When California State University Northridge’s head of film production Nate Thomas came to visit one of his first students, Paul Hunter, on the set of the new David Oyelowo-starring Apple TV Plus series “Government Cheese,” the Northridge alum and show co-creator could be heard boasting about his time in the program.
After learning to tell stories at Csun, Hunter spun a renowned career directing music videos for Beyonce and U2, among others, into helming Bacardi spots with Michael B. Jordan and Cannes Golden Lion-winning campaigns for Nike. Much of that has been through PrettyBird, a Hollywood commercial house he co-founded and uses in part to help foster and launch the careers of other underrepresented voices. “It all started at Northridge,” Thomas says. “We do filmmaking not just for the privileged. We make it for all people who have a story to tell.”
Since 2016, the Hispanic-serving institution’s film...
After learning to tell stories at Csun, Hunter spun a renowned career directing music videos for Beyonce and U2, among others, into helming Bacardi spots with Michael B. Jordan and Cannes Golden Lion-winning campaigns for Nike. Much of that has been through PrettyBird, a Hollywood commercial house he co-founded and uses in part to help foster and launch the careers of other underrepresented voices. “It all started at Northridge,” Thomas says. “We do filmmaking not just for the privileged. We make it for all people who have a story to tell.”
Since 2016, the Hispanic-serving institution’s film...
- 4/25/2024
- by Abbey White
- Variety Film + TV
Rule Number One: Never go on a private island with a billionaire you don’t know.
On Tuesday, Amazon MGM Studios released the trailer for Blink Twice, the directorial debut of Zoë Kravitz out Aug. 23, starring Channing Tatum as tech billionaire Slater King, who lures women to a creepy private island.
The trailer shows Naomi Ackie, a cocktail waitress named Friday, and Alia Shawkat being brought to the luxurious island where “things begin to go wrong,” according to a synopsis. The trailer starts with Tatum stating, “So… everybody is dead.
On Tuesday, Amazon MGM Studios released the trailer for Blink Twice, the directorial debut of Zoë Kravitz out Aug. 23, starring Channing Tatum as tech billionaire Slater King, who lures women to a creepy private island.
The trailer shows Naomi Ackie, a cocktail waitress named Friday, and Alia Shawkat being brought to the luxurious island where “things begin to go wrong,” according to a synopsis. The trailer starts with Tatum stating, “So… everybody is dead.
- 4/23/2024
- by Tomás Mier
- Rollingstone.com
Channing Tatum takes on the role of a tech billionaire who lures people to his private island in the trailer for Blink Twice, Zoë Kravitz’s directorial debut.
The lengthy look at the film begins with Tatum’s Slater King announcing amusingly that everyone’s dead and then backtracking to start at the beginning. In the flashback, he introduces his posse of friends to Naomi Ackie’s Frida before inviting her and her friend Jess, portrayed by Alia Shawkat, to his private island.
“Did we just jet off to a billionaire’s island with a bunch of strangers?” Jess asks Frida, who replies, “No, he’s not a stranger. He’s Slater King.”
Over the course of the trailer, the ladies relish in the luxuries of Slater King’s life, like champagne and amazing food, while Jess jokes that there will be human sacrifice. As more time goes by, the...
The lengthy look at the film begins with Tatum’s Slater King announcing amusingly that everyone’s dead and then backtracking to start at the beginning. In the flashback, he introduces his posse of friends to Naomi Ackie’s Frida before inviting her and her friend Jess, portrayed by Alia Shawkat, to his private island.
“Did we just jet off to a billionaire’s island with a bunch of strangers?” Jess asks Frida, who replies, “No, he’s not a stranger. He’s Slater King.”
Over the course of the trailer, the ladies relish in the luxuries of Slater King’s life, like champagne and amazing food, while Jess jokes that there will be human sacrifice. As more time goes by, the...
- 4/23/2024
- by Christy Piña
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The official trailer for Zoë Kravitz’s directorial feature debut, Blink Twice has just been released, and you can check it out above.
Synopsis: When tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum) meets cocktail waitress Frida (Naomi Ackie) at his fundraising gala, sparks fly. He invites her to join him and his friends on a dream vacation on his private island. It’s paradise. Wild nights blend into sun soaked days and everyone’s having a great time. No one wants this trip to end, but as strange things start to happen, Frida begins to question her reality. There is something wrong with this place. She’ll have to uncover the truth if she wants to make it out of this party alive.
About The Film
Genre: Suspense, Horror, Drama Starring: Naomi Ackie, Channing Tatum, Christian Slater, Simon Rex, Adria Arjona, Kyle MacLachlan, Haley Joel Osment, with Geena Davis and Alia Shawkat...
Synopsis: When tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum) meets cocktail waitress Frida (Naomi Ackie) at his fundraising gala, sparks fly. He invites her to join him and his friends on a dream vacation on his private island. It’s paradise. Wild nights blend into sun soaked days and everyone’s having a great time. No one wants this trip to end, but as strange things start to happen, Frida begins to question her reality. There is something wrong with this place. She’ll have to uncover the truth if she wants to make it out of this party alive.
About The Film
Genre: Suspense, Horror, Drama Starring: Naomi Ackie, Channing Tatum, Christian Slater, Simon Rex, Adria Arjona, Kyle MacLachlan, Haley Joel Osment, with Geena Davis and Alia Shawkat...
- 4/23/2024
- by Editor
- CinemaNerdz
Amazon MGM Studios has revealed the official trailer for Blink Twice, the upcoming thriller directed by Zoë Kravitz, in her directorial debut.
Written by Kravitz and E.T. Feigenbaum, the film will be released theatrically on August 23, 2024. The MPA has not yet rated it.
When tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum) meets cocktail waitress Frida (Naomi Ackie) at his fundraising gala, sparks fly. He invites her to join him and his friends on a dream vacation on his private island. It’s paradise. Wild nights blend into sun-soaked days, and everyone’s having a great time.
No one wants this trip to end, but as strange things start to happen, Frida begins to question her reality. There is something wrong with this place. She’ll have to uncover the truth if she wants to make it out of this party alive.
Blink Twice also stars Christian Slater, Simon Rex, Adria Arjona,...
Written by Kravitz and E.T. Feigenbaum, the film will be released theatrically on August 23, 2024. The MPA has not yet rated it.
When tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum) meets cocktail waitress Frida (Naomi Ackie) at his fundraising gala, sparks fly. He invites her to join him and his friends on a dream vacation on his private island. It’s paradise. Wild nights blend into sun-soaked days, and everyone’s having a great time.
No one wants this trip to end, but as strange things start to happen, Frida begins to question her reality. There is something wrong with this place. She’ll have to uncover the truth if she wants to make it out of this party alive.
Blink Twice also stars Christian Slater, Simon Rex, Adria Arjona,...
- 4/23/2024
- by Mirko Parlevliet
- Vital Thrills
A few months ago, Amazon MGM announced that they will be giving the thriller Pussy Island a global theatrical release on August 23rd – but, to the shock and surprise of no one, they also changed the title, dropping the Pussy and renaming the film Blink Twice. With the release date now exactly four months away, a trailer for Blink Twice has arrived online, and you can check it out in the embed above.
The feature directorial debut of Zoë Kravitz, who played Catwoman in The Batman, the film will follow Frida, a young, clever, Los Angeles cocktail waitress who has her eyes set on the prize: philanthropist and tech mogul Slater King. When she skillfully maneuvers her way into King’s inner circle and ultimately an intimate gathering on his private island, she is ready for a journey of a lifetime. Despite the epic setting, beautiful people, ever-flowing champagne and late-night dance parties,...
The feature directorial debut of Zoë Kravitz, who played Catwoman in The Batman, the film will follow Frida, a young, clever, Los Angeles cocktail waitress who has her eyes set on the prize: philanthropist and tech mogul Slater King. When she skillfully maneuvers her way into King’s inner circle and ultimately an intimate gathering on his private island, she is ready for a journey of a lifetime. Despite the epic setting, beautiful people, ever-flowing champagne and late-night dance parties,...
- 4/23/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Amazon MGM Studios has unveiled the first trailer for Zoë Kravitz’s twisted directorial debut “Blink Twice.”
Originally titled “Pussy Island,” the movie follows Frida (Naomi Ackie) and Jess (Alia Shawkat) as they are charmed by tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum) and lured to his private island for a weekend getaway. What starts as a steamy vacation soon devolves into a reality-bending nightmare that the women soon learn they must escape if they want to live.
“So do you think the human sacrifice is before or after dinner?” Jess asks Frida in jest, before things get truly scary.
