Kevin Willmott, Oscar® winner screenwriter, brings his insight into screenwriting adaptation, being true to self, and BlacKkKlansman to the Prochnow Auditorium in Flagstaff AZ.
Kevin Willmott and Tammy Ann
Kevin Willmott Screenwriting
Willmott discusses creating stories that Stallworth tells from
Willmott’s own life experience. This is one part of the screenplay he owns. He
states, “Telling a character’s story you have to fictionalize the stories.
Often as a writer, you do that with your own life experiences.”
His adapting from the book he takes as much as he can from the source. A screenwriter’s job is to create a movie. Willmott tries to remain as loyal to the book as possible. He tries to connect to the spirit of the story when writing the film. The addition of Flip Zimmerman being Jewish brings the spirit of the film. This adds to the story with the KKK suppressing and victimizing not only African Americans but also others.
Willmott takes a lot of his writing to the awareness of human behavior. The ability to find the darkness in human behavior comes from life experience and observations. His ability to bring the real enemy provides an insight to the audience to think their own human behavior. He states, “we need to remain true to ourselves.”
Kevin Willmott NAU Flagstaff
Kevin Willmott Film Ending
The KKK burning cross scene was the end of the film and brought to the front that there are still issues in our country today. The addition of Charlottesville to the movie is the true events. This moment in history wrote this scene in the film of that day. They had to bring this moment to the completed film. “The characters, President Donald Trump and David Duke, wrote themselves right into the film,” he says. The narrative in this present day event fit with the completed film. The screening of the film completed with a standing ovation.
Willmott takes time
after the film to discuss the screenwriting, production, and how he has fought
against racism his entire life. “America First” is a Nazi
slogan from the 1930s used in this country at rallies across the US. “Make
America Great Again” is from the 1970s. David Duke started this propaganda
on the Donahue show. They did not have to reach to tie the past to the current
political rhetoric. Willmott says, “The past is living in us today
right now. It is what is making it a dangerous time.”
Kevin Willmott Twoness
The main theme of the film as well as life in America is twoness. That happens to anyone who has to deal with a majority that does not understand who you are. Willmott explains, “that the film has 2 Ron Stallworths in the film. The real Ron Stallworth faces being black and blue. The other being white and being Jewish. Throughout the film, there is often twoness with Ron Stallworth character and life in America.
Kevin Willmott, Writer
Kevin Willmott Racism
The language in the film and racism is something that Spike Lee, director, and Willmott decided to not apologize for it, didn’t tone it down, didn’t make it palpable, didn’t make it better than it is, and show it for everything it is. This creates the absurdity that makes the humor and lets the audience deal with uncomfortable feelings.
Harry Belafonte’s scene runs between the KKK initiation scenes. This is a powerful moment in the film that takes me to something I learned as a young child. Not everyone sees the world or people the same. There are times in our life that we are asked to stop and think about our own stance and view. The value of finding your own voice to stand and speaking up is important. Willmott explains, “it is not always easy to do this but you teach those around you that it is wrong.”
Willmott brings a
strong statement to the audience when discussing racism. He says, “We would
like to believe that they are a different creature than we are. In reality they
look like everyday folks like we are.” The ability for the screenwriting to
portray this in film brings the darkness of racism.
He greatest
message is that we need to understand what I means to be American, our complex
history, and living in American. We need to understand more about each other
and eliminate the ignorance.
Kevin Willmott Side Note
David Duke did call Ron Stallworth
when the film finished. He asked, “How am I portrayed in the film?”
This is a film that brings the circle of life in America clearly. We have times in this country where we are good and flowing forward and then step back in time. Traveling the US this past year I often stopped at many locations for Underground Railroad. The feeling standing where thousands risked their lives to be understood by the majority is a true insight into the human spirit. We need to eliminate the ignorance and misgivings by standing true.
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Screen Actors Guild (SAGS) 25th annual awards is just a few hours away. This year the ccelebrity–filledparty starts off with a toast on the red carpet, continues with the best in entertainment, and finishes with a star-studded dinner catered by Wolfgang Puck.
Red Carpet Toast Screen Actors Guild 2018
Screen Actors Guild Red Carpet Toast
SAG Award® nominee Jon Huertas (This Is Us) will join Vitalie Taittinger, Global Spokesperson and Artistic Director for Champagne Taittinger, for a toast that will herald the start of arrivals for the 25th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®.
The Champagne Taittinger Toast will kick-off the SAG Awards arrivals as it has every year since 2001. The family-owned Champagne House will ask actors entering the SAG Awards showroom to sign a Nebuchadnezzar (15 liter) bottle of Champagne Taittinger. For every signature, Taittinger will contribute additional funds for the Foundation’s critical Emergency Assistance program.
Screen Actors Guild Beautiful Decor
The Silver Anniversary arrangements, created by CJ Matsumoto & Sons, inspiration is the harmony of a much-loved garden, expressed with a simple monochromatic palette of burgundies. Green highlights accentuate the marriage of burgundies with their silver containers.
