succeed in School and in Life" - Joe Brewster, Michele Stephenson, Hilary Beard (Spiegel & Grau)

Outstanding Literary Work - Poetry
• "Citizen: An American Lyric" - Claudia Rankine (Graywolf Press)
• "Digest" - Gregory Pardlo (Four Way Books)
• "The New Testament" - Jericho Brown (Copper Canyon Press)
• "The Poetry of Derek Walcott 1948-2013" - Derek Walcott, Selected by Glyn Maxwell (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
• "We Didn't Know Any Gangsters" - Brian Gilmore (Cherry Castle Publishing, LLC)

Outstanding Literary Work - Children
• "Beautiful Moon" - Tonya Bolden (Author), Eric Velasquez (Illustrator) (Abrams/Abrams Books for Young Readers)
• "Dork Diaries 8: Tales From A Note-So-Happily Ever After" - Rachel Renee Russell with Nikki Russell and Erin Russell (Simon & Schuster)
• "Little Melba and Her Big Trombone" - Katheryn Russell-Brown (Author), Frank Morrison (Illustrator) (Lee & Low Books)
• "Malcolm Little" - Ilyasah Shabazz (Author), AG Ford (Illustrator) (Simon & Schuster)
• "Searching for Sarah Rector" - Tonya Bolden (Abrams/Abrams Books for Young Readers)

Outstanding Literary Work - Youth/Teens
• "Because They Marched: The People's Campaign for Voting Rights That Changed America" - Russell Freedman (Holiday House)
• "Brown Girl Dreaming" - Jacqueline Woodson (Nancy Paulsen Books)
• "Revolution" - Deborah Wiles (Scholastic Press)
• "The Freedom Summer Murders" - Don Mitchell (Scholastic Press)
• "The Red Pencil" - Andrea Davis Pinkney (Author), Shane Evans (Illustrator) (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)

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