Other cast members include Kyle MacLachlan, Haley Joel Osment, Adria Arjona, Geena Davis, Simon Rex, Christian Slater and Liz Caribel. Producers include Kravitz, Bruce Cohen, Garret Levitz and Tiffany Persons with Jordan Harkins and Stacy Perskie serving as executive producers.
Amazon MGM has been off to a strong start with theatrical...
Originally titled “Pussy Island,” the movie follows Frida (Naomi Ackie) and Jess (Alia Shawkat) as they are charmed by tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum) and lured to his private island for a weekend getaway. What starts as a steamy vacation soon devolves into a reality-bending nightmare that the women soon learn they must escape if they want to live.
“So do you think the human sacrifice is before or after dinner?” Jess asks Frida in jest, before things get truly scary.
Other cast members include Kyle MacLachlan, Haley Joel Osment, Adria Arjona, Geena Davis, Simon Rex, Christian Slater and Liz Caribel. Producers include Kravitz, Bruce Cohen, Garret Levitz and Tiffany Persons with Jordan Harkins and Stacy Perskie serving as executive producers.
Amazon MGM has been off to a strong start with theatrical...
- 4/23/2024
- by Jack Dunn
- Variety Film + TV
Nothing is as it seems on the private islands of the elite.
In Zoë Kravitz’s feature directorial debut “Blink Twice,” that duplicity just might be the difference between life and death. “Blink Twice” follows tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum), who invites cocktail waitress Frida (Naomi Ackie) on a dream vacation to his private island. Yet, while on the trip, strange things start to happen and Frida begins to question her reality.
Christian Slater, Simon Rex, Adria Arjona, Kyle MacLachlan, Haley Joel Osment, Geena Davis, and Alia Shawkat co-star in the feature Kravitz co-wrote with E.T. Feigenbaum (“High Fidelity”).
The official synopsis reads: “When tech billionaire Slater King (Tatum) meets cocktail waitress Frida (Ackie) at his fundraising gala, sparks fly. He invites her to join him and his friends on a dream vacation on his private island. It’s paradise. Wild nights blend into sun soaked days and everyone’s having a great time.
In Zoë Kravitz’s feature directorial debut “Blink Twice,” that duplicity just might be the difference between life and death. “Blink Twice” follows tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum), who invites cocktail waitress Frida (Naomi Ackie) on a dream vacation to his private island. Yet, while on the trip, strange things start to happen and Frida begins to question her reality.
Christian Slater, Simon Rex, Adria Arjona, Kyle MacLachlan, Haley Joel Osment, Geena Davis, and Alia Shawkat co-star in the feature Kravitz co-wrote with E.T. Feigenbaum (“High Fidelity”).
The official synopsis reads: “When tech billionaire Slater King (Tatum) meets cocktail waitress Frida (Ackie) at his fundraising gala, sparks fly. He invites her to join him and his friends on a dream vacation on his private island. It’s paradise. Wild nights blend into sun soaked days and everyone’s having a great time.
- 4/23/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Elizabeth Taylor remains one of the most iconic actresses to ever grace the silver screen. And she knew it, coming out of a partial retirement to play the role of Pearl Slaghoople – the mother to Elizabeth Perkins’ Wilma and mother-in-law to John Goodman’s Fred – in 1994’s The Flintstones, an adaptation of the Hanna-Barbera production. But getting such prestige comes at a high cost. Like, a present every day she was on set-level of cost.
While Elizabeth Taylor isn’t in much of The Flintstones, her sheer stature put her in a position to demand just about anything she wanted, to which producer Bruce Cohen was happy to oblige. Kyle MacLachlan – who played Slate & Co.’s VP Cliff Vandercave in The Flintstones – remembered, “The cast was crazy. Bruce got Elizabeth Taylor to do that movie. It was amazing. She had to have a gift every day. A gift every day.
While Elizabeth Taylor isn’t in much of The Flintstones, her sheer stature put her in a position to demand just about anything she wanted, to which producer Bruce Cohen was happy to oblige. Kyle MacLachlan – who played Slate & Co.’s VP Cliff Vandercave in The Flintstones – remembered, “The cast was crazy. Bruce got Elizabeth Taylor to do that movie. It was amazing. She had to have a gift every day. A gift every day.
- 3/26/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
“Everything Everywhere All at Once” is one of the few films in Oscars history to win Best Picture, Best Director and Best Editing plus prizes for acting and writing. Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert won Best Director and Best Original Screenplay while they shared in the Best Picture win with Jonathan Wang. Paul Rogers took home Best Film Editing while the film claimed three acting victories: Best Actress for Michelle Yeoh, Best Supporting Actress for Jamie Lee Curtis, and Best Supporting Actor for Ke Huy Quan.
“Forrest Gump” was the last movie to win these top awards. it won Best Picture in 1995 for Wendy Finerman, Steve Starkey, and Steve Tisch while Robert Zemeckis won Best Director, Tom Hanks won Best Actor, Eric Roth won Best Adapted Screenplay, and Arthur Schmidt won Best Editing.
Several other movies have come close to achieving this feat, with “American Beauty” (2000), “A Beautiful Mind” (2002), ” “No Country For Old Men...
“Forrest Gump” was the last movie to win these top awards. it won Best Picture in 1995 for Wendy Finerman, Steve Starkey, and Steve Tisch while Robert Zemeckis won Best Director, Tom Hanks won Best Actor, Eric Roth won Best Adapted Screenplay, and Arthur Schmidt won Best Editing.
Several other movies have come close to achieving this feat, with “American Beauty” (2000), “A Beautiful Mind” (2002), ” “No Country For Old Men...
- 2/15/2024
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
Amazon MGM has announced (via Deadline) that they will be giving the thriller Pussy Island a global theatrical release on August 23rd – but, to the shock and surprise of no one, they’re not actually going to be releasing the film under the title Pussy Island. The feature directorial debut of Zoë Kravitz (who played Catwoman in The Batman), the thriller is now going by the title Blink Twice. By giving the film a more public-friendly title, they’ve just saved some members of the public from having to protest the fact that a movie called Pussy Island is showing at their local theatre.
Written by Kravitz and E.T. Feigenbaum, the film will follow Frida, a young, clever, Los Angeles cocktail waitress who has her eyes set on the prize: philanthropist and tech mogul Slater King. When she skillfully maneuvers her way into King’s inner circle and ultimately an...
Written by Kravitz and E.T. Feigenbaum, the film will follow Frida, a young, clever, Los Angeles cocktail waitress who has her eyes set on the prize: philanthropist and tech mogul Slater King. When she skillfully maneuvers her way into King’s inner circle and ultimately an...
- 1/26/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Turns out Zoë Kravitz did, in fact, change the name of her provocative “Pussy Island.” Kravitz’s feature directorial debut, which she co-wrote with “High Fidelity” scribe E.T. Feigenbaum, will receive a theatrical release from Amazon MGM Studios on August 23 as the newly-titled “Blink Twice.”
Kravitz previously told The Wall Street Journal Magazine that she would not change the name of the feature after writing it in 2017 and later updating the script “a million times” as the #MeToo movement made her rethink the premise.
“Blink Twice” follows tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum), who invites cocktail waitress Frida (Naomi Ackie) on a dream vacation to his private island. Yet, while on the trip, strange things start to happen and Frida begins to question her reality.
Alia Shawkat, Simon Rex, Adria Arjona, Haley Joel Osment, Christian Slater, Kyle MacLachlan, and Geena Davis round out the cast. “Blink Twice” is produced by writer/director Kravitz,...
Kravitz previously told The Wall Street Journal Magazine that she would not change the name of the feature after writing it in 2017 and later updating the script “a million times” as the #MeToo movement made her rethink the premise.
“Blink Twice” follows tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum), who invites cocktail waitress Frida (Naomi Ackie) on a dream vacation to his private island. Yet, while on the trip, strange things start to happen and Frida begins to question her reality.
Alia Shawkat, Simon Rex, Adria Arjona, Haley Joel Osment, Christian Slater, Kyle MacLachlan, and Geena Davis round out the cast. “Blink Twice” is produced by writer/director Kravitz,...
- 1/26/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Zöe Kravitz and Channing Tatum’s upcoming movie has a new title and a release date.
The suspense-horror drama, previously called Pussy Island, has been retitled Blink Twice, and it’s also landed a summer release in theaters, Amazon MGM Studios announced Friday.
Blink Twice, which marks Kravitz’s feature directorial debut, will hit the big screen on Aug. 23.
The movie follows a tech billionaire (Tatum) who invites a cocktail waitress named Frida (Naomi Ackie) to join him and his friends on a dream vacation on his private island. But the young woman’s paradise-like vacation turns into something more sinister when strange things start happening. Continues the logline: “There is something wrong with this place. She’ll have to uncover the truth if she wants to make it out of this party alive.