The event flowers after the event they will deliver over 100 petite arrangements to victims of sexual violence and domestic abuse at local women’s shelters and emergency treatment centers.
Screen Actors Guild Viewing Party Ideas
This is a great list of ideas for your guest to enjoy viewing the SAGS together. There is a viewing party at Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants (recipes included below).
Selfie Props
You will want to take selfies for the evening for sure. Here is a link for great props and one for the SAG statue for the evening. You can create your own silver carpet with Reynolds Wrap®.
Have the opportunity to gather your guests together before the show starts to fill in their own ballots. You can provide a great award for the winner.
The show starts hand out the bingo cards and have a set of prizes for the first bingo, filling in a t, creating an x, and blackout.
Screen Actors Guild Cocktails 2018
Screen Actors Guild Menu
This year Wolfgang Puck brings out the best for the silver anniversary celebration. The celebrities will dine and toast on:
Squash and endive salad with dried cherries, mustard greens, and maple vinaigrette
Maple and soy glazed salmon with sesame cauliflower and crispy shiso leaf
Grilled chicken with Meyer lemon salsa and lemon scented fingerling potato.
The “Happy 25th!”
“The Silver Anniversary”
“The Silver Screen”
A Classic Martini will also be available, featuring Chopin Wheat Vodka and gourmet blue cheese olives.
The sponsors have stepped up to celebrate the SAG Awards®, the first televised awards show to acknowledge the work of union members and the first to present awards to motion picture casts and television ensembles. These sponsors include FIJI® Water, Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants, Lindt Chocolates, Reynolds Wrap® and Extra® Gum. Excludsive for the celebration cocktails are Chopin Vodka® and Dorda Liqueur®.
Screen Actors Guild by the Numbers
This evening is tops for entertainment, celebrities, food, and fun. The evening will use:
17,100 square feet of carpet, the traditional red being replaced this year with plush silver to commemorate the SAG Awards Silver Anniversary
102,000,000 grapes to create the Artist’s Red Blend wine
160 magnums of Champagne Taittinger Brut La Française at the official Post-Awards Gala
Screen Actors Guild Recipes
These recipes are servied at Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants viewing parties nationwide.
Arugula, Honeycomb, Pear & Blue Cheese Salad with Warm Vinaigrette
4 tbsp white balsamic vinegar 2 tsp Dijon mustard 4 one-inch x one-inch square pieces of Savannah Bee Honeycomb with 1 tsp honey 8 Tbsp Sky Organics extra-virgin olive oil Salt and pepper 8 large handfuls arugula (about 24 ounces) 1 barely ripe pear, cored and sliced thin 6 ounces soft blue cheese Directions
Whisk together the balsamic vinegar, mustard, and 1 teaspoon honey in a small saucepan over low heat. Gradually pour in the olive oil and continue whisking until the dressing has emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.
Divide the arugula between four plates. Top each salad with a honeycomb square and equally divide sliced pear and blue cheese, then drizzle with warm vinaigrette.
Classic Tomato Bruschetta
3 pieces soft Italian bread 3 oz burrata 3 oz grape tomatoes, cut in ¼’s 1 pinch kosher salt 1 tbl white balsamic vinegar 1⁄8 tsp garlic, finely chopped ¾ tsp shallot, finely minced 1 ½ tsp basil, freshly chopped 2 tbl extra virgin olive oil 1 cup baby arugula ½ each fresh lemon 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil ½ tsp Maldon flaky sea salt fresh cracked black pepper butter Directions
Slice bread approximately ½” thick. Brush both sides with soft butter and grill on both sides to make crispy and create grill marks.
In a small bowl, mix grape tomatoes with 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil and set aside.
Gather bruschettas and cut evenly in half.
With a small spatula or spoon, place an even, thin layer of strachiatella on each piece of bread.
In a small bowl, combine the baby arugula, lemon, and extra virgin olive oil with half the Maldon flaky sea salt and a grind of fresh black pepper. Mix well until evenly coated. Spread evenly over the plate.
Mix the tomatoes and sauce one more time and place even amounts on each piece of bruschetta.
Arrange them over the arugula.
Garnish each piece of bruschetta with the remaining Maldon flaky sea salt.
The Silver Anniversary
• Chopin Potato Vodka • Blue Curaçao • Fresh Lime Juice • Club Soda • Gold Dusted Eatable rose
Start with Chopin Potato Vodka and Blue Curaçao, and then add fresh lime juice and sparkling club soda. Topping it off is a show-stopper – a gold-dusted edible rose.
The spotlight is on Dorda Sea Salt Caramel Liqueur, blending it with the perfect amount of Amaretto and half-and-half, then poured on the rocks with a caramel wedge garnish.
The 25th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, hosted by Megan Mullally and presented by SAG-AFTRA with Screen Actors Guild Awards, LLC will be produced by Avalon Harbor Entertainment, Inc. andnationally simulcast live on TNT and TBS on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2019 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT,
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The Golden Globes, Hollywood Foreign Press, present the nominations for the 76th annual award show at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. This year presents great surprises and a few snubs.
