The American Film Institute announced the call for applicants for the next class of the AFI Dww+ program, a year-long directing workshop that educates underrepresented filmmakers through the production cycle of a short film, providing hands-on instruction from industry leaders.
In 2024, the program will celebrate its 50th anniversary since launching in 1974 as the Directing Workshop for Women, one of the first gender impact programs in the cinematic arts and is one of the longest-running film and television workshops in the world. The application period for the Class of 2024-2025 opens August 11 and closes Friday, September 15, 2023. The application and eligibility requirements can be found on afi.com/dww.
“For nearly 50 years, AFI Dww+ has given voice to historically underrepresented perspectives and championed artists to pursue directing careers in film and television,” said Susan Ruskin, dean of the AFI Conservatory. “We look forward to celebrating the program’s milestone anniversary and welcoming...
In 2024, the program will celebrate its 50th anniversary since launching in 1974 as the Directing Workshop for Women, one of the first gender impact programs in the cinematic arts and is one of the longest-running film and television workshops in the world. The application period for the Class of 2024-2025 opens August 11 and closes Friday, September 15, 2023. The application and eligibility requirements can be found on afi.com/dww.
“For nearly 50 years, AFI Dww+ has given voice to historically underrepresented perspectives and championed artists to pursue directing careers in film and television,” said Susan Ruskin, dean of the AFI Conservatory. “We look forward to celebrating the program’s milestone anniversary and welcoming...
- 8/11/2023
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Even with the institution of gender neutral categories in the acting and supporting acting fields, everything old is new again as the Seventh Annual Black Reel Television Awards (BoltsTV) announced the list of this year’s nominees for recognition. Two names were still returning favorites to the nominations field which also included one record-breaking repeat performance and one surprising new entrant to challenge them all.
The Best Man: The Final Chapters secured its place in Black Reel Award history, with eighteen nominations, the most by any program ever in a single year. The Final Chapters, the ground-breaking mini-series that brought back all of the actors from the previous two movies, also ushered showrunner Malcolm D. Lee to three award nominations of his own for writing and directing in the series.
Perennial favorite, Donald Glover continued his recent dominance by leading the pack in personal nominations, receiving five this year. Glover...
The Best Man: The Final Chapters secured its place in Black Reel Award history, with eighteen nominations, the most by any program ever in a single year. The Final Chapters, the ground-breaking mini-series that brought back all of the actors from the previous two movies, also ushered showrunner Malcolm D. Lee to three award nominations of his own for writing and directing in the series.
Perennial favorite, Donald Glover continued his recent dominance by leading the pack in personal nominations, receiving five this year. Glover...
- 6/15/2023
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
The American Film Institute (AFI) has unveiled the participants list for the Dww+ Class of 2024.
IndieWire exclusively reveals that the latest cast comprises Vanessa Beletic, Chloë de Carvalho, Desdemona Chiang, Naomi Iwamoto, Huriyyah Muhammad, Joanne Mony Park, Kerry O’Neill and Roxy Toporowych. Learn more about the new class and read their bios here.
The AFI Dww+ is a year-long directing workshop that supports women and traditionally underrepresented narrative filmmakers through the production cycle of a short film, providing hands-on instruction led by industry experts. The short films completed in the workshop will premiere at the annual Dww+ Showcase in Spring 2024.
“AFI Dww+ is integral to creating a pipeline of highly trained, diverse voices who have the power to drive culture forward and shape the future of the entertainment industry. We are thrilled to welcome this new class of accomplished artists to the AFI Dww+ program and guide them on their journey as directors and storytellers,...
IndieWire exclusively reveals that the latest cast comprises Vanessa Beletic, Chloë de Carvalho, Desdemona Chiang, Naomi Iwamoto, Huriyyah Muhammad, Joanne Mony Park, Kerry O’Neill and Roxy Toporowych. Learn more about the new class and read their bios here.
The AFI Dww+ is a year-long directing workshop that supports women and traditionally underrepresented narrative filmmakers through the production cycle of a short film, providing hands-on instruction led by industry experts. The short films completed in the workshop will premiere at the annual Dww+ Showcase in Spring 2024.
