Review: "The Birth of a Nation" Offers a Counter Narrative

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 2 (of 2018) by Leroy Douresseaux

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

The Birth of a Nation (2016)
Running time:  120 minutes; MPAA – R for disturbing violent content, and some brief nudity
DIRECTOR:  Nate Parker
WRITERS:  Nate Parker; from a story by Nate Parker and Jean McGianni Celestin
PRODUCERS:  Nate Parker, Kevin Turen, Jason Michael Berman, Preston L. Holmes, and Aaron L. Gilbert
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Elliot Davis (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Steven Rosenblum
COMPOSER:  Henry Jackman

HISTORY/DRAMA/BIOGRAPHY

Starring:  Nate Parker, Armie Hammer, Penelope Ann Miller, Jackie Earle Haley, Mark Boone Junior, Colman Domingo, Aunjanue Ellis, Dwight Henry, Aja Naomie King, Esther Scott, Roger Guenveur Smith, Gabrielle Union, Tony Espinosa, Jayson Warner Smith, Jason Stuart, and Chiké Okonkwo

The Birth of a Nation is a 2016 historical film and slave drama from director Nate Parker, who has the film's starring role.  A joint American and Canadian production, The Birth of the Nation is a fictional account and dramatization of the Black American slave Nat Turner (October 2, 1800 – November 11, 1831), his life, and the rebellion of slaves and free Blacks that Turner led in Southampton County, Virginia on August 21, 1831.

The Birth of a Nation takes its name from from D.W. Griffith's 1915 silent movie and KKK propaganda film.  In Birth of a Nation 2016, Nat Turner, a literate slave and preacher in the antebellum South, orchestrates an uprising.  The film received some of its financing from professional basketball players and NBA stars Michael Finley and Tony Parker.  Among the film's executive producers are Oscar-winning filmmaker, Edward Zwick (Shakespeare in Love), and screenwriter and director David S. Goyer (The Dark Knight and Blade film franchises).

The Birth of a Nation opens in the antebellum South, where Elizabeth Turner (Penelope Ann Miller) teaches a Black child slave, Nat (Tony Espinosa), to read.  Years later, Nat Turner (Nate Parker) is not only a field slave (picking cotton), but he is also a literate slave preacher.  A friend tells Nat's White slave owner, Samuel Turner (Armie Hammer), that other White slave owners need something to suppress their Black slaves, whom they believe to be unruly, disobedient, and indignant.  That friend suggests that Nat's preaching, popular with many of the slaves, could earn the financially strained Turner money from owners that want a slave preacher who can preach their slaves into submission.

As he travels with his owner, however, Nat sees countless atrocities committed by White masters against their Black slaves, many of the same that are committed against himself and the slaves at Turner's and other plantations.  Seeing himself as God's chosen instrument of freedom, Nat gathers trusted followers and prepares for a sign to lead a rebellion.

The 21st century has seen a rise in the number of African-Americans and people of color behind the camera in the American film industry.  The result is two great American films about slavery, one being the “Best Picture” Oscar-winner, 12 Years a Slave.  A second is The Birth of a Nation from writer-director Nate Parker.  However, this film was overshadowed by Parker's past (alleged rape charges that led to a trial in which Parker was acquitted – 1999 to 2001).

It is a shame that controversy overshadowed a film that is one of best of the decade, but it is also a truly unique film.  There are many powerful performances in this film:  Parker as Nat Turner, Penelope Ann Miller as Elizabeth Turner; Aunjanue Ellis as Nancy Turner; Aja Naomi King as Cherry Turner; Esther Scott as Bridget Turner; and Colman Domingo as Hark Turner.

For all those fine performances, what makes The Birth of the Nation 2016 unique is that it is like a folk tale or a fairy tale, as much as it is a period drama or biographical film.  Parker and Jean McGianni Celestin, who co-wrote the film's story, seem to approach Nat Turner as both a figure of history and of myth.  African-Americans, Black slaves, and White people (slave owners and otherwise) had and have different interpretations of Turner and his rebellion.

Thus, The Birth of the Nation 2016 clearly demarcates the line between good and evil; kindness and hate; and good and greed.  However, the righteousness of, the success of, and/or the meaning of Nat Turner's actions and his rebellion are left up to interpretation.  One can say the same about this film because it is a bold vision that demands the viewer grapple beyond viewing it as entertainment or as a pastime.  It is a story about the story of our nation, the good ol' U.S. of A, and how one sees the nations will affect how one views this film.

This film is built on powerful visuals that tell the story, more than it is the script that tells the story.  The visuals are not about sensation, but are about narrative.  The Birth of a Nation 2016 is a counter-myth to the story of the United States of America.

9 of 10
A+

Friday, January 5, 2018


NOTES:
2017 Black Reel Awards:  6 nominations: “Outstanding Actor, Motion Picture” (Nate Parker), “Outstanding Director, Motion Picture” (Nate Parker), “Outstanding Screenplay, Motion Picture” (Nate Parker), “Outstanding Ensemble” (Andrea Craven, Craig Fincannon, Lisa Mae Fincannon, Mary Vernieu, and Michelle Wade Byrd), “Outstanding Breakthrough Performance, Female” (Aja Naomi King), and “Outstanding Score” (Henry Jackman)

2017 Image Awards:  6 nominations:  “Outstanding Motion Picture,” “Outstanding Independent Motion Picture,” “Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture” (Nate Parker), “Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture” (Aja Naomi King), “Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture-Film” (Nate Parker), and “Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture-Film” (Nate Parker)


The text is copyright © 2018 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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"Storm Over Brooklyn" Documentary to Commemorate Yusuf Hawkins

The American Black Film Festival and Lightbox Announce Winner of the 2017 Documentary Film Initiative

Director Muta’Ali’s Documentary Storm Over Brooklyn to Commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the Racially Motivated Killing of 16-Year-Old Yusuf Hawkins

Inaugural Competition Sponsored by 21st Century Fox and National Geographic

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The American Black Film Festival and Lightbox, the award-winning U.S. and U.K. production company, today announced that director Muta’Ali is the recipient of their first annual documentary film development fund. Muta’Ali will work with Lightbox and ABFF to develop his feature documentary Storm Over Brooklyn.

    “Nurturing up-and-coming talent is incredibly important to us at National Geographic, and working with Lightbox and ABFF on this initiative and discovering filmmakers like Muta’Ali is really exciting.”

The ABFF Lightbox Documentary Initiative was launched earlier this year to support and foster documentary filmmakers with diverse voices and perspectives and is sponsored by 21st Century Fox and National Geographic.

Muta’Ali’s Storm Over Brooklyn was selected from over 200 submissions for documentary films that covered a wide range of topics that reflect the experiences of people of color today. ABFF and Lightbox hope to get the film funded and finished in time to have its world premiere at the 23rd annual American Black Film Festival in Miami in June 2019.

Storm Over Brooklyn will revisit the story of Yusuf Hawkins, a black American teenager who was shot to death after being trapped by a group of white youths in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, on the evening of Aug. 23, 1989. Hawkins had come to Bensonhurst with three friends that day to look at a used car when they were attacked by the hostile mob, whose members mistakenly believed that Hawkins was dating a neighborhood girl who was white. The incident shocked New York and the nation, and unleashed a torrent of racial tension in an already divided city and led to nationally televised protests and marches led by the Rev. Al Sharpton. The growing unrest indubitably contributed to the ousting of New York City Mayor Ed Koch in favor of David Dinkins, who became the city’s first — and as of now, only — African-American mayor. Hawkins was just 16 years old at the time of his death.

“2019 will mark the 30th anniversary of Yusuf Hawkins’ death and all these years later, it is fair to say, we are still living in very precarious times,” said Jeff Friday, founder and CEO, ABFF. “We were incredibly moved by the relevance and power of this story and Muta’Ali’s vision for the film. The ABFF Lightbox Documentary Film Initiative is an extension of what I started with the American Black Film Festival, and I am delighted to be able to provide this new platform in partnership with Lightbox, and we are deeply grateful to National Geographic and 21st Century Fox for standing behind this meaningful initiative.”