Leslie Mann, Terry Crews, lden Danai Gurira, Christian Slater Golden Globe Awards nominations
Surprises and Snubs Golden Globes
Snubs Golden Globes
This year female directors were not included in the nominations. There is a number of great films this year by female directors.
Karyn Kusama Destroyer
Marielle Heller Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Tamara Jenkins Private Life
Josie Rourke Mary Queen of Scots
Network television did not receive a lot of nominations this year. This may be the time for television to reevaluate the future shows.
The big film snub is Mary Poppins for the best original song. This was expected to top the nomination. Paddington film did not receive one nomination. Ryan Gosling’s performance in First Man was not recognized with a nomination for best actor. First Man left out of best director and best drama. Highly acclaimed film Widows received no nominations.
Surprises Golden Globes
Vice took home the top number of nominations with six.
Best Musical/Comedy
Best Actor in a Musical/Comedy
Best Supporting Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Director
Best Screenplay
A Star Is Born and Bohemian Rhapsody films about music took on drama nominations instead of musical. Green Book brought in nominations even their critics agree they are a strong duo. The Handmaids Tale is a nice surprise for Hulu.
Nominees Golden Globes
FilmGolden Globes
Best film – drama Black Panther BlacKkKlansman Bohemian Rhapsody If Beale Street Could Talk A Star Is Born
The Wife
Best actress – drama Glenn Close – The Wife Lady Gaga – A Star Is Born Nicole Kidman – Destroyer Melissa McCarthy – Can You Ever Forgive Me? Rosamund Pike – A Private War
Best actor – drama Bradley Cooper – A Star Is Born Willem Dafoe – At Eternity’s Gate Lucas Hedges – Boy Erased Rami Malek – Bohemian Rhapsody John David Washington – BlacKkKlansman
Best supporting actress Amy Adams – Vice Claire Foy – First Man Regina King – If Beale Street Could Talk Emma Stone – The Favourite Rachel Weisz – The Favourite
Best supporting actor Mahershala Ali – Green Book Timothée Chalamet – Beautiful Boy Adam Driver – BlacKkKlansman Richard E Grant – Can You Ever Forgive Me? Sam Rockwell – Vice
Best film – musical or comedy Crazy Rich Asians The Favourite Green Book Mary Poppins Returns Vice
Best actress – musical or comedy Emily Blunt – Mary Poppins Returns Olivia Colman – The Favourite Elsie Fisher – Eighth Grade Charlize Theron – Tully Constance Wu – Crazy Rich Asians
Mary Poppins Returns
Best actor – musical or comedy Christian Bale – Vice Lin-Manuel Miranda – Mary Poppins Returns Viggo Mortensen – Green Book Robert Redford – The Old Man & the Gun John C Reilly – Stan & Ollie
Best director Bradley Cooper – A Star Is Born Alfonso Cuarón – Roma Peter Farrelly – Green Book Spike Lee – BlacKkKlansman Adam McKay – Vice
Best song All the Stars – Black Panther Girl in the Movies – Dumplin’ Requiem for a Private War – A Private War Revelation – Boy Erased Shallow – A Star Is Born
Best screenplay Alfonso Cuarón – Roma Deborah Davis, Tony McNamara – The Favourite Barry Jenkins – If Beale Street Could Talk Adam McKay – Vice Nick Vallelonga, Brian Currie, Peter Farrelly – Green Book
Best foreign language film Capernaum Girl Never Look Away Roma Shoplifters
Best score Marco Beltrami – A Quiet Place Alexandre Desplat – Isle of Dogs Ludwig Göransson – Black Panther Justin Hurwitz – First Man Marc Shaiman – Mary Poppins Returns
Best limited series or TV movie The Alienist The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story Escape at Dannemora Sharp Objects A Very English Scandal
Best actress in a limited series or TV movie Amy Adams – Sharp Objects Patricia Arquette – Escape at Dannemora Connie Britton – Dirty John Laura Dern – The Tale Regina King – Seven Seconds
Best actor in a limited series or TV movie Antonio Banderas – Genius: Picasso Daniel Bruhl – The Alienist Darren Criss – The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story Benedict Cumberbatch – Patrick Melrose Hugh Grant – A Very English Scandal
Best supporting actress in a limited series or TV movie Alex Bornstein – The Marvelous Mrs Maisel Patricia Clarkson – Sharp Objects Penelope Cruz – The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story Thandie Newton – Westworld Yvonne Strahovski – The Handmaid’s Tale
Best supporting actor in a limited series or TV movie Alan Arkin – The Kominsky Method Kieran Culkin – Succession Edgar Ramirez – The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story Ben Whishaw – A Very English Scandal Henry Winkler – Barry
Best TV series – musical or comedy Barry The Good Place Kidding The Kominsky Method The Marvelous Mrs Maisel
Best actress in a TV series – musical or comedy Kristen Bell – The Good Place Candice Bergen – Murphy Brown Alison Brie – Glow Rachel Brosnahan – The Marvelous Mrs Maisel Debra Messing – Will and Grace
Donald Glover
Best actor in a TV series – musical or comedy Sasha Baron Cohen – Who Is America? Jim Carrey – Kidding Michael Douglas – The Kominsky Method Donald Glover – Atlanta Bill Hader – Barry
Best TV series – drama The Americans Bodyguard Homecoming Killing Eve Pose
Elisabeth Moss attends the 75th Annual Golden Globes Awards
Best actress in a TV series – drama Caitriona Balfe – Outlander Elisabeth Moss – The Handmaid’s Tale Sandra Oh – Killing Eve Julia Roberts – Homecoming Keri Russell – The Americans
Best actor in a TV series – drama Jason Bateman – Ozark Stephan James – Homecoming Billy Porter – Pose Richard Madden – Bodyguard Matthew Rhys – The Americans
Nominations Golden Globes
Executive Producer and Executive VP of Television at Dick Clark productions, Barry Adelman, Golden Globe Ambassador Isan Elba, Leslie Mann, Danai Gurira, Terry Crews, Christian Slater Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) President, Meher Tatna
Golden Globes ambassador Isan Elba, Hollywood Foreign Press Association president Meher Tatna and Dick Clark Productions executive VP of television Barry Adelman with Terry Crews, Danai Gurira, Leslie Mann, and Christian Slater to reveal the nominees for television and film.
