Quendrith Johnson

by Quendrith Johnson, Los Angeles Correspondent

Seven years ago, our lives were changed with a new movement inspired (sadly) by violence, and there are three women at the heart of what we now know as hashtag "Black Lives Matter" or #BLM, which is raging in the streets of America and around the world right now in media coverage. This is from the only real source: "In 2013, three radical Black organizers — Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi — created a Black-centered political will and movement building project called #BlackLivesMatter. It was in response to the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s murderer, George Zimmerman."

Here we are in 2020, and while Portland, Oregon, is just the highlight grim hotspot, so-called identity and so-called race-based initiatives are sparking people into action... either Pro or Con, neighbor against neighbor, state against state, red against blue, against white vs black vs stars and stripes in Technicolor. No one has the right or good or best answers now.

But, and stay with me on this one, we all know some exceptional cinema essays have come from the heartbreak inside the core of this and many movements like it before through the filmmaking lens; even the Hollywood "rose-colored glasses" have seen what many fail to see in their own back yards. Spike Lee's CHI-RAQ was a clarion call to anyone who cared about this country, and lo and behold, if that movie didn't just blow open the violence that was, and was to come in America.

Now people are paying attention, perhaps in the unlikeliest of places like Comcast's NBCUNI which owns Universal Pictures. Universal Pictures and the American Film Insitutte (AFI) have struck up a meaningful partnership to offer some of the seminal films on human (hey, you can say 'race' if you want to, but it's all throughout history and all cultures)) relations.

This is curated by Screenmancer Staff, and shows what AFI MOVIE CLUB and Universal have on offer for you...

LOS ANGELES, CA: The American Film Institute (AFI) and Universal Pictures today announced the launch of a week-long AFI Movie Club event called “Black Stories Matter,” spotlighting diverse and unique narratives from celebrated Black films.

“For decades, Universal has supported thought-provoking stories and powerful perspectives that have served to enlighten, enrich and entertain,” said Donna Langley, Chairman, Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, and AFI Trustee. “Through this partnership with AFI, we are proud to further shine a light on these distinctly important works that continue to so poignantly amplify today’s conversation.” 

Launched from this recent AFI/Universal collaboration honoring DO THE RIGHT THING and Academy Award®-winning director Spike Lee, the expanded partnership will pay tribute to notable films BLACKKKLANSMAN, GET OUT, GIRLS TRIP, LOVING and STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON with free digital movie rentals available all week.

Enhanced AFI Movie Club content will feature new interviews with composer Terence Blanchard (BLACKKKLANSMAN), Malcolm D. Lee (GIRLS TRIP), cinematographer and AFI Alum Matthew Libatique (STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON), Ruth Negga (LOVING), writer Tracy Oliver (GIRLS TRIP), Ron Stallworth (BLACKKKLANSMAN) and more.  

Each of the Universal films will be available to rent for free on Amazon, Apple, Charter, Comcast, Cox, Dish, FandangoNOW, Redbox, Verizon and Vudu, among others, beginning August 24 through August 30.

AFI Movie Club will enrich the free rentals by highlighting each day’s film with a conversation between film critic Shawn Edwards and filmmakers and talent involved with the films; “Behind the Scene” featurettes about a specific scene examined by an artist from the film; and exclusive clips sourced from AFI’s extensive archive of Master Class Seminars, as well as curated trivia researched from the AFI Catalog of Feature Films.  

“The mission of AFI and the AFI Movie Club has always been to educate and inspire audiences – and to drive culture forward,” said Bob Gazzale, President and CEO of the American Film Institute. “We are thrilled to expand our partnership with Universal and to further the conversation about stories that are culturally and nationally significant.” 

The moderated conversations, featurettes and exclusive AFI Archive material will be available on AFI.com/MovieClub and the AFI YouTube channel at YouTube.com/AFI.

Launched on March 31 with the goal to show audiences a world of art above anxiety, AFI Movie Club has announced a classic film a day as a way of connecting audiences with “movies to watch together when we’re apart” and providing everyone with the means of engaging with this essential art form – and each other.

The first title was THE WIZARD OF OZ, and was announced via special video introduction by Steven Spielberg. Since then, special guests introducing daily titles have included J.J. Abrams, Halle Berry, Jessica Biel, Jack Black, Kenneth Branagh, Millie Bobby Brown, Hanelle Culpepper, Robert De Niro, Benicio del Toro, Lena Dunham, Cynthia Erivo (pictured in photo for AFI), Carl Franklin, Morgan Freeman, Danny Glover, Jeff Goldblum, Hugh Grant, Taylor Hackford, Jon Hamm, Asher Jelinsky, Eva Longoria, Leonard Maltin, Helen Mirren, Demi Moore, LaToya Morgan, Elisabeth Moss, Mira Nair, Brad Pitt, Natalie Portman, Issa Rae, Eddie Redmayne, Emma Roberts, Sarah Silverman, Alicia Silverstone, Sharon Stone, Emma Thompson, Kerry Washington and more. 

Yes, AFI Strikes Again for Good: American Film Institute (AFI) Established in 1967, the American Film Institute is the nation’s non-profit organization dedicated to educating and inspiring artists and audiences through initiatives that champion the past, present and future of the moving image. AFI’s pioneering programs include filmmaker training at the AFI Conservatory; year-round exhibition at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center and at AFI Festivals across the nation; workshops aimed at increasing diversity in the storytelling community; honoring today’s masters through the AFI Life Achievement Award and AFI AWARDS; and scholarly efforts such as the AFI Catalog of Feature Films that uphold film history for future generations. Read about all of these programs and more at AFI.com and follow us on social media at Facebook.com/AmericanFilmInstitute, YouTube.com/AFI, Twitter.com/AmericanFilm and Instagram.com/AmericanFilmInstitute.

You Know, Universal Pictures? Universal Pictures is a division of Universal Studios (www.universalstudios.com). Universal Studios is part of NBCUniversal. NBCUniversal is one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group and world-renowned theme parks. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.

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