Lightbox’s Jonathan Chinn added, “I was immediately impressed with Muta’Ali’s passion and creative ambition for the film. The fact that he has already secured Yusuf’s family’s blessing and their active participation in the film along with the participation of many of the key players in the story points to a film that cannot only enter the ongoing conversation we are still having about racial discrimination in America, but that can do justice to the memory and legacy of Yusuf Hawkins. Lightbox and ABFF are thrilled to be collaborating with Muta’Ali on this important and timely film.”

Lightbox and initiative sponsor National Geographic recently collaborated on the Emmy Award-winning feature documentary LA 92, which used only archival footage to tell the story of the lead-up and conflagration of the civil unrest in Los Angeles in 1992 that followed the acquittal of four white LAPD officers accused of beating Rodney King. LA 92 has recently been nominated for a Cinema Eye Award and two International Documentary Association Awards, including the award for Best Feature.

“National Geographic is thrilled to be part of this year’s inaugural competition, and the selection of Muta’Ali as this year’s winner is a perfect choice,” said Tim Pastore, president of original programming and production for National Geographic Channel. “Nurturing up-and-coming talent is incredibly important to us at National Geographic, and working with Lightbox and ABFF on this initiative and discovering filmmakers like Muta’Ali is really exciting.”

Muta’Ali hails from Westchester County, New York. His debut film, “Life’s Essentials With Ruby Dee,” a documentary about his late grandmother, featured notable subjects including Harry Belafonte, Alan Alda, Phylicia Rashad and Spike Lee. His goal is to have his artistic body of work be wholly focused on what he calls “Love, Art & Activism.” In response to winning the ABFF Lightbox Documentary Film Initiative, Muta’Ali stated, “I am thrilled to have been selected as the first beneficiary of this important initiative. Jeff and Jonathan are the ideal partners to help me take the complex story of Yusuf Hawkins and his killing out of my head and onto screens. I have the utmost respect and appreciation for this opportunity and I look forward to creating a film that is true to who Yusuf was and true to all the people who have fought for equality in his name.”

Join the conversation on social media by visiting ABFF’s multiple social media platforms:

Twitter @ABFF
Facebook American Black Film Festival
Instagram @AmericanBlackFilmFestival
YouTube American Black Film Festival
Hashtags #ABFF2018 #WeAreABFF
Website www.ABFF.com


About Lightbox
Headquartered in London and Los Angeles, Lightbox is a multinational media company focused on creating high-quality nonfiction programming for film, television and digital platforms. It was founded in 2014 by Academy Award- and Emmy-winning producers and cousins Simon Chinn and Jonathan Chinn. Simon and Jonathan’s partnership represents a seamless melding of two distinct but compatible backgrounds and a strongly shared creative sensibility. Since its founding in 2014, Lightbox has produced many notable projects, including documentary films “Atari: Game Over” and “The Thread” for Xbox Entertainment Studios; an ESPN 30 for 30 film about the 2006 Duke Lacrosse scandal titled “Fantastic Lies”; and several series for both the U.K. and U.S. markets, such as “The Traffickers” for Fusion, “Inside British Vogue” for BBC, “The Runner-Up” for Esquire, “War Child” for Channel 4 and the groundbreaking “Captive” for Netflix. Lightbox recently released its first theatrical feature documentary, LA 92, about the 1992 LA riots for National Geographic’s Documentary Films Division, and is currently in production on the first and only authorized documentary about legendary pop icon Whitney Houston, which is slated to hit theaters in 2018. Prior to co-founding Lightbox, Simon Chinn became one of the world’s most successful feature documentary producers with two Academy Award-winning documentaries, “Man on Wire” and “Searching for Sugar Man,” to his credit. His other prior producing credits include “Project Nim,” “The Imposter,” “The Green Prince” and “My Scientology Movie.” Jonathan Chinn co-founded Lightbox on the heels of a successful career as one of the most respected nonfiction television showrunners in the U.S., winning an Emmy for “American High” (Fox/PBS) as well as the Television Academy’s prestigious Honors Award for “30 Days” (FX), which went on to become FX’s highest-rated unscripted series. Other producing credits include “Kid Nation” (CBS), “Push Girls” (Sundance) and “Hotel Hell” (Fox).

About ABFF
The American Black Film Festival is an annual event dedicated to showcasing quality film and television content by and about people of African descent. It supports emerging artists to foster a wider range of images, stories and storytellers represented in the entertainment industry. The festival is committed to the belief that black artists and content creators deserve the same opportunities as their mainstream counterparts. ABFF founder Jeff Friday conceived the festival in 1997 as a vehicle to promote diversity in the motion picture industry and strengthen the black filmmaking community through resource sharing, education, artistic collaboration and career development. Today, ABFF is recognized as the preeminent pipeline to new black talent, both in front of and behind the camera, and is regarded as one of the leading film festivals in the world. ABFF is a property of ABFF Ventures, a multifaceted entertainment company specializing in the production of live events, film, television and digital content targeted to upscale African-American audiences.

About National Geographic Partners LLC
National Geographic Partners LLC (NGP), a joint venture between National Geographic and 21st Century Fox, is committed to bringing the world premium science, adventure and exploration content across an unrivaled portfolio of media assets. NGP combines the global National Geographic television channels (National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo MUNDO, Nat Geo PEOPLE) with National Geographic’s media and consumer-oriented assets, including National Geographic magazines; National Geographic studios; related digital and social media platforms; books; maps; children’s media; and ancillary activities that include travel, global experiences and events, archival sales, licensing and e-commerce businesses. Furthering knowledge and understanding of our world has been the core purpose of National Geographic for 129 years, and now we are committed to going deeper, pushing boundaries, going further for our consumers … and reaching over 760 million people around the world in 172 countries and 43 languages every month as we do it. NGP returns 27 percent of our proceeds to the nonprofit National Geographic Society to fund work in the areas of science, exploration, conservation and education. For more information visit natgeotv.com or nationalgeographic.com, or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest.

About 21ST CENTURY FOX
21st Century Fox is the world's premier portfolio of cable, broadcast, film, pay TV and satellite assets spanning six continents across the globe. Reaching more than 1.8 billion subscribers in approximately 50 local languages every day, 21st Century Fox is home to a global portfolio of cable and broadcasting networks and properties, including FOX, FX, FXX, FXM, FS1, Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network, FOX Sports, Fox Sports Network, National Geographic, STAR India, 28 local television stations in the U.S. and more than 350 international channels; film studio Twentieth Century Fox Film; and television production studios Twentieth Century Fox Television and a 50% ownership interest in Endemol Shine Group. The Company also holds a 39.1% ownership interest in Sky, Europe’s leading entertainment company, which serves 22 million customers across five countries. For more information about 21st Century Fox, please visit www.21CF.com.

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AfricanAncestry.com Helps NFL's Michael Bennett Find His African Roots

Michael Bennett Takes a Historic ‘Stand’ for His African Roots

Defensive Lineman Partners with AfricanAncestry.com to Discover African Roots in Sierra Leone, Senegal and Bioko Island (Equatorial Guinea) During A Time of Social Action

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--From taking a knee, to community movements, people of color in America are finding ways to speak out and stand-up. Seattle Seahawks’ Pro Bowl defensive lineman Michael Bennett has turned to his African roots to better understand who he is by knowing where he’s from in Africa.

    Thanks @mosesbread72 for taking a stand for your roots with us. #Senegal #SierraLeone #BikoIsland #DoYouKnow?

AfricanAncestry.com, the pioneers of genetic ancestry tracing for people of African descent, announces today that Bennett’s maternal ancestry traced to the Mandinka people of Senegal and the Mende people of Sierra Leone. His paternal ancestry traced to the Bubi people of Bioko Island (Equatorial Guinea). He joins fellow athletes Trevor Pryce, Tina Thompson and Richard Dent with ancestral roots in Sierra Leone or Senegal.

“There’s an undercurrent of change on the rise in the Black community about a variety of things such as social injustice, blatant racism and cultural identity. It feels like a present-day version of the Black Power Movement,” said Dr. Gina Paige, president and co-founder of African Ancestry. “Bennett’s ancestral reveal is one of the most monumental we’ve done because of this time in our history and what he represents,” added Paige.

Known for his outspoken activism on and off the field, Bennett has long since supported connections to Africa, including his STEAM program with iamthecode.org for girls in Africa and the U.S.

“Thanks for changing my life,” signed Bennett on a special Seahawks jersey to Paige.