Tatum, Alia Shawkat, Simon Rex, Adria Arjona, Haley Joel Osment, Christian Slater, Kyle MacLachlan and Geena Davis also star.
The suspense-horror drama, previously called Pussy Island, has been retitled Blink Twice, and it’s also landed a summer release in theaters, Amazon MGM Studios announced Friday.
Blink Twice, which marks Kravitz’s feature directorial debut, will hit the big screen on Aug. 23.
The movie follows a tech billionaire (Tatum) who invites a cocktail waitress named Frida (Naomi Ackie) to join him and his friends on a dream vacation on his private island. But the young woman’s paradise-like vacation turns into something more sinister when strange things start happening. Continues the logline: “There is something wrong with this place. She’ll have to uncover the truth if she wants to make it out of this party alive.
Tatum, Alia Shawkat, Simon Rex, Adria Arjona, Haley Joel Osment, Christian Slater, Kyle MacLachlan and Geena Davis also star.
- 1/26/2024
- by Pamela McClintock and Aaron Couch
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Zoë Kravitz’s feature directorial debut, the suspense thriller Blink Twice (formerly known as Pussy Island), is getting a global theatrical release from Amazon MGM Studios. It will hit cinemas August 23.
In the movie, written by Kravitz and E.T. Feigenbaum, tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum) meets cocktail waitress Frida (Naomi Ackie) at his fundraising gala, and sparks fly. He invites her to join him and his friends on a dream vacation on his private island. It’s paradise. Wild nights blend into sun-soaked days and everyone’s having a great time. No one wants this trip to end, but as strange things start to happen, Frida begins to question her reality. There is something wrong with this place. She’ll have to uncover the truth if she wants to make it out of this party alive.
Pic also stars Alia Shawkat, Simon Rex, Adria Arjona, Haley Joel Osment, Christian Slater,...
In the movie, written by Kravitz and E.T. Feigenbaum, tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum) meets cocktail waitress Frida (Naomi Ackie) at his fundraising gala, and sparks fly. He invites her to join him and his friends on a dream vacation on his private island. It’s paradise. Wild nights blend into sun-soaked days and everyone’s having a great time. No one wants this trip to end, but as strange things start to happen, Frida begins to question her reality. There is something wrong with this place. She’ll have to uncover the truth if she wants to make it out of this party alive.
Pic also stars Alia Shawkat, Simon Rex, Adria Arjona, Haley Joel Osment, Christian Slater,...
- 1/26/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Colman Domingo became a first-time Oscar nominee Tuesday morning for his leading role in Rustin, the biopic of openly gay civil rights advocate Bayard Rustin directed by George C. Wolfe.
Domingo has been acting for years, most recently in projects as varied as HBO’s Euphoria and the new musical adaptation of The Color Purple. With Rustin, though, he was able to step away from the supporting character work he’s known for onscreen and lead a film at the top of the call sheet. The Netflix release is produced by the Obamas’ production company Higher Ground and also stars Chris Rock, American Fiction nominee Jeffrey Wright and The Holdovers nominee Da’Vine Joy Randolph.
Reflecting on his years in the industry, Domingo chatted with The Hollywood Reporter, in the wake of his Oscar nom, about the importance of Rustin, sharing the moment with his husband and the banner year he...
Domingo has been acting for years, most recently in projects as varied as HBO’s Euphoria and the new musical adaptation of The Color Purple. With Rustin, though, he was able to step away from the supporting character work he’s known for onscreen and lead a film at the top of the call sheet. The Netflix release is produced by the Obamas’ production company Higher Ground and also stars Chris Rock, American Fiction nominee Jeffrey Wright and The Holdovers nominee Da’Vine Joy Randolph.
Reflecting on his years in the industry, Domingo chatted with The Hollywood Reporter, in the wake of his Oscar nom, about the importance of Rustin, sharing the moment with his husband and the banner year he...
- 1/23/2024
- by Hilton Dresden
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Lenny Kravitz usually waits for music to come to him, like the way he wrote his iconic 1991 song, “It Ain’t Over ‘til It’s Over”.
“[I was] in the hotel room after my breakup with Zoe’s mom, which was extremely emotional and painful, and I was just staying at this hotel in LA with the curtains drawn, very sad, depressed,” he says. “All I had was a Fender Rhodes, which is an electric piano. And just sat down one day and just started playing these chords.”
Kravitz’s creativity functions “like an antenna” he explains. He had a similar process writing “Let Love Rule”: “I’d written [the words] ‘let love rule’ on the wall outside of my apartment, next to the elevator. And I kept passing this thing for months, in and out of the apartment, in the elevator, in New York. And then, one day, I walked in the...
“[I was] in the hotel room after my breakup with Zoe’s mom, which was extremely emotional and painful, and I was just staying at this hotel in LA with the curtains drawn, very sad, depressed,” he says. “All I had was a Fender Rhodes, which is an electric piano. And just sat down one day and just started playing these chords.”
Kravitz’s creativity functions “like an antenna” he explains. He had a similar process writing “Let Love Rule”: “I’d written [the words] ‘let love rule’ on the wall outside of my apartment, next to the elevator. And I kept passing this thing for months, in and out of the apartment, in the elevator, in New York. And then, one day, I walked in the...
- 1/12/2024
- by Antonia Blyth
- Deadline Film + TV
The nominations for the 24th Annual Black Reel Awards are in. After close inspection, the black and gold Bolt award might seem to have a touch of purple on it as the classic Alice Walker novel, The Color Purple dominated the awards this year.
The film adaptation of the acclaimed musical, The Color Purple nearly double the number of the nearest competitor, Rustin, and set the mark for the most nominations for a musical. Blitz Bazawule’s stylish feature gathered him nominations for Outstanding Film, Outstanding Director and Outstanding Emerging Director. The cast received one Outstanding Lead Performance nomination for Fantasia Barrino, three Outstanding Supporting Performance nominations and three Outstanding Breakthrough Performance nominations. The musical also swept the musical and technical categories, receiving nominations in every one, except Outstanding Cinematography. Fantasia Barrino became the second American Idol contestant to receive a nomination for acting (Jennifer Hudson).
Colman Domingo received his...
The film adaptation of the acclaimed musical, The Color Purple nearly double the number of the nearest competitor, Rustin, and set the mark for the most nominations for a musical. Blitz Bazawule’s stylish feature gathered him nominations for Outstanding Film, Outstanding Director and Outstanding Emerging Director. The cast received one Outstanding Lead Performance nomination for Fantasia Barrino, three Outstanding Supporting Performance nominations and three Outstanding Breakthrough Performance nominations. The musical also swept the musical and technical categories, receiving nominations in every one, except Outstanding Cinematography. Fantasia Barrino became the second American Idol contestant to receive a nomination for acting (Jennifer Hudson).
Colman Domingo received his...
- 12/15/2023
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
David Permut is having a good day. “Rustin,” which he executive produced (he prefers “shepherded” and is quick to name his colleagues) got two important Golden Globe nominations, Best Film Drama Actor for Colman Domingo and Best Original Song for Lenny Kravitz‘s “Road to Freedom.” His other current project is the television series “Lawmen: Bass Reeves” for which David Oyelowo nabbed a nom.
When we talked he was about to go into a screening, one of 50 he says he views during festival season. He is open about his own personal life as a gay producer in Hollywood. Even teaches me some Yiddish. And he’s proud to have worked alongside two relative newcomers in the producer business, Barack and Michelle Obama. The president posthumously awarded Bayard Rustin, an openly gay African-American, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013 for his instrumental role in the 1963 March on Washington, and now the...
When we talked he was about to go into a screening, one of 50 he says he views during festival season. He is open about his own personal life as a gay producer in Hollywood. Even teaches me some Yiddish. And he’s proud to have worked alongside two relative newcomers in the producer business, Barack and Michelle Obama. The president posthumously awarded Bayard Rustin, an openly gay African-American, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013 for his instrumental role in the 1963 March on Washington, and now the...
- 12/13/2023
- by Bill McCuddy
- Gold Derby
Lenny Kravitz’s family had been involved in the Civil Rights Movement, so it was only fitting he should lend his musical talent to George C. Wolfe’s new biopic about the activist leader Bayard Rustin, who played a key role in planning the 1963 March on Washington.
Except, Kravitz had never heard of the Civil Rights figure. “I was disturbed that I did not know about Bayard Rustin,” the rock musician tells Variety. While Martin Luther King Jr.’s story was, of course, taught to him in school, Rustin’s was not. So, when producer Bruce Cohen approached him to write the end song for the Colman Domingo-starring “Rustin,” Kravitz dropped everything to learn about the story. “I knew immediately that this was something that I needed to do,” he says.
