Actor Gugu Mbatha-Raw has long been drawn to stories that combined both art and activism. From her breakthrough role as Dido Elizabeth Belle, a gentlewoman of color in the film “Belle,” to her recent work in films like “Misbehaviour” and “Fast Color” and the Apple TV program “The Morning Show,” Mbatha-Raw is often at the…
via Gugu Mbatha-Raw to Auction George Floyd, Breonna Taylor Portraits for Still We Rise — Variety
Though Channing Godfrey Peoples’ directorial debut “Miss Juneteenth” is named for the holiday often called “Black Independence Day” or “Freedom Day,” the film is not a history lesson. 33 more words
Regal Cinemas has updated its reopening policy and will now require guests to wear face masks at their locations when theaters are able to resume business. 34 more words
via Regal Cinemas Will Now Require Guests to Wear Face Masks When Theaters Reopen — Variety
Having your official or unofficial debut at a drive-in tends to take the “gala” out of “gala premiere,” for worse or for better. For Dave Franco, the director and co-writer of the horror thriller “The Rental,” who admitted that having his film unspool for the first time at the Vineland Drive-In in the City of…
UPDATED: Facebook and Twitter on Friday both removed a video posted by President Donald Trump — which was faked to appear as if it had aired on CNN — after receiving a copyright-infringement claim. 24 more words
A new collective of Black workers in the arts and entertainment field, called Black Artists for Freedom, has released a statement on their website commemorating Juneteenth and calling on cultural institutions to make changes in order to eliminate racial injustice. 18 more words
In a message posted to her Instagram and Twitter, Taylor Swift expressed why she believes Juneteenth should be a national holiday and announced that she has given her employees the day off. 25 more words
via Taylor Swift Calls for Juneteenth to Be a National Holiday — Variety
Few people in the history of recorded music have had as profound an impact as Quincy Jones. He’s a legendary composer and performer whose work has crossed multiple genres, races and media, a 30-time Grammy winner (including album of the year for 1989’s “Back on the Block”), and the producer of one of pop’s first…
via Quincy Jones Launches Initiative to Bring Jazz, Blues and Gospel Awareness Into Schools — Variety
Even for obsessive Rolling Stones fans, the story of founding guitarist Brian Jones’ death nearly 51 years ago has been so clouded with misinformation, controversy and battling agendas that at a certain point one just gives up wondering. 19 more words
Alan Metter, best known for directing the 1980s films “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” and “Back to School,” died on June 7, his family confirmed to Variety. 29 more words
via Alan Metter, Director of ‘Girls Just Want to Have Fun’ and ‘Back to School,’ Dies at 77 — Variety
Festival Reviews 