For more information on Michael Bennett’s ancestry, contact Nichole Taylor at taylor@taylorcommunicationsgroup.com and visit www.AfricanAncestry.com.


ABOUT AFRICAN ANCESTRY
Founded in 2003, African Ancestry Inc. (AfricanAncestry.com) pioneered African lineage matching in the United States utilizing its proprietary DNA-database to more accurately assess present-day countries of origin for people of African descent. African Ancestry’s products include the MatriClan™ and PatriClan™ ancestry tests and customized memorabilia and informative resources. African Ancestry is Black-owned and headquartered in Washington, DC. For media inquiries, contact taylor@taylorcommunicationsgroup.com.

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Disney Animator Floyd Norman is Keynote Speaker at Siggraph 2017

Photo is courtesy of Michael Fiore Films

SIGGRAPH 2017 Announces Floyd Norman, Walt Disney Animation Studios’ First African-American Animator, as Keynote Speaker

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SIGGRAPH 2017, the world’s leading annual interdisciplinary educational experience showcasing the latest in computer graphics and interactive techniques, proudly announces Floyd Norman, the first African-American animator to work for Walt Disney Animation Studios, as its keynote speaker. SIGGRAPH’s keynote session featuring Norman will be presented as a fireside chat, allowing attendees the opportunity to hear a Disney legend discuss his life and career within an intimate setting. SIGGRAPH 2017 will mark the 44th International Conference and Exhibition on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques, and will be held July 30th to August 3rd, 2017 in Los Angeles.

    The #SIGGRAPH2017 Keynote has been announced! Learn all about @floydnorman. #CG #animation (cc: @siggraph)

Floyd Norman was the subject of a 2016 documentary film entitled “Floyd Norman: An Animated Life” from filmmakers Michael Fiore and Erik Sharkey. The film, which covers Norman’s life story, also includes interviews with such notables as actress/comedian Whoopi Goldberg (voice, “The Lion King”), Richard Sherman (composer, “Mary Poppins”) Leonard Maltin (film critic), Ralph Guggenheim (former vice president of animation at Pixar) and Gary Trousdale (co-director, Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast”), among others. Ain’t It Cool News hailed the film “delightful” and said, “[Norman is] a man who has undoubtedly brought joy to your life without you even knowing it.”

“Floyd Norman is a living legend and a national treasure. He is an animator, storyteller, and renowned artist. As the first African-American animator to work at Walt Disney [Animation Studios], Norman is an inspiration to those of us who followed his trail-blazed path into the animation, motion graphics, and computer graphics fields. We are thrilled that he has accepted our invitation to appear as our very special keynote speaker for SIGGRAPH 2017,” said SIGGRAPH 2017 Conference Chair Jerome Solomon.

Norman was hired as the first African-American animator at Walt Disney Studios in 1956 and was later hand-picked by Walt Disney himself to join the story team on “The Jungle Book.” After Walt’s death, Norman left Disney to start his own company, Vignette Films, Inc., and produce films on the subject of black history for high schools. He and his partners would later work with Hanna-Barbera Productions to animate the original Fat Albert TV special “Hey, Hey, Hey, It’s Fat Albert,” as well as the opening title sequence for the TV series “Soul Train.”

Norman returned to Disney in the 1980s to work in their publishing department, and in 1998 moved to the story department to work on “Mulan.” After all this, an invite to the Bay Area in the late ‘90s became a career highlight when Norman began working with leaders in the next wave of animation — Pixar and Steve Jobs — adding “Toy Story 2” and “Monsters, Inc.” to his film credits. Though Norman technically retired at the age of 65 in 2000, Norman is not one to quit and chose, instead, to occupy an open cubicle at Disney Publishing Worldwide for the last 15 years. As he puts it, “I just won’t leave.”

While not on staff, Norman’s proximity to other Disney personnel has led him to pick up freelance work, and continue his impact on animation as both an artist and a mentor. As to his future plans, he says, “I plan to die at the drawing board!”

On SIGGRAPH, Norman shared, "I’ve been fascinated by computer graphics since I purchased my first computer. I began attending SIGGRAPH when a kiosk was all Pixar could afford. Since then, I’ve had the pleasure of working for this fine company and being a part of this amazing technology as it continues to mature. I’ve also enjoyed sharing insights I’ve garnered over the years in this fantastic industry. In recent years, I’ve spoken at several universities and even Apple. Creative imagination and technological innovation have always been a part of my life, and I’m delighted to share my enthusiasm with the fans at SIGGRAPH this year.”

Registration for SIGGRAPH 2017 is now open. Visit the conference website for more information.


About SIGGRAPH 2017
The annual SIGGRAPH conference is a five-day interdisciplinary educational experience in the latest computer graphics and interactive techniques, including a three-day commercial exhibition that attracts hundreds of companies from around the world. The conference also hosts the international SIGGRAPH Computer Animation Festival, showcasing works from the world's most innovative and accomplished digital film and video creators. Juried and curated content includes outstanding achievements in time-based art, scientific visualization, visual effects, real-time graphics, and narrative shorts. SIGGRAPH 2017 will take place from 30 July–3 August 2017 in Los Angeles. Visit the SIGGRAPH 2017 website or follow SIGGRAPH on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or Instagram for more detailed information.

About ACM SIGGRAPH
The ACM Special Interest Group on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques is an interdisciplinary community interested in research, technology, and applications in computer graphics and interactive techniques. Members include researchers, developers, and users from the technical, academic, business, and art communities. ACM SIGGRAPH enriches the computer graphics and interactive techniques community year-round through its conferences, global network of professional and student chapters, publications, and educational activities.

About ACM
ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery, is the world's largest educational and scientific computing society, uniting educators, researchers, and professionals to inspire dialogue, share resources, and address the field's challenges. ACM strengthens the computing profession's collective voice through strong leadership, promotion of the highest standards, and recognition of technical excellence. ACM supports the professional growth of its members by providing opportunities for lifelong learning, career development, and professional networking.

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National Geographic Presents L.A. Riots Documentary "LA 92"

National Geographic Documentary Films and Academy Award-Winning Directors Dan Lindsay and TJ Martin Mark the 25th Anniversary of the Los Angeles Riots with the Powerful New Film LA 92

Produced by two-time Academy Award® winner Simon Chinn and Emmy® award winner Jonathan Chinn, with original music by acclaimed composers Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans

Using only archival material drawn from more than 1,000 hours of powerful footage, LA 92 reconstructs the tumultuous days that changed America

LA 92 premieres at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 21, followed by a multicity tour, theatrical release in New York and Los Angeles and broadcast debut on National Geographic

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ferguson. Baltimore. Sanford. The Los Angeles riots may have taken place a quarter century ago but the nation continues to find itself in a cycle of heated discussion over racial oppression, police brutality and socioeconomic inequality.

    “Our intent was to fully immerse viewers in a raw and unfiltered experience in order to challenge their understanding of the civil unrest, both emotionally and intellectually.”

Now, after 25 years, National Geographic Documentary Films presents LA 92, a riveting look back at the controversial Rodney King trial and subsequent protests, violence and looting of the city. Viewed from a multitude of vantage points through visceral and rarely seen archival footage, the film brings a fresh perspective to a pivotal moment that reverberates to this day. Produced by Lightbox’s two-time Academy Award winner Simon Chinn (“Man on Wire”) and Emmy winner Jonathan Chinn (“American High”) with Academy Award-winning directors Dan Lindsay and TJ Martin (“Undefeated”), and featuring original music from Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans (“OA,” “Enemy”), LA 92 premieres at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival on Friday, April 21, 2017.

“Race relations is America’s Achilles’ heel,” said Lightbox producers Jonathan Chinn and Simon Chinn. “The production of this film might mark the 25th anniversary of this seminal uprising, but these kinds of events still recur, and we are still dealing with their root causes. Our goal with LA 92 is to reframe the story of this tragedy for a modern audience, and we hope it will encourage reflection and debate as we wrestle with these very real conflicts that continue to plague America’s cities.”