The assignment, in Kravitz’s words, was “due yesterday,” as Wolfe wanted the song right away. But Kravitz explains,...
Except, Kravitz had never heard of the Civil Rights figure. “I was disturbed that I did not know about Bayard Rustin,” the rock musician tells Variety. While Martin Luther King Jr.’s story was, of course, taught to him in school, Rustin’s was not. So, when producer Bruce Cohen approached him to write the end song for the Colman Domingo-starring “Rustin,” Kravitz dropped everything to learn about the story. “I knew immediately that this was something that I needed to do,” he says.
The assignment, in Kravitz’s words, was “due yesterday,” as Wolfe wanted the song right away. But Kravitz explains,...
- 12/12/2023
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
Deadline’s Read the Screenplay series spotlighting the year’s most talked-about scripts continues with Rustin, Netflix’s biopic of civil rights icon Bayard Rustin. Colman Domingo stars in the film, which is directed by Tony winner George C. Wolfe and hit theaters and the streamer in November after its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival.
The screenplay co-written by Julian Breece and Oscar winner Dustin Lance Black focuses on one of the main architects of the 1963 March on Washington, where more than 200,000 hear Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech on the National Mall. Rustin was a fulcrum in the civil rights movement, working alongside the likes of King, Adam Clayton Powell Jr and Ella Baker, though as an openly gay man in that era he often had to work behind the scenes. He challenged authority and never apologized for who he was or what he believed.
The screenplay co-written by Julian Breece and Oscar winner Dustin Lance Black focuses on one of the main architects of the 1963 March on Washington, where more than 200,000 hear Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech on the National Mall. Rustin was a fulcrum in the civil rights movement, working alongside the likes of King, Adam Clayton Powell Jr and Ella Baker, though as an openly gay man in that era he often had to work behind the scenes. He challenged authority and never apologized for who he was or what he believed.
- 12/2/2023
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
“That goes, I think, directly to the core of what we do as producers is there are going to be problems, there are going to be setbacks. That is guaranteed,” says “Rustin” producer Bruce Cohen about managing the challenges that arise on any film set. “If we’ve done a good job of prepping the film, that’s really our job on the set is you’re literally just standing there waiting for people to bring you the problems of the day.”
We talked to Cohen as part of our “Meet the Experts” film producers roundtable along with his fellow “Rustin” producer Tonia Davis, James L. Brooks and Julie Ansell, Elizabeth Raposo (“Creed III”), Justine Conte (“Killers of the Flower Moon”) and Fred Berner (“Maestro”). Watch our roundtable discussion above. Click each person’s name to watch an individual chat.
“It’s a simple fact. Every movie has problems and that’s okay,...
We talked to Cohen as part of our “Meet the Experts” film producers roundtable along with his fellow “Rustin” producer Tonia Davis, James L. Brooks and Julie Ansell, Elizabeth Raposo (“Creed III”), Justine Conte (“Killers of the Flower Moon”) and Fred Berner (“Maestro”). Watch our roundtable discussion above. Click each person’s name to watch an individual chat.
“It’s a simple fact. Every movie has problems and that’s okay,...
- 11/30/2023
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
Seven top film producers will reveal secrets behind their projects when they join Gold Derby’s special “Meet the Experts” Q&a event with 2024 awards contenders. They will participate in two video discussions to premiere on Tuesday, November 28, at 6:00 p.m. Pt; 9:00 p.m. Et. We’ll have a one-on-one with our senior editor Daniel Montgomery and a roundtable chat with all of the group together.
RSVP today to our entire ongoing contenders panel series by clicking here to book your free reservation. We’ll send you a reminder a few minutes before the start of the show.
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret (Lionsgate)
Synopsis: When her family moves from the city to the suburbs, 11-year-old Margaret navigates new friends, feelings, and the beginning of adolescence.
Bio: James L. Brooks was a three-time Oscar winner for “Terms of Endearment” and was also nominated for “Broadcast News,...
RSVP today to our entire ongoing contenders panel series by clicking here to book your free reservation. We’ll send you a reminder a few minutes before the start of the show.
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret (Lionsgate)
Synopsis: When her family moves from the city to the suburbs, 11-year-old Margaret navigates new friends, feelings, and the beginning of adolescence.
Bio: James L. Brooks was a three-time Oscar winner for “Terms of Endearment” and was also nominated for “Broadcast News,...
- 11/14/2023
- by Chris Beachum and Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
Elsa Zylberstein, the French actor-producer whose timely movie “Simone: Woman of a Century” was recently released in the U.S., has signed with CAA for representation.
The actor’s performance as Simone Veil, an Auschwitz survivor who became a feminist icon and human rights activist, earned critical praise and struck a chord with French audiences, becoming one of the highest-grossing French films of 2022.
Distributed by Samuel Goldwyn Films in the U.S., Olivier Dahan’s biopic sheds light on how Veil became a revered figure within France’s male-dominated political world after surviving the camps, championing the 1975 law that legalized abortion in France. The Holocaust Museum in L.A. will host a special screening of the movie on Nov. 29 in the presence of Zylberstein. A similar event is also being organized in Washington, D.C.
The actor has also launched production vehicles in France and the U.S. to develop...
The actor’s performance as Simone Veil, an Auschwitz survivor who became a feminist icon and human rights activist, earned critical praise and struck a chord with French audiences, becoming one of the highest-grossing French films of 2022.
Distributed by Samuel Goldwyn Films in the U.S., Olivier Dahan’s biopic sheds light on how Veil became a revered figure within France’s male-dominated political world after surviving the camps, championing the 1975 law that legalized abortion in France. The Holocaust Museum in L.A. will host a special screening of the movie on Nov. 29 in the presence of Zylberstein. A similar event is also being organized in Washington, D.C.
The actor has also launched production vehicles in France and the U.S. to develop...
- 11/14/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Barack Obama celebrated the end of Hollywood’s historic strikes during a surprise appearance alongside former First Lady Michelle Obama at a special screening of Netflix’s “Rustin.”
“It’s great to see even more of you since the strikes are over,” the former president told the audience on Friday night in Washington, D.C.
He added, “As somebody who cares a lot about the power of workers in this country and as the father of somebody who writes in film, I am glad that both the actors and the writers came to an agreement that recognizes their worth and their work.”
The screening for the Netflix biopic was held at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C, and was one of the opening night events for the inaugural Hbcu First Look Film Festival from Nov. 10 to Nov. 12. The festival celebrates Black filmmakers and...
“It’s great to see even more of you since the strikes are over,” the former president told the audience on Friday night in Washington, D.C.
He added, “As somebody who cares a lot about the power of workers in this country and as the father of somebody who writes in film, I am glad that both the actors and the writers came to an agreement that recognizes their worth and their work.”
The screening for the Netflix biopic was held at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C, and was one of the opening night events for the inaugural Hbcu First Look Film Festival from Nov. 10 to Nov. 12. The festival celebrates Black filmmakers and...
- 11/11/2023
- by Valerie Wu
- Variety Film + TV
Former President Barack Obama made mention of the end of Hollywood’s labor strife at a special screening on Friday of Rustin, the Netflix biopic of civil rights Bayard Rustin made by he and former First Lady Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground Prioductions.
Introducing the movie at the Hbcu First Look Film Festival, Obama said, “It’s great to see even more of you since the strikes are over,” a reference to the restrictions on writers and actors in promoting their projects during the walkout.
He added, “As somebody who cares a lot about the power of workers in this country and as the father of somebody who writes in film, I am glad that both the writers and the actors came to an agreement that recognizes with worth and their work.”
The screening was held at the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Obama noted that in...
Introducing the movie at the Hbcu First Look Film Festival, Obama said, “It’s great to see even more of you since the strikes are over,” a reference to the restrictions on writers and actors in promoting their projects during the walkout.
He added, “As somebody who cares a lot about the power of workers in this country and as the father of somebody who writes in film, I am glad that both the writers and the actors came to an agreement that recognizes with worth and their work.”
The screening was held at the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Obama noted that in...
- 11/11/2023
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Here’s a look at this week’s biggest premieres, parties and openings in Los Angeles and New York, including WSJ. Magazine‘s Innovator Awards and Halloween party highlights.
Nhmc Impact Awards Gala
The National Hispanic Media Coalition hosted its annual Impact Awards Gala on Oct. 27, honoring those making strides towards a positive portrayal of the Latine community, both in front of and behind the camera. Hosted by actress Francia Raisa and Mj Acosta-Ruiz, the event honored Eva Longoria, Eugenio Derbez, Miguel, Gina Torres, Jharrel Jerome and Ángel Manuel Soto.