The Golden Globes hosted by Sandra Oh and Andy Samberg Jan. 6, 2019 at 8 PM EST on NBC. Stay tuned here for complete Golden Globes coverage.
People’s Choice Awards is a night of glitz and glam. The fans vote for those receiving awards this evening. The night filled with fans receiving seats for the show, makeovers, and greet the celebrities on the red carpet.
People’s Choice Awards Red Carpet
Brows are the leader on the red carpet. The makeup is light and fresh. Feathers and sparkles a hit this evening. Clothing with glitz is replacing jewels. It was a night of elegance and fans.
Khloe Kardashian and Kris Jenner People’s Choice Awards
Khloe Kardashian wearing a strapless, ruched, white side-slit gown with diamond rings from Djula and Vhernier and large diamond hoops. Her signature hair half up and down. She is the recipient of two People’s Choice Awards.
Here is her styling guide:
Makeup: Hrush Achemyan
Lips Kylie CosmeticLip Gloss Becca CosmeticsMoisturizer Koh Gen Do Highlighting KKW Beauty
Kendall rocks a black pair of cargo pants with a strapless tiered pleated top of tulle and silk. This look was exceptional and elegant. The designer Ronald van der Kemp is the world’s first sustainable couture label. The look is completed with Djula black diamond hoop earrings. She is the recipient of one award.
Rita Ora wears Atelier Versace monochromatic gown. This is full of sex appeal with her thigh high boots and high slit dress. The boots and dress accentuated with gold leaves and flowers. She is wearing diamond rings from Kallati, Marli New York and Le Vian.
Jeannie Mai brings the clothing glitz to the red carpet with a pair of wide-leg shimmering pants and sex appeal with a sheer top. She completes the look with a Borgioni diamond ear cuff and black heeled boots.
Gwen Stefani is here to support her boyfriend Blake Shelton. He is the recipient of an award. She is wearing Balmain bringing sexy on the edge. The dress is shredded on the sleeves, shear on the top half, and angular edging. She completes the look with Louboutin pumps and diamond rings by Djula and Kallati.
Quentin Tarantino’s latest screenplay, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, is his new project, with a few hiccups in the beginning. This is about the Manson Family murders.
Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio star in Columbia Pictures “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”
Screenplay Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
This screenplay looks at the Mason family cult and commune formed in California in the late 1960s. The notorious killing of Sharon Tate and four others August 9, 1969. The film release is the 50-year anniversary of the murders. They were involved in several other murders, thefts, and other crimes. The film’s budget $100,000,000.
IMBD synopsis states, “A faded TV actor and his stunt double embark on an odyssey to make a name for themselves in the film industry during the Helter Skelter reign of terror in 1969 Los Angeles.”
Actors Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
This film has top list actors including:
Sharon Tate actor Margot Robbie
Rick Dalton actor Leonardo DiCaprio (took a pay cut to work with Tarantino)
Cliff Booth actor Brad Pitt (scheduling conflict prevented him from playing Rick Dalton)
Squeaky Fromme actor Dakota Fanning
Marvin Shwarz actor Al Pacino
George Spahn actor Burt Reynolds
Steve McQueen actor Damian Lewis
Kurt Russell
Margot Robbie Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Margot Robbie as Sharon Tate in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time in Hollywood.
Margot Robbie brings her talent to portray this living character as the character in this role. She took on Tony Harding in I, Tonya and brilliantly performed that role even the skating routines. The first look photos, she is Sharon Tate. You forget that this is Robbie. She presents the 1960s style in boots, mini-skirt, and black turtleneck. The blowout of the long blond hair the final touch, she looks more like Sharon Tate than herself.