Following the premiere at Tribeca, the film will complete a multicity screening tour including Baltimore; Charlotte; St. Louis; Washington, D.C.; and Atlanta. Additionally, a limited theatrical release in New York and Los Angeles begins Friday, April 28, 2017 and LA 92 makes its television broadcast debut on National Geographic on Sunday, April 30, 2017 at 9/8c and will also air globally in 171 countries and 45 languages. Furthering the national conversation, National Geographic has also partnered with Picture Motion to provide free screenings of the film to colleges and universities nationwide and has developed a robust free discussion guide to accompany the film. For more information, visit natgeotvpressroom.com.

Using no narration or talking head interviews, the filmmakers decided to take a bold approach: to reconstruct the tumultuous events that unfolded in 1992 by exclusively using archival footage and photographs. Culling thousands of hours of visceral broadcast news footage, radio reports, police files and personal home videos — some of which have never been broadcast — the filmmakers tell the story through a variety of different points of view and perspectives and set it all to a rich orchestral score composed by Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans.

“We come from a cinema verite background and as such, we are always striving to find ways to let the footage speak for itself,” said Martin and Lindsay, who also edited the film. “Our intent was to fully immerse viewers in a raw and unfiltered experience in order to challenge their understanding of the civil unrest, both emotionally and intellectually.”

The filmmakers sourced an intricate network of citizen journalists with boots on the ground during the civil disturbance to bring authenticity to the film. The film features never-before-seen and rarely used footage from the Los Angeles First AME Church, which supported many victims of the violence; materials from the Los Angeles police and fire departments; and video from contemporaneous news broadcasts from LA-based Korean-language television stations. LA 92 takes viewers out of the prism of their own cultural, racial and political perspectives and allows them to see the events of 1992 in a new light.

The film captures the shock, disappointment and fury felt by many Angelenos, particularly those in the African-American community, following the outcomes of two back-to-back, highly publicized trials. In November 1991, a Korean convenience store owner who was convicted of fatally shooting African-American teenager Latasha Harlins was given no jail time by a white Los Angeles judge. Six months later, four police officers caught on videotape brutally beating unarmed black motorist Rodney King were acquitted of assault by a predominantly white Simi Valley jury.

The King verdict sparked a wave of violent protests, looting and arson that lasted several days and left more than 50 people dead, thousands injured and large swaths of Los Angeles — including many Korean-American-owned businesses — in ruins. In the case of the King beating, it was the first time the kind of abuse many had witnessed or experienced at the hands of LAPD officers was recorded and broadcast for the world to see, leaving some with the sense that if justice did not prevail despite such graphic evidence, it never would.

For more information, visit natgeotv.com/la92.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC PRESENTS A LIGHTBOX PRODUCTION

LA 92
ORIGINAL MUSIC BY DANNY BENSI & SAUNDER JURRIAANS
EDITED BY TJ MARTIN
EDITED BY SCOTT STEVENSON DAN LINDSAY
CO-PRODUCER BEN PINER PRODUCER SARAH GIBSON
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS FOR NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MATT RENNER TIM PASTORE
PRODUCED BY JONATHAN CHINN & SIMON CHINN
DIRECTED BY DAN LINDSAY & TJ MARTIN


About National Geographic Documentary Films
National Geographic Documentary Films is committed to bringing the world premium, feature documentaries that cover timely, provocative and globally relevant stories from the very best documentary filmmakers in the world. National Geographic Documentary Films is a division of National Geographic Partners, a joint venture between National Geographic and 21st Century Fox. Furthering knowledge and understanding of our world has been the core purpose of National Geographic for 129 years, and now we are committed to going deeper, pushing boundaries, going further for our consumers … and reaching over 730 million people around the world in 171 countries and 45 languages every month as we do it. NGP returns 27 percent of our proceeds to the nonprofit National Geographic Society to fund work in the areas of science, exploration, conservation and education. For more information visit natgeotv.com or nationalgeographic.com, or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest.

About Lightbox
Headquartered in London and Los Angeles, Lightbox is a multinational media company focused on creating high-quality nonfiction programming for film, television and digital platforms, founded by Academy Award- and Emmy-winning producers and cousins Simon Chinn and Jonathan Chinn. Simon Chinn is one of the world’s most successful feature documentary producers with two Academy Award-winning documentaries, “Man on Wire” and “Searching for Sugar Man,” to his credit. Before co-founding Lightbox, Jonathan Chinn was one of the most respected nonfiction television showrunners in the U.S., with an Emmy for “American High” (Fox/PBS) and the Television Academy’s prestigious Honors Award for “30 Days” (FX), which went on to become FX’s highest rated unscripted series. Since its founding in 2014, Lightbox has produced many notable projects including documentary films “Atari: Game Over” and “The Thread,” which compose a two-part documentary series for Xbox Entertainment Studios about the digital revolution; an ESPN “30 for 30” film about the 2006 Duke lacrosse scandal titled “Fantastic Lies”; as well as several series for both the U.K. and U.S. markets, such as “The Traffickers” for Fusion, “Inside British Vogue” for BBC, “The Runner-Up” for Esquire and the groundbreaking series “Captive” for Netflix. Slated for release in 2018, is the first-ever authorized feature documentary about legendary pop icon Whitney Houston.

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Image Comics Announces "Black History in Its Own Words

BLACK HISTORY IN ITS OWN WORDS HITS STORES THIS FEBRUARY

Just in time to celebrate Black History Month

Image Comics is pleased to announce BLACK HISTORY IN ITS OWN WORDS by Ronald Wimberly (PRINCE OF CATS) which will hit stores this February 2017—just in time to celebrate Black History Month.

A look at Black History framed by those who made it, BLACK HISTORY IN ITS OWN WORDS presents quotes of dozens of black luminaries with portraits & illustrations by Ronald Wimberly. Featuring the memorable words and depictions of Angela Davis, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Kanye West, Zadie Smith, Ice Cube, Dave Chappelle, James Baldwin, Spike Lee, and more.

The book has been a long time coming with Wimberly’s mission for the project aimed at shining a light on black people’s stories and their woeful underrepresentation.

“In January 2014, Matt Bors asked me to pick some quotes and illustrate eight of them for the Nib for Black History Month. I chose quotes ranging from the casual to the profound from luminaries both past and present. I had so much fun I did 4 extra (12 in total) and continued to do 12 more the subsequent year. This book collects those first 24 works as well as 14 new works,” said Wimberly.

Wimberly took a unique approach to the project and opted for people based not only on historical precedence but on their punk spirit and existential bravery; people whose words and lives spoke to him personally.

Wimberly added: “I was inspired by the aesthetic discipline of Emory Douglas and Bruno Paul to work in graphic reduction and a limited palette inspired by national colors of the black diaspora. I hope that these images of black luminaries and their words will inspire readers to further research and be emboldened to live life as they have.”

BLACK HISTORY MONTH IN ITS OWN WORDS, 8 x 8 inch trim size hardcover for $16.99 hits stores on Wednesday, February 8th, 2016. The final order cutoff for comics retailers is Monday, January 16th, 2016.


ABOUT IMAGE COMICS
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from July 1st to 9th, 2016 - Update #44

Support Leroy on Patreon.

COMICS - From Indiewire:  Writer-producer Simon Kinberg hopes "Gambit" movie (with Channing Tatum playing Gambit) starts filming in 2017.

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MOVIES - From ScreenDaily:  "Tomb Raider" has been set for a March 2018 debut.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Kiefer Sutherland, who was an original cast member of the film, Flatliners (1990), is likely to join the remake.

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STAR TREK - From YahooNews:  "Star Trek Beyond" will introduce Sulu's husband.

From YahooMovies:   George Takei, the Sulu from the original Star Trek cast, wishes there were a gay Star Trek character, but does not want Sulu to be that gay character.

From Deadline:  Zachary Quinto and Simon Pegg respond to "gay Sulu" debate.

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MOVIES - From Variety:   Justin Timberlake joins Woody Allen's 2017 unnamed film, which begins shooting this fall.

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COMICS - From YahooNews:  It is finally revealed.  Mads Mikkelsen will play the villain, Kaecilius, formerly a goon in service of Baron Mordo.

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TELEVISION - From THR:  Former FOX News blonde bimbo, Gretchen Carlson, sues FOX News boss, Roger Ailes, for sexual harassment.

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COMICS - From YahooMovies:  Tony Stark has been replaced as Iron Man by a young Black woman.