Jharrel Jerome, Jessica Sarowitz, Gina Torres, Aarón Sanchez, Brenda Victoria Castillo, Julissa Prado, Miguel, Angel Manuel Soto, Eva Longoria and Eugenio Derbez
Montclair Film Festival Filmmaker Tribute event
Martin Scorsese sat down for a tribute conversation with Stephen Colbert on Oct. 27 at Newark’s New Jersey Performing Arts Center as part of the 2023 Montclair Film Festival.
Martin Scorsese and Stephen...
Nhmc Impact Awards Gala
The National Hispanic Media Coalition hosted its annual Impact Awards Gala on Oct. 27, honoring those making strides towards a positive portrayal of the Latine community, both in front of and behind the camera. Hosted by actress Francia Raisa and Mj Acosta-Ruiz, the event honored Eva Longoria, Eugenio Derbez, Miguel, Gina Torres, Jharrel Jerome and Ángel Manuel Soto.
Jharrel Jerome, Jessica Sarowitz, Gina Torres, Aarón Sanchez, Brenda Victoria Castillo, Julissa Prado, Miguel, Angel Manuel Soto, Eva Longoria and Eugenio Derbez
Montclair Film Festival Filmmaker Tribute event
Martin Scorsese sat down for a tribute conversation with Stephen Colbert on Oct. 27 at Newark’s New Jersey Performing Arts Center as part of the 2023 Montclair Film Festival.
Martin Scorsese and Stephen...
- 11/3/2023
- by Kirsten Chuba
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Bayard Rustin is getting a posthumous honor from the City of New York.
The civil rights leader is at the center of a new New York City holiday, with Mayor Eric Adams declaring November 3 officially Bayard Rustin Day. Netflix film “Rustin” premieres in select theaters today, November 3, followed by a streaming release November 17.
A special screening of the film at the Paris Theatre is organized by Netflix for 300 high school and city college students to mark Bayard Rustin Day, “honoring the legacy of one of the greatest activists and organizers the world has ever known, Bayard Rustin,” per the official release. The celebration at City Hall follows the screening, with a proclamation being handed to the late Rustin’s partner Walter Naegle designating November 3 as Bayard Rustin Day in NYC and celebrating the theatrical release of the film. Naegle also serves as the executive director of the Bayard Rustin Fund.
The civil rights leader is at the center of a new New York City holiday, with Mayor Eric Adams declaring November 3 officially Bayard Rustin Day. Netflix film “Rustin” premieres in select theaters today, November 3, followed by a streaming release November 17.
A special screening of the film at the Paris Theatre is organized by Netflix for 300 high school and city college students to mark Bayard Rustin Day, “honoring the legacy of one of the greatest activists and organizers the world has ever known, Bayard Rustin,” per the official release. The celebration at City Hall follows the screening, with a proclamation being handed to the late Rustin’s partner Walter Naegle designating November 3 as Bayard Rustin Day in NYC and celebrating the theatrical release of the film. Naegle also serves as the executive director of the Bayard Rustin Fund.
- 11/3/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Update: John Leguizamo and his wife Justine were given choice spots at the White House State Dinner: At the president’s table, seated with figures including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Earlier, Leguizamo told a reporter that he “definitely” would be hitting the campaign trail for Joe Biden in 2024.
Asked about Biden’s outreach to Latino voters, Leguizamo said, “I think he’s doing the right things, which is getting Latin consulatns and talking to Latin experts who tell him how to address us, and make the effort. If you make the effort, we will be there, but you have to make the effort. I think he’s doing all that — him and Kamala Harris as well.”
Previously: The guest list for tonight’s White House State Dinner for Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and partner Jodie Haydon includes a number of names from entertainment and media.
Earlier, Leguizamo told a reporter that he “definitely” would be hitting the campaign trail for Joe Biden in 2024.
Asked about Biden’s outreach to Latino voters, Leguizamo said, “I think he’s doing the right things, which is getting Latin consulatns and talking to Latin experts who tell him how to address us, and make the effort. If you make the effort, we will be there, but you have to make the effort. I think he’s doing all that — him and Kamala Harris as well.”
Previously: The guest list for tonight’s White House State Dinner for Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and partner Jodie Haydon includes a number of names from entertainment and media.
- 10/25/2023
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Here’s a look at this week’s biggest premieres, parties and openings in Los Angeles and New York, including events for Killers of the Flower Moon and the Newport Beach Film Festival.
Newport Beach Film Festival
The 24th annual film fest, which ran Oct. 12 to Oct. 19, honored stars including Patricia Clarkson, Jack Huston, Phil Lord and Chris Miller, William Shatner, Eugenio Derbez, Mark Ronson, Glenn Howerton and Todd Haynes, and featured talks with Rainn Wilson, Judy Blume, Susan Feniger and Bobby Berk.
Jack Huston, Patricia Clarkson, Chris Miller and Phil Lord Mark Ronson Liz Lachman, Lisa Donmall-Reeve and Susan Feniger Eugenio Derbez Glenn Howerton
Good Burger 2 x Nycc
Producers Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell made an appearance at the Paramount + Good Burger 2 panel and Nickelodeon booth at New York Comic-Com.
Kenan and Kel
Legacy Ball
Legacy Youth Leadership held its third annual Legacy Ball event on Saturday, with the evening’s top honor,...
Newport Beach Film Festival
The 24th annual film fest, which ran Oct. 12 to Oct. 19, honored stars including Patricia Clarkson, Jack Huston, Phil Lord and Chris Miller, William Shatner, Eugenio Derbez, Mark Ronson, Glenn Howerton and Todd Haynes, and featured talks with Rainn Wilson, Judy Blume, Susan Feniger and Bobby Berk.
Jack Huston, Patricia Clarkson, Chris Miller and Phil Lord Mark Ronson Liz Lachman, Lisa Donmall-Reeve and Susan Feniger Eugenio Derbez Glenn Howerton
Good Burger 2 x Nycc
Producers Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell made an appearance at the Paramount + Good Burger 2 panel and Nickelodeon booth at New York Comic-Com.
Kenan and Kel
Legacy Ball
Legacy Youth Leadership held its third annual Legacy Ball event on Saturday, with the evening’s top honor,...
- 10/20/2023
- by Kirsten Chuba
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
How ‘Rustin’ and Native Son Teamed to Reclaim the Civil Rights Activist’s History as a Rallying Call
A handful of hours before George C. Wolfe’s Rustin would make its New York premiere as NewFest’s opening night selection on Oct. 12, more than 100 Black queer members of the Native Son collective gathered in The Chelsea Hotel’s Lobby Bar, drinks in hand and under a golden aura of light, dipping in and out of excited conversation.
“It’s really emotional for me,” Native Son founder Emil Wilbekin told The Hollywood Reporter. “Coming into this room and seeing all these beautiful Black queer men — who are legends, icons, mentors, new in their careers — you can feel the joy and love because we don’t have spaces like this.”
Coordinated in conjunction with Netflix, the Rustin film team and Native Son — a collective of Black gay and queer men focused on elevating the voices, visibility and lived experiences of their community — the gathering counted Rustin producer Bruce Cohen and...
“It’s really emotional for me,” Native Son founder Emil Wilbekin told The Hollywood Reporter. “Coming into this room and seeing all these beautiful Black queer men — who are legends, icons, mentors, new in their careers — you can feel the joy and love because we don’t have spaces like this.”
Coordinated in conjunction with Netflix, the Rustin film team and Native Son — a collective of Black gay and queer men focused on elevating the voices, visibility and lived experiences of their community — the gathering counted Rustin producer Bruce Cohen and...
- 10/20/2023
- by Abbey White
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Netflix has launched a new official full-length trailer for the biographical drama ‘Rustin.’
The architect of 1963’s momentous March on Washington, Bayard Rustin was one of the greatest activists and organizers the world has ever known. He challenged authority, and never apologized for who he was, what he believed, or who he desired. And he did not back down. He made history, and in turn, he was forgotten.
Directed by DGA Award and five-time Tony Award winner George C. Wolfe and starring Emmy Award winner Colman Domingo, Rustin shines a long overdue spotlight on the extraordinary man who, alongside giants like the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., Adam Clayton Powell Jr., and Ella Baker, dared to imagine a Colman Domingo different world, and inspired a movement in a march toward freedom.
Produced by Academy Award winner Bruce Cohen, Higher Ground’s Tonia Davis and George C. Wolfe, the film features...