“AFI Dww+ is integral to creating a pipeline of highly trained, diverse voices who have the power to drive culture forward and shape the future of the entertainment industry. We are thrilled to welcome this new class of accomplished artists to the AFI Dww+ program and guide them on their journey as directors and storytellers,...
- 1/19/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
This past spring Beyonce became the most awarded woman in the history of the Grammys, adding four more trophies to her collection which brought her to a grand total of 28. But she has quietly been amassing a pretty strong Emmy track record too. This year she could win multiple times for her Disney+ music film “Black is King.”
Beyonce voiced Nala in the photo-realistic 2019 remake of “The Lion King”; “Black is King” was inspired by that film and features songs from Beyonce’s “Lion King” companion album, “The Gift.” It was already nominated for Best Music Film at the Grammys earlier this year, and it was awarded by the Art Directors Guild. Judging from Beyonce’s track record, it has a good chance at Emmy nominations too.
SEEBeyonce is now the most awarded woman in Grammy history, and she’s closer to being the biggest winner Ever
To date she...
Beyonce voiced Nala in the photo-realistic 2019 remake of “The Lion King”; “Black is King” was inspired by that film and features songs from Beyonce’s “Lion King” companion album, “The Gift.” It was already nominated for Best Music Film at the Grammys earlier this year, and it was awarded by the Art Directors Guild. Judging from Beyonce’s track record, it has a good chance at Emmy nominations too.
SEEBeyonce is now the most awarded woman in Grammy history, and she’s closer to being the biggest winner Ever
To date she...
- 7/1/2021
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
If you haven't seen the one-of-a-kind, comedic genius that is A Black Lady Sketch Show, I'm afraid you're missing out. If you have heard of the show, you're probably aware that the Black-women-led sketch series is paving the way for Black women in comedy in more ways than one. But did you know there's a deeper meaning and intention behind the show's name? On the press tour for A Black Lady Sketch Show, the show's creator Robin Thede, actress/writer/comedian extraordinaire, who also stars in the show, repeatedly pointed out that she decided to name the show A Black Lady Sketch Show instead of The Black Lady Sketch Show because she hopes the series is the first of many sketch shows that center Black women, not the only.
"There is so much more space for us," Thede said in an Ig Live promoting the second season of the show,...
"There is so much more space for us," Thede said in an Ig Live promoting the second season of the show,...
- 5/12/2021
- by Madison Tyler
- Popsugar.com
The ladies of “A Black Lady Sketch” show are back and the second season will be launching even sooner than fans expected.
The sketch comedy series from creator Robin Thede will return on April 23, with a six-episode season airing on HBO and available to stream on HBO Max.
“Oh you thought a pandemic was going to stop me?” Thede says in a teaser for the new season, which you can watch above.
Returning cast members include Thede, Ashley Nicole Black and Gabrielle Dennis, who will be joined by featured players Laci Mosley and Skye Townsend. Additionally, many guest stars will appear throughout the season, including executive producer Issa Rae, Gabrielle Union, Jesse Williams, Miguel, Skai Jackson, Laz Alonso, Ryan Michelle Bathé, Omarion, Kim Wayans, Ayesha Curry, Lance Gross, Wunmi Mosaku and more.
A scheduling conflict caused by industry-wide Covid-19 shutdowns kept Season 1 cast member Quinta Brunson from appearing in Season...
The sketch comedy series from creator Robin Thede will return on April 23, with a six-episode season airing on HBO and available to stream on HBO Max.
“Oh you thought a pandemic was going to stop me?” Thede says in a teaser for the new season, which you can watch above.
Returning cast members include Thede, Ashley Nicole Black and Gabrielle Dennis, who will be joined by featured players Laci Mosley and Skye Townsend. Additionally, many guest stars will appear throughout the season, including executive producer Issa Rae, Gabrielle Union, Jesse Williams, Miguel, Skai Jackson, Laz Alonso, Ryan Michelle Bathé, Omarion, Kim Wayans, Ayesha Curry, Lance Gross, Wunmi Mosaku and more.