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TELEVISION - From Hitfix:  The start of "Game of Thrones" Season 7 to be delayed.

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The Killing of #AltonSterling and #PhilandroCastille and #Dallas:

From YahooNews:  Cuba Gooding, Jr.  once took a photo with one of the Dallas police officers killed on Thursday, July 7, 2016.

From YahooNews:  Dallas Police Chief David Brown earns praise for his steady hand.

From HuffingtonPost:  Rudy Giuliani is an racist, opportunistic ass; yet people are still surprised.

From NYTimes:  Details emerge in the death of Philandro Castille.

From telSUR:  Cops kill detained man #AltonSterling in Baton Rouge, LA.

From RSN:  More video related to #AltonSterling

From YahooNews:  Katie Couric interviews family of #AltonSterling.

From YahooNews:   Federal civil rights investigators were called in Wednesday to probe the fatal police shooting of a black father of five in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  The death of 37-year-old Alton Sterling outside a convenience store in Baton Rouge was captured on cell phone video.

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HISTORY - From YahooNews:  Slave descendant unites with plantation owner for heartwarming dinner 181 years after families lived there.  The plantation owner, a descendant of the plantation's original owner is also a cousin to the slave descendant.

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JAMES BOND - From Variety:  Nicolas Winding Refn says that he turned down the directing gig on the recent James Bond film, "Spectre."

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COMICS - From Movieweb:  Colin Farrell will play a mystery role in "Justice League."

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COMICS - From DarkHorizons:  "Thor: Ragnarok" begins filming.

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OBITS - From TheWrap:  Acclaimed Iranian film director, Abbas Kiarostami, has died at the age of 76, Monday, July 4, 2016.

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MOVIES - From VillageVoice:  Post-"Twilight" Kristen Stewart continues to astound critic Melissa Anderson.

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OBITS - From TheWrap:  The actress Noel Neill has died at the age of 95, Sunday, July 3, 2016.  Neill's fame primarily comes from the fact that she was the first actress to portray the character, Lois Lane, from the Superman comic books.  She played Lois for the first time in the 1948 film, "Superman," and most famously in the classic 1950s TV series, "The Adventures of Superman."

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MOVIES - From YahooMovies:  Chris Costello talks about her father, Lou Costello of the legendary comedy duo, "Abbot & Costello," and her book, "Lou's on First."

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Has Steven Spielberg lost his platinum touch?

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the box office for the four-day, July 4th (2016) holiday weekend is "Finding Dory" with an estimated take of $50.19 million.

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OBIT - From TheGuardian:  Robin Hardy, the director of "The Wicker Man" (1973), one of the most unsettling films ever made, has died.  He died Friday, July 1, 2016 at the age of 86.

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ANIMATION - From YahooStyle:  Disney getting heat about a fat character in their upcoming film, "Moana."

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BOX OFFICE - From TheWrap:  "Finding Dory" wins the Saturday box office of the 4th of July weekend.

From YahooCelebrity:  "The Legend of Tarzan" doing better than expected.  "The BFG" is in trouble.

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COMICS REVIEW - From Patreon:  "Don't Be Cruel 2-in-1 Edition Volume 1"

From Patreon:  "Tales from the Darkside #1" by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez

From Patreon:  "Star Wars: The Force Awakens #1" - Marvel Comics adaptation

From Patreon:  "Han Solo #1"

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COMICS - From BleedingCool:  The long-running worldwide hit manga, Bleach, will end this Fall.

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CULTURE - From TheWrap:  Patricia Clarkson on Hollywood Sexism: ‘A White Male Actor Should Never Be Allowed to Complain About Anything’

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OBIT - From TheWrap:  Director Michael Cimino has died at the age of 77.  He is best known for his film, "The Deer Hunter," for which he won a "Best Director" Oscar.  He also directed legendary film flop, "Heaven's Gate."

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OBIT - From NYTimes:  Elie Wiesel has died at the age of 87, Saturday, July 2, 2016.  Wiesel was an Aushwitz survivor and Nobel Peace Prize winner.  As an author, his most famous work is the short biographical novel, "Night."

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BOX OFFICE - From Variety:  Steven Spielberg's "The BFG" looks like the loser of the July 4th weekend's major new releases.  "The Purge 3" looks to be a big hit.  It may tie the other big new release, "The Legend of Tarzan" as the top new performer at the box office.

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COMICS - From ScreenRant:  Jon Watts is directing "Spider-Man: Homecoming."  What can his earlier films, "Cop Car" and "Clown" tells us about what to expect from Spider-Man.

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MOVIES - From BleedingCool:  "Underworld: Blood Wars" (the fifth film in the franchise) has been pushed from October 2016 to a January 2017.

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MOVIES - From YahooMovies:  "Gone with the Wind" star, Olivia de Havilland is 100 years old today.

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COMICS - From Kickstarter:  Veteran comic book writer-artist and illustrator, Kody Chamberlain, is working on a new comic book project with newcomer Gavin Guidry.  It is called "Smut and Jeff," and it has a Kickstarter campaign.

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ANIMATION - From Deadline:  The 2012 animated film, "Wreck-It Ralph" will have a sequel, due in 2018.

TRAILERS:

From Vevo:  See Rihanna's video for the song "Sledgehammer" from "Star Trek Beyond."

From Facebook:  Dr. McCoy gives Spock advice in latest "Star Trek Beyond" clip.

From YouTube:  The debut trailer for "Why Him?" with James Franco and Bryan Cranston.

I Reads You Review: DREAMING EAGLES #2

DREAMING EAGLES No. 2 (OF 6)
AFTERSHOCK COMICS – @AfterShockComix

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Garth Ennis
ARTIST: Simon Coleby
COLORS: John Kalisz
LETTERS: Rob Steen
COVER: Francesco Francavilla
VARIANT COVER: Declan Shalvey
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (January 2016)

For mature readers

Dreaming Eagles created by Garth Ennis

Chapter 2: “Sunward I've Climbed”

Dreaming Eagles is a comic book created and written by Garth Ennis and drawn by Simon Coleby.  A six-issue miniseries, Dreaming Eagles tells the story of the first African-American fighter pilots to join the United States Army Air Force in World War II.  The narrative connects the pilots' stories with the 1960s Civil Rights movement through two character, WWII veteran, Lt. Reggie Atkinson, and his son Lee, a Civil Rights activist.

As Dreaming Eagles #2 (“Sunward I've Climbed”) opens, Reggie tries to explain to Lee the experience and feelings of flying an airplane.  He then recounts the early struggle of Black pilots to gain acceptance and the difficulties facing other Black men who wanted to become pilots.  Connected to the U.S. Army Air Corps Thirty-Third fighter group, the Black servicemen travel overseas to find that some things are the same as at home in the United States, as they prepare for their first combat.

As much as the first issue of Dreaming Eagles intrigued me, I was equally curious about where this series would go.  I am surprised that the second issue focuses so much on the bureaucratic obstacles that the Black pilots confront as much as it depicts the resistance these men face from their superior officers.  This is all driven by racism, bigotry, ignorance, and everything bad that is rooted in the Jim Crow America which emerged late in the 19th century.

Garth Ennis offers a story that reads like an oral history, covering both the larger details of the wider national and military history, but also depicting the more intimate details of a personal story.  Yet Ennis also depicts the thrill of flight, both in training and in combat.  This sense of drama is as exciting as the best moments of a good action movie.

Artist Simon Coleby brings Ennis' script to life and captures every nuance and all the high-drama.  I can't find the words to describe how wonderful is the manner in which Coleby depicts airplanes in flight and in fight.  Yet Coleby also brings the same power and intensity, but quietly, when depicting the indignities the Black servicemen face.  Even when these men take it with a “stiff upper lift,” Coleby shows the anger that simmers beneath these proud men.

Dreaming Eagles #2 makes me even more curious.  What's next with issue #3?

A

[This comic book includes a six-page preview of the comic book , “Second Sight,” by David Hine and Alberto Ponticelli.]

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


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

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"March" Graphic Novels Marching Into New York City School

John Lewis Brings Graphic Novel Education to NYC Schools

NEW YORK — When John Lewis was a college student in Nashville, Tennessee, he attended a workshop on nonviolence that changed his life. Based on the principles of Gandhi and the recent Montgomery Bus Boycott, it also included a comic book — Martin Luther King and the Montgomery Story — as a take-home study aid in nonviolent resistance. “That little book became like a Bible for us,” says Lewis.