The architect of 1963’s momentous March on Washington, Bayard Rustin was one of the greatest activists and organizers the world has ever known. He challenged authority, and never apologized for who he was, what he believed, or who he desired. And he did not back down. He made history, and in turn, he was forgotten.
Directed by DGA Award and five-time Tony Award winner George C. Wolfe and starring Emmy Award winner Colman Domingo, Rustin shines a long overdue spotlight on the extraordinary man who, alongside giants like the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., Adam Clayton Powell Jr., and Ella Baker, dared to imagine a Colman Domingo different world, and inspired a movement in a march toward freedom.
Produced by Academy Award winner Bruce Cohen, Higher Ground’s Tonia Davis and George C. Wolfe, the film features...
- 10/19/2023
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
"How can you preach salvation, and not wanna save yourself?" Netflix has debuted the main official trailer for Rustin, arriving to watch in November this fall. It just premiered at both the Telluride & Toronto Film Festivals. The talented Colman Domingo stars in a powerful lead role as Bayard Rustin, the gay civil rights activist who organized the famous 1963 March on Washington. It's co-written by Dustin Lance Black, who also wrote the superb Milk, also about a gay politician, which won him the Oscar in 2009. Rustin was one of the greatest activists and organizers the world has ever known, but the world has also forgotten about him. Now is time to change that. Produced by Oscar-winner Bruce Cohen, Higher Ground's Tonia Davis, and George C. Wolfe, the film features a huge cast: Chris Rock, Glynn Turman, Aml Ameen, Gus Halper, Cch Pounder, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Johnny Ramey, Michael Potts, with Jeffrey Wright and Audra McDonald.
- 10/19/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Colman Domingo is transforming into civil rights leader Bayard Rustin for a Netflix period piece biopic.
The “Euphoria” and “The Color Purple” Emmy winner portrays the “architect of 1963’s momentous March on Washington” during the 60th anniversary of the march. DGA Award and five-time Tony Award winner George C. Wolfe directs the eponymously titled “Rustin.”
The official synopsis for the Netflix film reads: Alongside giants like the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., Adam Clayton Powell Jr., and Ella Baker, Bayard Rustin dared to imagine a different world and inspired a movement in a march toward freedom. He challenged authority and never apologized for who he was, what he believed, or who he desired. And he did not back down. He made history, and in turn, he was forgotten.
Chris Rock, Glynn Turman, Aml Ameen, Gus Halper, Cch Pounder, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Johnny Ramey, Michael Potts, Jeffrey Wright, and Audra McDonald...
The “Euphoria” and “The Color Purple” Emmy winner portrays the “architect of 1963’s momentous March on Washington” during the 60th anniversary of the march. DGA Award and five-time Tony Award winner George C. Wolfe directs the eponymously titled “Rustin.”
The official synopsis for the Netflix film reads: Alongside giants like the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., Adam Clayton Powell Jr., and Ella Baker, Bayard Rustin dared to imagine a different world and inspired a movement in a march toward freedom. He challenged authority and never apologized for who he was, what he believed, or who he desired. And he did not back down. He made history, and in turn, he was forgotten.
Chris Rock, Glynn Turman, Aml Ameen, Gus Halper, Cch Pounder, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Johnny Ramey, Michael Potts, Jeffrey Wright, and Audra McDonald...
- 10/19/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Netflix this morning dropped the full-length trailer for its civil rights-themed biopic “Rustin,” executive produced by Barack and Michelle Obama through their Higher Ground production company and starring Emmy winner Colman Domingo in the lead. It tells the story of the unheralded (until now) movement leader Bayard Rustin (Domingo), the architect of the historic 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom and a close friend of Martin Luther King Jr. The trailer abundantly features Domingo of course but also snippets of most members of the all-star cast, which includes Chris Rock, Glynn Turman, Aml Ameen, Gus Halper, Cch Pounder, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Johnny Ramey, Michael Potts, Jeffrey Wright and Audra McDonald. Watch the trailer above.
Produced by Oscar winner Bruce Cohen (“American Beauty”), “High Ground’s” Tonia Davis and five-time Tony Winner George C. Wolfe (who also directs), “Rustin” has quite a pedigree. It’s also co-written by “Milk” Academy...
Produced by Oscar winner Bruce Cohen (“American Beauty”), “High Ground’s” Tonia Davis and five-time Tony Winner George C. Wolfe (who also directs), “Rustin” has quite a pedigree. It’s also co-written by “Milk” Academy...
- 10/19/2023
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
After a world premiere at the San Sebastian International Film Festival and its North American premiere over the weekend at the Hamptons International Film Festival, Noah Pritzker’s (Quitters) second film goes for a mix of Woody Allen, John Cassavetes, Paul Mazursky, Noah Baumbach and other white male filmmakers, past and present, who enjoy basking in the midlife marital crisis in which many guys find themselves trapped. While not on the level of those acclaimed filmmakers, in this case, Pritzker manages to cast his net wider into an early-, mid-, and late-life crisis over three generations of the men in the Pearce clan.
The result is an engaging indie exercise that’s for sale to any distributor who finds promise in a premise that might be a tough sell for mainstream buyers despite a game cast that lifts it up a notch or two. Art houses would seem to be its theatrical future,...
The result is an engaging indie exercise that’s for sale to any distributor who finds promise in a premise that might be a tough sell for mainstream buyers despite a game cast that lifts it up a notch or two. Art houses would seem to be its theatrical future,...
- 10/9/2023
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
Noah Pritzker’s San Sebastian competition feature ‘Ex-Husbands’ stars Griffin Dunne and James Norton
Luxbox has picked up international sales rights to Noah Pritzker’s San Sebastian competition feature Ex-Husbands and has sold the film to Avalon in Spain and September Films in Benelux.
UTA is handling North American rights for Pritzker’s second feature about three generations of men in the same family simultaneously experiencing marital disappointment.
Griffin Dunne stars as a man floundering after his father (Richard Benjamin) leaves his mother after 65 years of marriage and his own wife (Rosanna Arquette) leaves him after thirty-five. With the wedding...
Luxbox has picked up international sales rights to Noah Pritzker’s San Sebastian competition feature Ex-Husbands and has sold the film to Avalon in Spain and September Films in Benelux.
UTA is handling North American rights for Pritzker’s second feature about three generations of men in the same family simultaneously experiencing marital disappointment.
Griffin Dunne stars as a man floundering after his father (Richard Benjamin) leaves his mother after 65 years of marriage and his own wife (Rosanna Arquette) leaves him after thirty-five. With the wedding...
- 10/9/2023
- by Rebecca Leffler
- ScreenDaily
Noah Pritzker’s bittersweet father and sons tale Ex-Husbands (aka Men Of Divorce) world premieres in Competition at the San Sebastian Film Festival on Sunday as one of the few U.S. productions to be accompanied by its cast this year thanks to its SAG-AFTRA interim agreement.
Griffin Dunne co-stars as a New York dentist who is reeling from his wife’s demand for a divorce after 35 years of marriage, opposite James Norton and Miles Heizer as his sons.
In search of some respite, he unwittingly travels to the Mexican resort of Tulum the same weekend as his oldest son’s bachelor party, where it emerges that he is not the only one suffering a life crisis.
The mainly Spanish press gave the warm-hearted picture – exploring family bonds and questions about love, life and death – an enthusiastic reception at a packed 8.30 am screening on Sunday morning ahead of a gala screening this evening.
Griffin Dunne co-stars as a New York dentist who is reeling from his wife’s demand for a divorce after 35 years of marriage, opposite James Norton and Miles Heizer as his sons.
In search of some respite, he unwittingly travels to the Mexican resort of Tulum the same weekend as his oldest son’s bachelor party, where it emerges that he is not the only one suffering a life crisis.
The mainly Spanish press gave the warm-hearted picture – exploring family bonds and questions about love, life and death – an enthusiastic reception at a packed 8.30 am screening on Sunday morning ahead of a gala screening this evening.
- 9/24/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Outfest has found the headliners for its upcoming Legacy Awards: Shirley MacLaine and Trace Lysette.
The pair will be feted at the organization’s gala fundraiser which will be held at NeueHouse Hollywood on Oct. 22. MacLaine will receive the James Schamus Ally Award while Lysette will take home the Trailblazer Award during the Genesis Motor America-presented event.
The Schamus trophy was created to recognize “an ally’s efforts to foster LGBTQ+ moving images and to promote the communities’ stories to a broader audience.” Lysette’s honor is given to someone who has contributed to the history of the community, shedding light on the core of the LGBTQ+ identity and experience.
“Shirley’s illustrious career has not only enthralled generations but her unwavering allegiance to the LGBTQ+ community has been a beacon of hope. Trace, with her groundbreaking performances, is courageously highlighting the essence of the trans journey,” said Outfest executive director Damien S.