Filming Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Tarantino’s film meets a few hiccups during production. The film was set to have distribution with The Weinstein Company. This posed an issue once the charges against Harvey Weinstein. Tarantino looked for a new distributor for the film to have several offers.
The casting meets with struggles with Brad Pitt having scheduling conflicts for the original role he was too play. Pitt is co-starring with Leonardo DiCaprio for the first time will co-star together. Al Pacino’s role, Marvin Shwarz, was specifically written for him to play. This is the first collaboration between Pacino and DiCaprio.
This film with top actors, director. and writer is sure to entertain.
This year The Oscars® is celebrating 90 years. The Governors Ball is pulling out the very best for the years celebrity party.
Wolfgang Puck and his catering company will bring the best in food, entertainment, and ascetics for the best in the film industry at Oscars®. His goal with each event he caters to is, “revolutionized the dining landscape with a singular focus: to exceed expectations whenever our guests gather for a meal.”
Lois Burwell and Master Chef Wolfgang Puck
This year’s menu brings some favorites back and new experiences. His Oscars® menu is set to meet everyone’s pallet and needs. The menu includes:
BlacKkKlansman is a film that is on the right side of history. The film debuted at Cannes De Festival to an 8-minute standing ovation and one of four American films to win the Grand Prix Award. This Spike Lee film brings the present day events to their historical ties with this film of Ron Stallworth’s real-life story.
BlacKkKlansman Spike Lee Film
Film Synopsis:
Director Spike Lee presents BlacKkKlansman, an incendiary film inspired by the life of Ron Stallworth, the first police officer African-American to have infiltrated the Ku Klux Klan. Against all odds, the agent Stallworth (John David Washington) and his partner (Adam Driver) Flip Zimmerman will infiltrate the highest echelons of the Klan, to stop him from taking control of the city.
Actors at Festival De Cannes:
Spike Lee ~ Director/Writer
Adam Driver ~ Flip Zimmerman
Topher Grace ~ David Duke
Laura Harrier ~ Patrice
John David Washington ~ Ron Stallworth
BlacKkKlansman Current History
Spike Lee discusses how surreal the tragedy of Heather Higher being murdered at Charlottesville Virginia protests brings coda to this film. Her death took place after filming completion. Lee put it in the film to see what happened. When he saw what happened he knew this was the final scene.
He states, “I had to do something first. I was given Susan Bro’s, Higher’s mother, phone number. I was not going to put that murder scene in that film without her blessing. Mrs. Bro said, ‘Spike I give you permission to put that in.'” Willmott states, “It was a beautiful sacrifice she made. They collected footage and photos from those at the time of Higher’s murder to get the best coverage of this horrific unnecessary murder. Higher should be alive today. The President of the United States could not stand up to the world to say we are about love, not about hate, we are better than murdering a young woman.
Lee goes on to speak about the building of the United States of America (USA) from the genocide of Native Americans and slavery. This is the fabric of the USA. This scene had to go in to show that our leaders are giving us a direction that is not moral. This is a worldwide problem. It is not a black, brown, and white world. We all live on this planet. We have to stand up and stop being silent.
BlacKkKlansman Spike Lee Cannes Red Carpet
BlacKkKlansman Screenplay
Jordan Peele, the film’s producer, pitched the story of Ron Stallworth. Lee thought it was a comedy skit. When he realized it was a true story he brought Kevin Willmott in to assist with writing the screenplay. There was one thing that Lee understood in making the film it had to tie to the current climate. The situations today did not just pop up but they have been around for decades.
The focus of the story was to tell this period piece while connecting to the present day. The movie needed to end in the present day. Lee says, “I did not have the crystal ball, even though my friends call me negrodamus {sic}. The film’s ending was not written it was true life. Lee continues with Spike Lee joiners you got to flow, cannot be rigid, got to be hip, on it. There is no way in the world he could not make that the end of the film. The screenplay is based on the book by Stallworth, Black Klansman.
Chaz Ebert asks about the language in the film and if it is necessary to use the tone and word choice. Lee answers “words are hateful. Words can be hateful and I do not think I was elaborating on how the Klan not only hates blacks they hate Jews, they are number two on the list. They do not speak lovely terms and those words are harmful. The way we had them speaking in the film is the way they speak every day. It was my decision to hear those words. I wanted the hate to be verbalized.”
BlacKkKlansman Kevin Willmott Screenwriter
Kevin Willmott, Oscar® nominated screenwriter, brings his insight into screenwriting adaptation and BlacKkKlansman to the Prochnow Auditorium in Flagstaff AZ.
Willmott discusses creating stories that Stallworth tells from Willmott’s own life experience. This is one part of the screenplay he owns. He states, “Telling a character’s story you have to fictionalize the stories. Often as a writer, you do that with your own life experiences.”
His adapts from the book as much as he can from the source. Screenwriters job is to create a movie. Willmott tries to remain as loyal to the book as possible. He tries to connect to the spirit of the story when writing the film. The addition of Flip Zimmerman being Jewish brings the spirit of the film. This adds to the story with the KKK suppressing and victimizing not only African Americans but other groups.