Fifty years later, he teamed with co-writer Andrew Aydin and artist Nate Powell to adapt his own incredible life story into a series of award-winning graphic novels, entitled MARCH. The MARCH series is a #1 NYT-bestselling phenomenon, earning a Robert F. Kennedy Book Award, becoming a popular selection for university reading programs, and prompting the Washington Post to write, "There is perhaps no more important modern book to be stocked in American school libraries than MARCH."

Now, this groundbreaking graphic novel series reaches the nation’s largest public school system. Congressman Lewis and his MARCH co-creators, Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell, visited New York City today to address hundreds of the city’s social studies teachers about teaching the civil rights movement and their graphic novel series, which is being added to “Passport to Social Studies,” an expansive new curriculum developed by the New York City Department of Education. Students study the civil rights movement in the 8th grade, and now, teachers may choose to utilize lessons developed by the Department of Social Studies that feature scenes from MARCH, to discuss milestones such as John Lewis's speech at the 1963 March on Washington.

In today's session, New York's teachers had a rare opportunity to hear from a seminal figure of history whose story is vitally relevant to the modern day — and who now presents that story in a powerful new format for engaging today's students.

Teachers across the country, at every grade level, have embraced MARCH as a dynamic and powerful visual testimony of the civil rights movement, narrated by one of its major figures. For example:

•     "MARCH has become essential reading in my courses... From the poignancy of Lewis’ childhood sermons with the family chickens to the courage of Freedom Riders nearly trapped inside a burning bus, each panel of MARCH rewards close readers, inviting analysis and critical reflection." — Qiana Whitted, University of South Carolina

•     “MARCH brings the African American freedom struggle to life as no other memoir can. Told through the lens of Lewis’s remarkable biography, MARCH encapsulates many of the most important themes of the Civil Rights Movement, and American history more generally. Students at all levels will find that the vivid illustrations and quick pace make the narrative exciting to read, while also allowing for in-depth understandings about the complicated themes of race, equality, and perseverance in twentieth-century America. Nate Powell’s lines remain true to the horrific reality of U.S. history, while somehow highlighting people’s agency and humanity in the face of American racism and violence.” — Dave Gilbert, Mars Hill University

•     "I have never had to ask students to put books down before, until MARCH." — Judith Marks, Olney Charter High School, Philadelphia, PA

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Fathom Events Celebrate 75th Anniversary of Tuskegee Airman

Commemorate The Tuskegee Airmen’s 75th Anniversary in Select U.S. Movie Theaters March 29

Presented by Fathom Events and Bryton Entertainment, This Event Pays Tribute to America's First African-American Fighter Pilots from World War II

DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fathom Events is partnering with Bryton Entertainment to present “In Their Own Words: The Tuskegee Airmen - The 75th Anniversary” in select U.S. cinemas for the first time ever on Tuesday, March 29, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. local time. This one-night cinema event features emotional interviews, rare photographs, archival footage and computer-generated recreations. Audiences will also experience an exclusive panel discussion captured at the National Air Force Museum with Tuskegee Airman Lt. Col. George Hardy, Former Administrator of NASA Col. Fred Gregory, as well as the producer Bryan Williams and director Denton Adkinson.

Tickets for “In Their Own Words: The Tuskegee Airmen - The 75th Anniversary” can be purchased online by visiting www.FathomEvents.com or at participating theater box offices. Fans throughout the U.S. will be able to enjoy the event in nearly 200 movie theaters through Fathom’s Digital Broadcast Network. For a complete list of theater locations visit the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).

Sixteen of the Tuskegee Airmen, America's first African-American military aviators who flew the skies of the European Theater during World War II, are featured in this powerful event. As African Americans were rejected in their attempts to enlist in World War I, the recruitment, training and combat of the Tuskegee Airmen in World War II was a monumental moment not only in American military history, but also in American history as a whole. “In Their Own Words: The Tuskegee Airmen - The 75th Anniversary” tells the story of how these airmen were some of the first to begin the civil rights movement and have lived long enough to see the changes that continue to resonate today.

“Fathom is extremely excited to be working with Bryton Entertainment on this powerful event that honors the Tuskegee Airmen. 2016 marks the 75th anniversary of these amazing fighters and there is no better way to celebrate these men than a documentary and panel discussion,” said Fathom Events CEO John Rubey.

“The enthusiasm in which the few remaining Tuskegee Airmen reacted to this news has been nothing short of fulfilling. These brave men made one request of us upon lending their story, ‘Never let our story die!’ We are thrilled to honor that request with Fathom Events on March 29, when this event hits theaters around the country,” said Bryan Williams of Bryton Entertainment, LLC.


About Fathom Events
Fathom Events is the event cinema distribution arm of AMC Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: AMC), Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK) and Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC) (known collectively as AC JV, LLC), the three largest movie theater circuits in the U.S., and is recognized as the leading distributor of alternative content. It offers a variety of one-of-a-kind entertainment events in movie theaters nationwide that include live, high-definition performances of the Metropolitan Opera, dance and theatre productions such as the Bolshoi Ballet and National Theatre Live’s Hamlet, sporting events like FS1 Presents USA v Mexico, concerts with Roger Waters and One Direction, the TCM Presents classic film series and faith-based events such as The Drop Box and Four Blood Moons. Fathom Events also takes audiences behind the scenes and offers unique extras including audience Q&As, backstage footage and interviews with cast and crew, creating the ultimate VIP experience. In addition, Fathom Events’ live digital broadcast network (“DBN”) is the largest cinema broadcast network in North America, bringing live and pre-recorded events to 875 locations in 179 Designated Market Areas® (including all of the top 50). For more information, visit www.fathomevents.com.

About Bryton Entertainment
Bryton Entertainment, LLC is a multifaceted video production company, whose services range from commercials, music videos, concerts, documentaries, and live events, to graphic design and 3D animation. In the ten years since it was founded, Bryton Entertainment, a Christian-based production company, has had the pleasure of producing many inspiring works. With In Their Own Words: The Tuskegee Airmen and 29 Let’s Go (A World War II film) slated for national release, and more than thirty music videos, three BET and two Stellar Awards Gospel Music Video of the Year nominations under their belts, Bryton has the strong ability to tell entertaining and engaging, yet wholesome, stories.

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"12 Years a Slave" Makes Its Basic Cable Premiere on BET Networks

BET Honors Black History Month with 2 New Specials

JAMIE FOXX, ROBERT DOWNEY JR., KERRY WASHINGTON, OCTAVIA SPENCER AND MORE ATTEND “ABFF AWARDS: A CELEBRATION OF HOLLYWOOD” AIRING ON BET AND CENTRIC, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23RD AT 8P/7C

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Tune in Tuesday, February 23, 2016 as BET partners with American Black Film Festival (ABFF) to air “ABFF Awards: A Celebration of Hollywood” at 8P/7C. This first-ever televised award shows tributes film legends and TV’s hottest stars. Hosted by Mike Epps, the two-hour event honors Don Cheadle, Regina King, Ryan Coogler, Diahann Carroll and Will Packer for their achievements in entertainment. Don’t miss special appearances by Jamie Foxx, Robert Downey Jr., Kerry Washington, Octavia Spencer, Loretta Devine, KeKe Palmer, Anthony Anderson and more!

2014 Best Picture Oscar Winner, “12 Years A Slave,” makes its basic cable premiere on BET Networks to wrap up Black History Month. The movie premieres Saturday, February 27, 2016 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT. The film is based on an incredible true story of one man's fight for survival and freedom. In the pre-Civil War United States, Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery. Facing cruelty as well as unexpected kindnesses, Solomon struggles not only to stay alive, but to retain his dignity. In the twelfth year of his unforgettable odyssey, Solomon's chance meeting with a Canadian abolitionist forever alters his life.

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Review: Gripping "Selma" is History Unfarnished

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 46 (of 2015) by Leroy Douresseaux

[A version of this review originally appeared on Patreon.]