The pair will be feted at the organization’s gala fundraiser which will be held at NeueHouse Hollywood on Oct. 22. MacLaine will receive the James Schamus Ally Award while Lysette will take home the Trailblazer Award during the Genesis Motor America-presented event.
The Schamus trophy was created to recognize “an ally’s efforts to foster LGBTQ+ moving images and to promote the communities’ stories to a broader audience.” Lysette’s honor is given to someone who has contributed to the history of the community, shedding light on the core of the LGBTQ+ identity and experience.
“Shirley’s illustrious career has not only enthralled generations but her unwavering allegiance to the LGBTQ+ community has been a beacon of hope. Trace, with her groundbreaking performances, is courageously highlighting the essence of the trans journey,” said Outfest executive director Damien S.
- 9/21/2023
- by Chris Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Outfest on Thursday announced Academy Award winner Shirley MacLaine and Transparent breakout Trace Lysette as the recipients of its 2023 Legacy Awards, which will be presented at NeueHouse in Hollywood on Sunday, October 22nd.
MacLaine will be bestowed with the James Schamus Ally Award, recognizing an ally’s efforts to foster LGBTQ+ moving images and to promote the communities’ stories to a broader audience. Lysette, meanwhile, is set for the Trailblazer Award, recognizing an artist who has contributed to the history of the community, shedding light on the core of the LGBTQ+ identity and experience.
The pair joins a list of Outfest Legacy Award recipients that includes Janelle Monáe, Billy Porter, Tom Hanks, Judith Light, Rita Moreno, Lee Daniels, Hilary Swank, Sean Hayes, Laverne Cox, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Bruce Cohen, Lisa Cholodenko, Craig Zadan & Neil Meron, Tanya Saracho, Victoria Alonso, and Rain Valdez, among others.
Said Outfest’s Executive Director Damien S.
MacLaine will be bestowed with the James Schamus Ally Award, recognizing an ally’s efforts to foster LGBTQ+ moving images and to promote the communities’ stories to a broader audience. Lysette, meanwhile, is set for the Trailblazer Award, recognizing an artist who has contributed to the history of the community, shedding light on the core of the LGBTQ+ identity and experience.
The pair joins a list of Outfest Legacy Award recipients that includes Janelle Monáe, Billy Porter, Tom Hanks, Judith Light, Rita Moreno, Lee Daniels, Hilary Swank, Sean Hayes, Laverne Cox, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Bruce Cohen, Lisa Cholodenko, Craig Zadan & Neil Meron, Tanya Saracho, Victoria Alonso, and Rain Valdez, among others.
Said Outfest’s Executive Director Damien S.
- 9/21/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Major stage and musical performers showed for Joe Biden’s reelection campaign Monday, with a Broadway for Biden fundraiser in which the president quipped about his age but also put the campaign in stark terms.
“I’m running because democracy is at stake, because [in] 2024 democracy is on the ballot once again,” Biden said at the event at New York’s Lunt-Fontanne Theater, per a pool report. “And let there be no question: Donald Trump and his Maga Republicans are determined to destroy American democracy. And I will always defend, protect and fight for our democracy.”
Biden also chided Trump for his refusal to criticize Vladimir Putin. “I will not side with dictators like Putin,” Biden said.
The event was announced last month, with appearances by Josh Groban, Ben Platt, Sara Bareilles, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Cynthia Erivo, Leslie Odom Jr and Laura Benanti. Tickets were priced from $250 for rear mezzanine seats to $7,500 for orchestra center front.
“I’m running because democracy is at stake, because [in] 2024 democracy is on the ballot once again,” Biden said at the event at New York’s Lunt-Fontanne Theater, per a pool report. “And let there be no question: Donald Trump and his Maga Republicans are determined to destroy American democracy. And I will always defend, protect and fight for our democracy.”
Biden also chided Trump for his refusal to criticize Vladimir Putin. “I will not side with dictators like Putin,” Biden said.
The event was announced last month, with appearances by Josh Groban, Ben Platt, Sara Bareilles, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Cynthia Erivo, Leslie Odom Jr and Laura Benanti. Tickets were priced from $250 for rear mezzanine seats to $7,500 for orchestra center front.
- 9/19/2023
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
The Gotham Awards said today that Rustin, director George C. Wolfe’s snapshot of the life of civil rights icon Bayard Rustin that stars Colman Domingo, will receive its Icon & Creator Tribute for Social Justice. The Netflix pic will be honored at the 33rd annual Gotham Awards on November 27 at Cipriani Wall Street in Manhattan.
Rustin follows the architect of the momentous 1963 March on Washington, who was one of the greatest activists and organizers of the Civil Rights movement. Working alongside such giants as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Adam Clayton Powell Jr., and Ella Baker, he challenged authority and never apologized for who he was, what he believed or who he desired. And Rustin did not back down. He made history, and in turn, he was forgotten by many.
Rustin debuted August 31 at the Telluride Film Festival and had its international premiere September 11 at Toronto. The cast also includes Chris Rock,...
Rustin follows the architect of the momentous 1963 March on Washington, who was one of the greatest activists and organizers of the Civil Rights movement. Working alongside such giants as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Adam Clayton Powell Jr., and Ella Baker, he challenged authority and never apologized for who he was, what he believed or who he desired. And Rustin did not back down. He made history, and in turn, he was forgotten by many.
Rustin debuted August 31 at the Telluride Film Festival and had its international premiere September 11 at Toronto. The cast also includes Chris Rock,...
- 9/14/2023
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Anyone even slightly familiar with the work of director George C. Wolfe, whether it be his theater career that’s netted three Tonys, or film projects like “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” which won two Oscars, will immediately see his fingerprints all over the new Netflix film “Rustin.”
“I am not a passive participant in the creative journey. I don’t sit back and wait for somebody to deliver a cast or a script or a production design or anything,” said Wolfe to IndieWire during an interview at the 50th Telluride Film Festival. “I have this rule for myself: Everything either contributes to the telling of the story or distracts. So you’ve got to make sure that everything, everything matters—every costume, every moment. And sometimes one can obsess about crazy things, but ultimately they’re part of the storytelling. And that’s one of the things that I love...
“I am not a passive participant in the creative journey. I don’t sit back and wait for somebody to deliver a cast or a script or a production design or anything,” said Wolfe to IndieWire during an interview at the 50th Telluride Film Festival. “I have this rule for myself: Everything either contributes to the telling of the story or distracts. So you’ve got to make sure that everything, everything matters—every costume, every moment. And sometimes one can obsess about crazy things, but ultimately they’re part of the storytelling. And that’s one of the things that I love...
- 9/4/2023
- by Marcus Jones
- Indiewire
A Broadway fundraising concert next month for President Joe Biden will feature some of theater’s biggest stars, including Josh Groban, Ben Platt, Sara Bareilles, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Cynthia Erivo, Leslie Odom Jr. and Laura Benanti, among others, with the president himself in attendance.
Although at least one detail is being kept under wraps for the moment – the Broadway venue in Times Square has not been identified – the date has been set for Monday night, September 18, with ticket prices ranging from $250 for rear mezzanine seats to $7,500 for orchestra center front. The seating chart at the ticket website indicates that the concert will take place at an indoor theater rather than outdoors in Times Square.
Other stars to be featured at the concert are Annaleigh Ashford, Josh Gad, Alex Edelman, Christopher Jackson, Lachanze, Ruthie Ann Miles, Andrew Rannells and Aaron Tveit.
The one-night-only concert fundraiser is being hosted by Broadway producers and supporters Jeffrey Seller,...
Although at least one detail is being kept under wraps for the moment – the Broadway venue in Times Square has not been identified – the date has been set for Monday night, September 18, with ticket prices ranging from $250 for rear mezzanine seats to $7,500 for orchestra center front. The seating chart at the ticket website indicates that the concert will take place at an indoor theater rather than outdoors in Times Square.
Other stars to be featured at the concert are Annaleigh Ashford, Josh Gad, Alex Edelman, Christopher Jackson, Lachanze, Ruthie Ann Miles, Andrew Rannells and Aaron Tveit.
The one-night-only concert fundraiser is being hosted by Broadway producers and supporters Jeffrey Seller,...