Willmott takes time after the film to discuss the screenwriting, production, and how he has fought against racism his entire life. “America First” is a Nazi slogan from the 1930s used in this country at rallies across the US. “Make America Great Again” is from the 1970s. David Duke started this propaganda on the Donahue show. They did not have to reach to tie the past to the current political rhetoric. Willmott says, “The past is living in us today right now. It is what is making it a dangerous time.”
David Duke did call Ron Stallworth when the film finished. He asked, “How am I portrayed in the film?”
BlacKkKlansman Cast and Crew
Lee states, “This is very simple we tell the story. That is what we do. I do not do this shit alone. I am a general manager of a sport’s team. Put the best players out there. Filmmaking is a collaborating effort. It is some hard shit. Filmmaking is hard shit. You got to go to work. Learn your craft and do your research.” You want to put the best people behind the camera to make the best film you can.
Barry Alexander Brown, a film editor, is able to create the final scene from footage taken from people’s phone. He was able to prove the needless death of Higher and that she should be alive now.
Chayse Irvin, the cinematographer, is amazing. He shot this on film, not digital. We really wanted to have the look of seventies films split screens. I forgot shooting with film takes a lot of time because it has been so long since working with film.
John David Washington (son of Denzel Washington) plays Ron Stallworth in the movie. Washington was able to learn from Stallworth about what he was going through he is like the Jackie Robinson of police. It took a lot to get the position in the police department. While Stallworth was protecting and servicing Colorado Springs, he prevented terrorist violence. There were no violent acts during this time on the police force. One black man, that is very well supported.
He wanted to inhabit his spirit. Setting up the environment was a great collaborating environment. Your abilities become unlimited in this environment. He felt very blessed to have this experience glad to be a part of this experience.
Adam Drive, his character Flip Zimmerman, we had a week or two to talk about it before. The research helps but you have to let that go when you get on set. Pay attention to what is being said by you and cast. Playing music on my iPod assisted. Spike creates an environment where the best ideas win, a very egoless set. Everyone had a life outside the filming and we got home at a decent hour. Spike sets the tone that it is easy that you feel free to fail.
Topher Grace, his character is David Duke, KKK Grand Wizard put in a lot of time for his part. He read My Awaking by David Duke, watched The Donahue Show when the KKK was on the show and listened to his radio show. Grace recalls being asked to play in a Lee film, “This is one of the happiest times in my life followed by one of the worst times when I realized the character I was going portray.” He felt the responsibility to get it right, but no did not feel the responsibility to Duke.
Grace capture this character through the script, it did a really good job of creating the KKK and David as a leader. Lee is a great coach. There was a day I had to something that was really evil. Spike said, “Try this a Nazi salute and said white power. I am rarely affected by filming but I was in a very bad space.” Lee assisted him by explaining that this is a message that you agree with even though you don’t agree with the character you are playing.
Laura Harrier, her character Patrice, tried to inhabit the spirit and time period. Meeting her real-life character helped her embrace the character’s life, relationships, and spirit. She watched Black Panther footage and listened to the music. Having a great team and taking Spike’s guidance.
BlacKkKlansman Spike Lee Cannes Image Credit Antonin Thuillier
BlacKkKlansman Message
Lee talks about the message as being believing in hope. Many of his films are hope like Do the Right thing is a hopeful film. He is not blind or deaf, he thinks you can be hopeful but be aware. This film will be seen around the world. This is a global problem. I do hope that other people from other countries will see that this is happening where they live. Lee says, “I have hope that this film shakes people from their slumber. This is a very important film. People are having a hard time coping. In our hearts, we know what is right and wrong. When you have wrong staring you dead in your face and mums the word, you are supporting the opposing causes. “sorting the opposing causes.”
The film will release on the one-year anniversary of Charlottesville demonstration August 10, 2018.
This is truly an incredible film one that is gut-wrenching, funny, honest, and real. It brings this issues full circle and to the present day.
Festival De Cannes® will present the Palme d’or film award, the top award at Cannes. This year marks the 71st year this film festival continues to influence film worldwide. There are 22 films official selected for Palme d’or film award.
The Jury of the 71st Festival de Cannes®
Jury Palme D’Or Festival De Cannes®
Palme d’or film award jury is presided over by Cate Blanchett, Australian actress, and producer. She fields lots of questions about gender and the festival during the opening press conference. Festival De Cannes® chose only 3 women directors to present this year. She says, “Three female directors in the competition earned their spots.” She goes on to say, “Being attractive does not preclude being intelligent.” Five women and four men from seven nationalities and four continents join her:
Chang Chen (Chinese Actor)
Chang Chen made his film debut in the late Edward Yang’s A Brighter Summer Day. He rose to fame in the Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in 2000.