Selma (2014)
Running time: 128 minutes (2 hours, 8 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for disturbing thematic material including violence, a suggestive moment, and brief strong language
DIRECTOR:  Ava DuVernay
WRITER:  Paul Webb
PRODUCERS:  Christian Colson, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, and Oprah Winfrey
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Bradford Young
EDITOR:  Spencer Averick
COMPOSER:  Jason Moran
Academy Award winner

DRAMA/HISTORY

Starring:  David Oyelowo, Carmen Ejogo, Tom Wilkinson, Giovanni Ribisi, Andre Holland, Stephan James, Wendell Pierce, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Colman Domingo, Omar Dorsey, Tessa Thompson, Common, Lorraine Toussaint, Lakeith Stanfield, Henry G. Sanders, Charity Jordan, Trai Beyers, Dylan Baker, Stephen Root, Niecy Nash, E. Roger Mitchell, Tim Roth, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Alessandro Nivola, Michael Shikany, Brandon O'Dell, Nigel Thatch, and Oprah Winfrey

Selma is a 2014 historical drama from director Ava DuVernay.  Written by Paul Webb, the film chronicles the 1965 Selma to Montgomery, Alabama voting rights marches and its leaders:  Martin Luther King, Jr., James Bevel, Hosea Williams, and John Lewis.  Brad Pitt is one of this film's executive producers.

Selma opens in 1964.  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (David Oyelowo) of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) accepts his Nobel Peace Prize.  King believes that after the passage of the “Civil Rights Act of 1964” (which outlawed discrimination), the next big effort for civil rights should be to secure voting rights for Black Americans, especially in the South.  He and the SCLC decide that the campaign to secure equal voting rights will be highlighted with an epic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama in 1965.

However, several forces gather to stop the march.  President Lyndon B. Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) wants Dr. King to hold off on seeking voting rights until after Johnson can push through his “War of Poverty” program.  Alabama Governor George Wallace (Tim Roth) wants to bring an end to Civil Rights activism in his state, and decides to use force, including state police and local law enforcement, against marchers and protesters.

Meanwhile, Coretta Scott King (Carmen Ejogo), Dr. King's wife, is concerned for her husband's safety and for the disruption to their marriage and danger to his family caused by his work.  Younger Black activists, such as the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), are not happy with Dr. King and the SCLC's methods.  Worst of all, dark forces are gathering to keep the marchers from crossing Edmund Pettus Bridge, which will keep them from leaving Selma.

Like many Civil Rights films, documentaries, and television movies, Selma is an epic, but not by being grand.  Director Ava DuVernay composes the film as an intimate tale that closes in on its subjects.  Selma is not about the struggle of the Civil Rights movement at large, but about the struggle of the key players, especially Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., at a particular moment in time.

Now, having seen the film, I cannot understand the controversy that surrounded Selma regarding its portrayal of President Lyndon B. Johnson.  Some... what can I call them... fans, admirers, protectors of Johnson's legacy, etc. claimed that Selma played the late President as if he were a villain and an obstacle in the Civil Rights movement.  First of all, this film is a dramatization of the events surrounding the Selma to Montgomery voting rights march, and, thus, the President Johnson that appears in the film is a fictional depiction of a real person.  Secondly, the doubts, reservations, objections that the fictional Johnson expressed here are the same expressed by other characters in Selma, including characters involved in the marches.

Paul Webb's screenplay for Selma depicts nearly all of the major characters and main supporting players as having feet of clay, of being fragile and vulnerable.  They are self-interested and self-serving, often to protect what they see as right for the Civil Rights movement, but also to protect themselves and loved ones in a time that was dangerous for many, but especially for people involved in the movement, in particular for Black people, but also for some White people.

Selma is not colorful and whimsical like fellow best picture Oscar nominee, The Grand Budapest Hotel.  It is not arty and guileful like the behind-the-scenes Birdman, with its sense of familiarity for actors.  Selma is meat-and-potatoes.  DuVernay does not compose the Selma to Montgomery march as a grand, historical event, as if it were a history-changing struggle taking place on the kind of wide-open battlefield that is perfect for an epic conflict.

DuVernay closes in on the players in this movement, showing the inner workings of a social movement.  This is not the stuff seen on television, like the march itself.  This is that unseen stuff, the details that are not glamorous, and sometimes seems petty and trivial, except to those making them and living with the consequences.  This intense focus on the interior workings creates a sense of claustrophobia, but also so of dread.  Selma often seems like a thriller, because DuVernay brings the audience in so close that they might feel as if they are there.  Watching this film, I felt endangered.

The one glitch in this film, I think, is that it sometimes feels disconnected from the larger Civil Rights movement.  It is as if nothing came before the marches or would come after it.  Sometimes, Selma simply seems out of context.

As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., David Oyelowo gives Selma its best performance.  Oyelowo's is both an imaginative and a bold presentation of Dr. King.  In the decades since his assassination, many people have made him both a martyr and, sadly, an idol of adoration.  This worship of a false idol is dangerous because it allows people who were or would have been against Dr. King and the Civil Rights movement to appropriate him and the movement.  It is as if he is a religious figure that can be reshaped for whatever cause or ideology that needs King's moral position.  Oyelowo makes Dr. King human, fragile, and self-serving or self-interested, if not quite selfish.  Thus, when Oyelowo brings out the best of Dr. King, it seems genuine and honest, rather than expected.

I think that Selma should have been a more popular film and that it should have received more Oscar nominations than it did (two).  In the end, box office and industry accolades don't matter because Selma will stand out as one of the truer cinematic expressions of the Civil Rights movement, which was a fight for freedom and for the soul of the United States of America.

9 of 10
A+

Friday, September 25, 2015

NOTES:
2015 Academy Awards, USA:  1 win: “Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song” (Common as Lonnie Lynn and John Legend as John Stephens for the song “Glory”); 1 nomination: “Best Motion Picture of the Year” (Christian Colson, Oprah Winfrey, Dede Gardner, and Jeremy Kleiner)

2015 Golden Globes, USA:  1 win: “Best Original Song - Motion Picture” (John Legend and Common for the song, “Glory”);  3 nominations: “Best Motion Picture – Drama,” “Best Director - Motion Picture” (Ava DuVernay), and “Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama” (David Oyelowo)

2015 Black Reel Awards:  8 wins: “Outstanding Motion Picture” (Oprah Winfrey, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, and Christian Colson), “Outstanding Actor, Motion Picture” (David Oyelowo), “Outstanding Supporting Actor, Motion Picture” (Wendell Pierce), “Outstanding Supporting Actress, Motion Picture” (Carmen Ejogo), “Outstanding Director, Motion Picture? (Ava DuVernay), “Outstanding Ensemble” (Aisha Coley), “Outstanding Score” (Jason Moran), and “Outstanding Original Song” (John Legend as performer, writer and Common as performer, writer, and Rhymefest as writer for the song, “Glory”); 2 nominations: “Outstanding Breakthrough Performance, Male” (André Holland) and “Outstanding Breakthrough Performance, Male” (Stephan James)

2015 Image Awards:  4 wins: “Outstanding Motion Picture,” “Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture” (David Oyelowo), “Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture” (Common), “Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture” (Carmen Ejogo); 4 nominations: “Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture” (André Holland), “Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture” (Wendell Pierce), “Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture” (Oprah Winfrey), and “Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture” (Ava DuVernay)


The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

---------------------------------

Time.com Among Platforms Premiering "New Orleans: Here & Now"

Time Inc. and Rampante Announce New Orleans, Here & Now to Premiere across Multiple Platforms Thursday, August 27

Six-part Anthology Reveals Life in New Orleans Ten Years After Hurricane Katrina

Executive Produced by Academy Award-Nominated Actress Patricia Clarkson and Golden Globe Award Winner Scott Bakula

Click Here to Watch the Trailer

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In commemoration of the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Time Inc. and Rampante, a strategic advisory, production and distribution company, today announced that New Orleans, Here & Now will debut Thursday, August 27, 2015 on Time.com and across multiple other distribution platforms. Executive produced by Academy Award-nominated and New Orleans-born actress Patricia Clarkson (Pieces of April, "Six Feet Under") and Golden Globe Award winner Scott Bakula ("NCIS: New Orleans"), New Orleans, Here & Now is an inspiring documentary series, which features six real stories from real people living in a post-Katrina New Orleans.