- 8/31/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Rustin. (L to R) Aml Ameen as Martin Luther King and Colman Domingo as Bayard Rustin in Rustin. Cr. Parrish Lewis/Netflix © 2022 The architect of 1963’s momentous March on Washington, Bayard Rustin was one of the greatest activists and organizers the world has ever known. He challenged authority, never apologized for who he was, what he believed, or who he desired. And he did not back down. He made history, and in turn, he was forgotten. Directed by DGA award and five-time Tony award winner George C. Wolfe and starring Emmy award winner Colman Domingo, Rustin shines a long overdue spotlight on the extraordinary man who, alongside giants like the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., Adam Clayton Powell Jr., and Ella Baker, dared to imagine a different world, and inspired a movement in a march toward freedom. Produced by Academy award winner Bruce Cohen, Higher Ground’s Tonia Davis and George C.
- 8/29/2023
- by Hollywood Outbreak
- HollywoodOutbreak.com
Netflix has debuted a teaser trailer for the biographical drama ‘Rustin.’
The architect of 1963’s momentous March on Washington, Bayard Rustin was one of the greatest activists and organizers the world has ever known. He challenged authority, and never apologized for who he was, what he believed, or who he desired. And he did not back down. He made history, and in turn, he was forgotten.
Directed by DGA Award and five-time Tony Award winner George C. Wolfe and starring Emmy Award winner Colman Domingo, Rustin shines a long overdue spotlight on the extraordinary man who, alongside giants like the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., Adam Clayton Powell Jr., and Ella Baker, dared to imagine a different world, and inspired a movement in a march toward freedom.
Produced by Academy Award winner Bruce Cohen, Higher Ground’s Tonia Davis and George C. Wolfe, the film features an all-star cast including Chris Rock,...
The architect of 1963’s momentous March on Washington, Bayard Rustin was one of the greatest activists and organizers the world has ever known. He challenged authority, and never apologized for who he was, what he believed, or who he desired. And he did not back down. He made history, and in turn, he was forgotten.
Directed by DGA Award and five-time Tony Award winner George C. Wolfe and starring Emmy Award winner Colman Domingo, Rustin shines a long overdue spotlight on the extraordinary man who, alongside giants like the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., Adam Clayton Powell Jr., and Ella Baker, dared to imagine a different world, and inspired a movement in a march toward freedom.
Produced by Academy Award winner Bruce Cohen, Higher Ground’s Tonia Davis and George C. Wolfe, the film features an all-star cast including Chris Rock,...
- 8/29/2023
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Sixty years to the day after what Colman Domingo’s Bayard Rustin calls “an epic demonstration in our nation’s capital,” Netflix has dropped the new teaser for Rustin, the biopic about the activist and organizer behind the historic 1963 March on Washington.
Watch the trailer above.
Directed by DGA Award and five-time Tony Award winner George C. Wolfe and starring Emmy award winner Domingo in the title role, Rustin, in the words of the official synopsis, “shines a long overdue spotlight on the extraordinary man who, alongside giants like the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., Adam Clayton Powell Jr., and Ella Baker, dared to imagine a different world, and inspired a movement in a march toward freedom.”
The film, produced by Bruce Cohen, Higher Ground’s Tonia Davis and George C. Wolfe, also features a cast that includes Chris Rock, Glynn Turman, Jeffrey Wright and Audra McDonald. Barack and Michelle Obama are executive producers.
Watch the trailer above.
Directed by DGA Award and five-time Tony Award winner George C. Wolfe and starring Emmy award winner Domingo in the title role, Rustin, in the words of the official synopsis, “shines a long overdue spotlight on the extraordinary man who, alongside giants like the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., Adam Clayton Powell Jr., and Ella Baker, dared to imagine a different world, and inspired a movement in a march toward freedom.”
The film, produced by Bruce Cohen, Higher Ground’s Tonia Davis and George C. Wolfe, also features a cast that includes Chris Rock, Glynn Turman, Jeffrey Wright and Audra McDonald. Barack and Michelle Obama are executive producers.
- 8/28/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Netflix released the teaser trailer and poster for Rustin on the 60th anniversary of the historic March on Washington. Colman Domingo (Fear the Walking Dead) stars as gay civil rights leader Bayard Rustin, the man who organized the march and whose place in history has been largely overlooked since the 1963 march.
“We are committed to the cause of altering the trajectory of this country towards freedom. They either believe in freedom and justice for all – or they do not,” states Domingo as Rustin in the first teaser for the awards-season release.
Joining SAG award nominee Colman Domingo (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom) are Emmy winner Chris Rock as Roy Wilkins, Emmy winner Glynn Turman as A. Philip Randolph, Aml Ameen as Martin Luther King Jr., Gus Halper, Emmy nominee Cch Pounder, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Johnny Ramey, Michael Potts, and Lilli Kay. The talented ensemble also includes Jordan-Amanda Hall, Jakeem Powell,...
“We are committed to the cause of altering the trajectory of this country towards freedom. They either believe in freedom and justice for all – or they do not,” states Domingo as Rustin in the first teaser for the awards-season release.
Joining SAG award nominee Colman Domingo (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom) are Emmy winner Chris Rock as Roy Wilkins, Emmy winner Glynn Turman as A. Philip Randolph, Aml Ameen as Martin Luther King Jr., Gus Halper, Emmy nominee Cch Pounder, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Johnny Ramey, Michael Potts, and Lilli Kay. The talented ensemble also includes Jordan-Amanda Hall, Jakeem Powell,...
- 8/28/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
On the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington, Netflix released the trailer for “Rustin,” which explains how civil rights leader Bayard Rustin defied the odds to plan the historic event.
“On Aug. 28, Black, white, young, old, rich, working-class, poor will descend on Washington D.C.,” Rustin, portrayed by Emmy winner Colman Domingo, says early in the clip, which chronicles the lead-up to the monumental march.
As Rustin prophesied, on Aug. 28, 1963, more than 250,000 people gathered near the Lincoln Memorial and millions more watched on live television while Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech. The march is remembered as one of the greatest peaceful protests in history, but Rustin’s story has gone largely untold.
Directed by three-time Tony Award-winner George C. Wolfe from a screenplay by Julian Breece and Dustin Lance Black, with a story by Breece, the Netflix film salutes Rustin as...
“On Aug. 28, Black, white, young, old, rich, working-class, poor will descend on Washington D.C.,” Rustin, portrayed by Emmy winner Colman Domingo, says early in the clip, which chronicles the lead-up to the monumental march.
As Rustin prophesied, on Aug. 28, 1963, more than 250,000 people gathered near the Lincoln Memorial and millions more watched on live television while Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech. The march is remembered as one of the greatest peaceful protests in history, but Rustin’s story has gone largely untold.
Directed by three-time Tony Award-winner George C. Wolfe from a screenplay by Julian Breece and Dustin Lance Black, with a story by Breece, the Netflix film salutes Rustin as...
- 8/28/2023
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
"A demonstration made up of angelic troublemakers, such as yourselves!" Netflix has revealed the first teaser trailer for the film Rustin, which is premiering at the Toronto Film Festival kicking off next week. It's also likely to have its first premiere at the Telluride Film Festival later this week. The talented Colman Domingo stars in a powerful lead role as Bayard Rustin, the gay civil rights activist who organized the famous 1963 March on Washington. It's co-written by Dustin Lance Black, who also wrote the superb Milk, also about a gay politician, which won him the Oscar in 2009. Rustin was one of the greatest activists and organizers the world has ever known, but the world has also forgotten about him. Now is time to change that. Produced by Oscar-winner Bruce Cohen, Higher Ground's Tonia Davis, and George C. Wolfe, the film features a huge cast: Chris Rock, Glynn Turman, Aml Ameen,...
- 8/28/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Netflix has released the trailer for Rustin, which chronicles the events of the significant historical figure who was an activist for racial equality in the 1960s. The trailer showcases his rallying of Martin Luther King Jr., Ella Baker, and Clayton Powell Jr. as they motivate the nation to unite in a monumental gesture against oppression. The film sports an impressive cast that includes the acting talents of Colman Domingo, Chris Rock, Glynn Turman, Aml Ameen, Gus Halper, Cch Pounder, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Johnny Ramey, Michael Potts, Lilli Kay, Jordan-Amanda Hall, Jakeem Powell, Grantham Coleman, Jamilah Rosemond, Jules Latimer, Maxwell Whittington-Cooper, Frank Harts, Kevin Mambo, Carra Patterson, Bill Irwin, Cotter Smith, Adrienne Warren, with Jeffrey Wright and Audra McDonald.
The official synopsis from Netflix reads,
The architect of 1963’s momentous March on Washington, Bayard Rustin was one of the greatest activists and organizers the world has ever known. He challenged authority,...
The official synopsis from Netflix reads,
The architect of 1963’s momentous March on Washington, Bayard Rustin was one of the greatest activists and organizers the world has ever known. He challenged authority,...
- 8/28/2023
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
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.