Ava DuVernay (American writer, director, producer)
Nominated for the Academy Award and Golden Globe and winner of the BAFTA and EMMY, Ava DuVernay is a writer, director, producer and film distributor known for the historical drama Selma(2014)
Robert Guédiguian (French director, writer, producer)
The work of Robert Guédiguian, an activist filmmaker, celebrates the city of Marseille where he grew up. Acclaimed by critics when he first started directing in the 80s, he met public success with Marius and Jeannette, which won the Prix Louis-Delluc in 1997.
Khadja Nin (Burundian songwriter, composer, singer)
Youngest of a family of eight Khadja Nin studied music at an early age, before leaving Africa to go to Europe. Her albums are a mix of occidental pop music, African and afro-cuban rhythms.
Léa Seydoux (French actress)
Rising to fame with Christophe Honoré’s The Beautiful Personin 2008, Léa Seydoux is an award-winning actress, notably the Palme d’or for Abdelatif Kechiche’s Blue is the Warmest Colour in 2013.
Kristen Stewart (American actress)
Kristen Stewart has been playing roles since an early age and received widespread recognition in 2008 for The TwilightSaga film series (2008–12).
Denis Villeneuve (Canadian director, writer)
Internationally renowned and recently two-time Academy Award winner for Blade Runner 2049, Denis Villeneuve made his debut at the National Film Board of Canada in the early 90’s.
Andrey Zvyagintsev (Russian director, writer)
Multi-award winning filmmaker Andreï Zvyagintsev has already become one of the most respected directors in Russian and international cinema. He directed his first feature film in 2003 The Return, which won him a Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival.
Palme d’or In Competition Festival De Cannes®
This year’s official Festival De Cannes® selection for the Palme d’or is highly anticipated and exceptional films. Films come from all over the world representing top directing and actors. Jury members bring a strong influence from their careers, strong backgrounds, and talent that is an asset to this choice of the best film.
This year’s Festival De Cannes® official choice for the Palme d’or is highly anticipated and exceptional films. These nominated films come from all over the world representing top directing and actors include:
Asghar FARHADI TODOS LO SABEN (EVERYBODY KNOWS)
Stéphane BRIZÉ AT WAR
Nuri Bilge CEYLANAHLAT AGACI (THE WILD PEAR TREE)
Sergey DVORTSEVOYAYKA
Matteo GARRONEDOGMAN
Jean-Luc GODARD LE LIVRE D’IMAGE (THE IMAGE BOOK)
Yann GONZALEZKNIFE + HEART
Ryusuke HAMAGUCHI NETEMOSAMETEMO (ASAKO I & II) (ASAKO I & II)
Christophe HONORÉ SORRY ANGEL
Eva HUSSON GIRLS OF THE SUN
JIA Zhang-Ke JIANG HU ERNV (ASH IS PUREST WHITE)
KORE-EDA Hirokazu MANBIKI KAZOKU (SHOPLIFTERS)
Nadine LABAKICAPERNAUM
LEE Chang-Dong BURNING
Spike LEE BLACKKKLANSMAN
David Robert MITCHELL UNDER THE SILVER LAKE
Jafar PANAHI SE ROKH (THREE FACES)
Pawel PAWLIKOWSKI ZIMNA WOJNA(COLD WAR)
Alice ROHRWACHERLAZZARO FELICE (HAPPY AS LAZZARO)
Kirill SEREBRENNIKOV LETO
A.B. SHAWKY YOMEDDINE 1st film
Terry GILLIAM THE MAN WHO KILLED DON QUIXOTE
You can see the screening guide here. This award is announced May 19 at the film festival closing ceremony.
This 71st year will continue to evolve film worldwide. Stay tuned here for coverage of events from fashion, red carpet, actresses/actors, and films.
Belle is a film about growing from un-acceptance to self-acceptance. Dido Elizabeth Belle, actress Gugu Mbatha-Raw, is a true story of a high society young African-American mixed English during the 18th century. Belle finds herself in high society but has a hard time finding herself anywhere.
She struggles to balance things every day. She is the daughter of a slave and Sir John Lindsay, a navy ship captain. Her grandparents become her caregiver, Mansfield Her status as aristocrats provides her a lifestyle that is of class and comfort. This story looks at gender, race, and class.
Belle finds herself eating alone when guests arrive she is not allowed to dine with the staff at this time either. This reality is her status is not high enough to eat with guests but too high to eat with the servants. She is kept hidden from society, during a time that many young women traditionally come out to society for formal courtship.
Her cousin, Elizabeth groomed and readied for her coming out, even though she has no dowry to offer. Belle being an heiress to her father’s fortune after his untimely death provides her dowry, but does not have social standing for courtship. The custom at this time is a black woman is not seen in white circles.
She finds herself struggling with the fact that she is not fully accepted because of her skin color. The complexity love from her family but the burden of being unaccepted becomes a climactic moment where she is clawing at her skin and face in anguish. A strong demonstration of what is going on inside Belle as she struggles with being the daughter of a slave and a navy captain.