New Orleans, Here & Now is the first premium video content produced and distributed by Time Inc. in partnership with Rampante, Academy Award-winning Killer Films (Still Alice, Boys Don’t Cry) and Field Office Films, a New Orleans-based company created by the producers of Beasts of the Southern Wild.

As Time Inc. builds its short and long-form video business, New Orleans, Here & Now is the first original, premium video project available exclusively to Time magazine subscribers on Time.com. Beginning August 27, all visitors to Time.com can view one of the six short films and subscribe to view the other five. People.com will also be showcasing one of the films, making it available to all visitors to People.com. New Orleans, Here & Now will also be viewable on Sundance Doc Club and Hulu and will be available to purchase on iTunes, Google Play and Amazon.

Directed by filmmakers connected to the city of New Orleans, whose work has been recognized by the Sundance Film Festival, Film Independent’s Independent Spirit Awards and SXSW, among others, New Orleans, Here & Now is a reflection of the city’s resurgence and how Hurricane Katrina played a role in shaping their lives today. The anthology features: The Best Eva 1.5, which chronicles the triumphs of Tiffany Junot to become the World Boxing Council (WBC) Welterweight Champion of the World; The Boatman, which shares an oyster farmer’s love for a boat that he’s been building for decades and his family; Everything is To Be Continued, which examines how music is at the heart of the people and the rich culture of New Orleans through the eyes of the TBC brass band members; The Older Fish, which follows four dynamic high school seniors, who were eight years old when Katrina hit, as they prepare for graduation; Two Cities, which recounts what it means to be part of the displaced New Orleans population in Houston; and Labor of Love, which explores a multi-cultural family’s bond, food culture, and the Vietnamese population that is part of the fabric of New Orleans.

New Orleans, Here & Now is produced in partnership with Killer Films, Field Office Films, Time Inc. and Rampante; directed by Katie Dellamaggiore, Zach Godshall, Lily Keber, John Maringouin, Darius Clark Monroe and Angela Tucker. Patricia Clarkson, Scott Bakula, Pamela Koffler and Christine Vachon are executive producers.


About Killer Films
Killer Films has produced over 80 acclaimed features including Academy Award-winning Boys Don’t Cry and Academy Award-nominated Far from Heaven. Killer Films executive produced Mildred Pierce, the Emmy Award-winning HBO mini-series starring Kate Winslet. Killer continues to expand its operation in the television and digital space, as well as maintain its status as a New York indie film powerhouse. Most recently, Killer produced Carol by Todd Haynes, starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara; Academy Award-winning Still Alice by Wash Westmoreland and Richard Glatzer, starring Julianne Moore, Kristen Stewart, and Alec Baldwin; and Sebastian Silva's Nasty Baby, starring Kristen Wiig, Sebastian Silva, Tunde Adebimpe and Alia Shawkat.

About Field Office Films
Field Office Films is a New Orleans-based company, newly formed by the producers of the Academy Award-nominated Beasts of the Southern Wild.

About Time Inc.
Time Inc. (NYSE:TIME) is one of the world's leading media companies, with a monthly global print audience of over 120 million and worldwide digital properties that attract more than 140 million visitors each month, including over 60 websites. Our influential brands include People, Sports Illustrated, InStyle, Time, Real Simple, Southern Living, Entertainment Weekly, Travel + Leisure, Cooking Light, Fortune and Food & Wine, as well as more than 50 diverse titles in the United Kingdom such as Decanter, Horse & Hound and Wallpaper*. Time Inc.is home to celebrated franchises and events including the Fortune 500, Time 100, People’s Sexiest Man Alive, Sports Illustrated’s Sportsman of the Year, the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, the Essence Festival and the biennial Fortune Global Forum. Hundreds of thousands of people attend our live media events every year. We also provide content marketing, targeted local print and digital advertising programs, branded book publishing and marketing and support services, including subscription sales services for magazines and other products, retail distribution and marketing services and customer service and fulfillment services, for ourselves and third-party clients, including other magazine publishers.

About Rampante
Rampante is a Los Angeles-based strategic advisory, production and distribution company launched by Emiliano Calemzuk and focused on creating and monetizing feature-length documentary films, nonfiction television and digital series for broadcast, cable and new media distribution platforms in partnership with Time Inc.

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Remembering Michael Brown - One Year Later - #BlackLivesMatter - Update #3

On August 9th, 2014, the state of Missouri, using police officer Darren Wilson as its death weapon, murdered Michael Brown, Jr., an 18-year-old, unarmed young black man.  This killing occurred in Ferguson, a suburb of St. Louis.

It amazes me that a jury cannot give James Eagan Holmes the death penalty for killing 12 people (and wounding 70 others) at a Century movie theater in Aurora, Colorado in 2012.  However, the state can find it acceptable to kill an unarmed Black teen for (allegedly) bitch-slapping a cop.

After arresting Dylan Roof for killing 9 people in a South Carolina African-American church, the arresting officers took Roof to Burger King.  After being arrested in Waller County, Texas, Sandra Bland was given the trash bags she used to allegedly kill herself.

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A Mike Brown timeline from Yahoo News.

Michael Brown's family still mourning.

From YahooNews:  Roasted pig's head makes appearance at protest.

From YahooNews:  What it's like to be a Black cop in Ferguson.

From TheVox: The all-white Oath Keepers have shown up in Ferguson and they are openly well armed.  How would Ferguson police and St. Louis County police act if the Oath Keepers were Black and armed to the teeth, walking the streets of Ferguson.

From TheGuardian:  Pentagon taking back two military Humvees it once gave to Ferguson PD.

And just in time to remember this day comes news of another unarmed young black man, Christian Taylor, shot by a trainee doofus cop...

From MotherJones:  An interview with a civil rights activist who was at the front lines of the Ferguson protests.

From TheNation:  Youth movements to end White supremacy.

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Oscar-Winning "Selma" is Returning to Theatres

ACADEMY AWARD®-WINNING “SELMA” TO BE RE-RELEASED NATIONWIDE BEGINNING MARCH 20TH

TICKETS ARE ON SALE TODAY

In honor of the 50th anniversary of the historic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, Paramount Pictures will re-release its Academy Award® and Golden Globe Award-winning film “SELMA” nationwide for a special encore engagement. The film will play in theaters across the U.S. beginning Friday, March 20th, 2015.

Tickets are on sale today online and at theater box offices. For a list of theaters and to purchase tickets, visit www.SelmaMovie.com

Moviegoers who purchase a ticket to see “SELMA” at a participating theater can receive an additional ticket free. This limited time offer is only available at participating theater box offices.

“SELMA” won an Academy Award® and a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song for “Glory” by Common & John Legend. The film was nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Picture and Golden Globe Awards for Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Director.

“SELMA,” from Paramount Pictures, Pathé, and Harpo Films, is the story of a movement. The film chronicles the tumultuous three-month period in 1965, when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a dangerous campaign to secure equal voting rights in the face of violent opposition. The epic march from Selma to Montgomery culminated in President Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965, one of the most significant victories for the civil rights movement. Director Ava DuVernay’s “SELMA” tells the story of how the revered leader and visionary Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo) and his brothers and sisters in the movement prompted change that forever altered history. The film also stars Tom Wilkinson, Cuba Gooding Jr., Alessandro Nivola, Giovanni Ribisi, Common, Carmen Ejogo, Lorraine Toussaint, with Tim Roth and Oprah Winfrey as “Annie Lee Cooper.”

The film is produced by Christian Colson, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Oprah Winfrey, the film is executive produced by Brad Pitt, Cameron McCracken, Diarmuid McKeown, Nik Bower, Ava DuVernay, Paul Garnes and Nan Morales. The film is written by Paul Webb. “SELMA” is directed by Ava DuVernay.

About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Television, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.

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"Glory" Wins Original Song Oscar

Best Original Song:

“Everything Is Awesome” from “The Lego Movie”

Music and Lyric by Shawn Patterson

“Glory” from “Selma”

Music and Lyric by John Stephens and Lonnie Lynn WINNER

“Grateful” from “Beyond the Lights”

Music and Lyric by Diane Warren

“I’m Not Gonna Miss You” from “Glen Campbell…I’ll Be Me”

Music and Lyric by Glen Campbell and Julian Raymond

“Lost Stars” from “Begin Again”

Music and Lyric by Gregg Alexander and Danielle Brisebois

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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