This struggle is one that many faces in life. They take on the social standards for beauty and how we each place expectations on ourselves wanting acceptance by others. The film demonstrates Belle bringing her to self-acceptance. Self-acceptance is a great health Releasing that she is more than her skin color. She embraces the love of her life leaving behind her status in high society.The director, Amma Asante, brings the story from the inside of Belle to the outside makes it authentic and real.
The director addresses the realization of the time period issues of race, class, and gender. She uses layers to present her story. The complexity being African-American woman who is learning gain acceptance of herself in her place in life. This layering brings this very relatable struggle for many even today. Belle’s journey of self-acceptance brings the audience full circle from unacceptance to self-acceptance.
The story based on a painting of Elizabeth and Belle that hung in the Kenwood house for decades. The painting shows Belle slightly elevated in the painting to her white cousin. They are touching in this painting. It demonstrating that Elizabeth is accepting of Belle and her new self-acceptance in life. Belle finds empowerment, freedom, and happiness with her self-acceptance. The film brings love, change, and equality to the forefront while showing the development of self-assurance.
Amma Asante Belle Director at Ebertfest
Roger Ebert created Roger Ebert’s Overlooked Film Festival or better known as Ebertfest. Ebert was a TV and Chicago Sun-Times film critic. This festival is held at the Virginia Theatre in Champaign IL. This place is near Ebert’s hometown, Urbana. This year celebrates 20 years of Ebertfest. Chaz Ebert, Ebert’s wife keeps his traditions returning each year. The film festival brings back some great films and panels.
We bring the best in for your lifestyle. Stay tuned for more great entertainment and film coverage here.
This film has 14 wins and 27 nominations on the film festival circuit.
The Beguiled is one of the most anticipated films at Cannes Film Festival. Director, Sofia Coppola, brings the woman’s point of view and how it was for these women during this time period. The original film was from the man’s point of view. This point of view brings a new dynamic to the melodramatic remake.
Film synopsis At a girls’ school in Virginia during the Civil War, where the young women are sheltered from the outside world, a wounded Union soldier is taken in. Soon, the house is taken over with sexual tension, rivalries, and an unexpected turn of events.
The Beguiled Courtesy of Cannes Film Festival
This film is a remake of (The Beguiled (1971). Both films are based on the novel The Beguiledby Thomas Cullinan. The first film brings the male perspective of a wounded Union soldier. Coppola brings the story back with the perspective of the women in the boarding school.
The Beguiled Movie
The revisiting of this film creates its own dynamics. Coppola says, “I never tried to remake the film, go back and tell my story. I wanted to forget that and to imagine how I would make this film.” She brings the women’s stories and perspective to the forefront.
The Beguiled Courtesy of Cannes Film Festival
Coppola discusses the film being a feminist film, she states, “It is up to the audience to determine how they want to take it. I put my thoughts into film and you can determine how it affects you. I was making the film from the female point of view. The core of the story is the power struggle between the male and female.” The story brings this struggle to the center of the film.
Living in a boarding school atmosphere where they are all women who are functioning well, until the new dynamic, Farrell enters the school. Kidman states about Farrell’s character, “I think he comes in an ruins everything. We were fine. We only could not procreate. Good riddance to him.” The dynamic changes for each person in the film.
Kirsten Dunst, plays Edwina Dabney in the film, says “all these people pent-up together no matter male, female, or a mixture. There will always be something that comes out it is a survivalist technique. Colin just happens to be what all our aggression, energy, and emotions corseted up, lets say. They get unleashed because this new dynamic comes in.” This does bring a change for the girls attending the boarding school.
The Beguiled Nicole Kidman
Nicole Kidman recalls Martha Farnsworth, her character in the film, “is very maternal. Kidman states, “She is there to protect these girls in a very treacherous difficult time. Her motivation is to protect them, to guide them, to bring them, so when the war ends they are capable.” Farrell’s character makes it difficult for the continued protection.
Colin Farrell, John McBurney character in the film, states “It has been a journeyman to get here. Many miles of roads and many corsets. It was an amazing experience shooting this film. Coppola sets a particular mood, one that is of comfort, of ease, trust, and an environment that allows you as an actor to explore and play. It was my favorite experience and shoot. Sophia is a creative beast of an engine with tenderness, elegance, and a gentility.” Looking forward to this film? It will be in theaters June 20, 2017.
The Beguiled Courtesy of Cannes Film Festival
Just a few fun notes from the press conference Kidman and Coppola often swiped their hair from the left side of their faces at the same time. Kidman discusses working through mistakes, “I try to focus on the positive. Sometimes you fail and sometimes you succeed. That is the journey. You just get back up. . . You fall over you brush off your knees and get back up. It is a really hard thing to do. You cry and you feel. It is not saying don’t feel, but experience it navigates and get move through it. . . I’ll learn from everything.”
This 70th year will continue to evolve film worldwide. Stay tuned here for coverage of events from fashion, red carpet, actresses/actors, and films.
BlacKkKlansman Spike Lee Cannes Red Carpet
BlacKkKlansman Spike Lee Cannes Image Credit Antonin Thuillier