A scheduling conflict caused by industry-wide Covid-19 shutdowns kept Season 1 cast member Quinta Brunson from appearing in Season...
- 3/23/2021
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
A Black Lady Sketch Show, Robin Thede’s sketch comedy series, will return to HBO for season 2.
Set to premiere on Friday, April 23 at 11 p.m. Et/Pt on HBO and HBO Max, A Black Lady Sketch Show‘s sophomore season will feature six episodes filled with new sketches from returning cast members Thede, Gabrielle Dennis and Ashley Nicole Black. Issa Rae, Gabrielle Union and Jessie Williams are among the guest stars set to make appearances this season. Additional guests are singer Miguel, Skai Jackson, Laz Alonso, Omarion, Kim Wayans, Ayesha Curry, Lance Gross and Lovecraft Country’s Wunmi Mosaku.
Quinta Brunson, who was a cast member in season one, will not appear this season due to Covid shutdown-related scheduling conflicts.
A Black Lady Sketch Show season one touched on culturally relevant themes as social norms, anxiety, religion, sex, dating and relationships. Each episode consisted of five to six sketches,...
Set to premiere on Friday, April 23 at 11 p.m. Et/Pt on HBO and HBO Max, A Black Lady Sketch Show‘s sophomore season will feature six episodes filled with new sketches from returning cast members Thede, Gabrielle Dennis and Ashley Nicole Black. Issa Rae, Gabrielle Union and Jessie Williams are among the guest stars set to make appearances this season. Additional guests are singer Miguel, Skai Jackson, Laz Alonso, Omarion, Kim Wayans, Ayesha Curry, Lance Gross and Lovecraft Country’s Wunmi Mosaku.
Quinta Brunson, who was a cast member in season one, will not appear this season due to Covid shutdown-related scheduling conflicts.
A Black Lady Sketch Show season one touched on culturally relevant themes as social norms, anxiety, religion, sex, dating and relationships. Each episode consisted of five to six sketches,...
- 3/23/2021
- by Alexandra Del Rosario
- Deadline Film + TV
Managers Jairo Alvarado, Tony Gil, and Max Goldfarb have partnered to form Redefine Entertainment, a new literary management and production company. They most recently were managers at Circle of Confusion and The Gotham Group. Imani Beal-Ampah joins them as a coordinator.
The partners said: “Redefine Entertainment will be a home for a new generation of creatives. We will cultivate a culture of transparency and empower our clients to better learn the business side of their decisions. We intend to foster community among our clientele, and we are excited to usher in and mentor a new generation of representatives to help us tackle the challenges of our evolving business.”
The company launches with around 60 clients, a list that includes The Farewell director Lulu Wang who is the creator of the upcoming series Ex-Pats for Amazon starring Nicole Kidman; Angel Soto, director of Charmed City Kings for HBO Max and recently tapped...
The partners said: “Redefine Entertainment will be a home for a new generation of creatives. We will cultivate a culture of transparency and empower our clients to better learn the business side of their decisions. We intend to foster community among our clientele, and we are excited to usher in and mentor a new generation of representatives to help us tackle the challenges of our evolving business.”
The company launches with around 60 clients, a list that includes The Farewell director Lulu Wang who is the creator of the upcoming series Ex-Pats for Amazon starring Nicole Kidman; Angel Soto, director of Charmed City Kings for HBO Max and recently tapped...
- 3/3/2021
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
This ranking of the Top 50 film schools of 2020 first appeared in TheWrap’s fifth annual College Issue.
The American Film Institute Conservatory finished as the top film school in the U.S. in TheWrap’s fifth annual ranking of programs, just ahead of previous No. 1, USC. And while the Top 10 remained fairly consistent from past years, three schools — AFI, Chapman and the University of North Carolina School of the Arts — posted their highest-ever finishes. Meanwhile, Biola University returned to the list after dropping off last year, and Pepperdine made it into our rankings for the first time.
The Wrap’s annual ranking of film schools was determined by an anonymous poll of more than 2,000 entertainment industry insiders, educators, deans, filmmakers and film pundits, along with experts tasked with evaluating each school.
Yes, the list compares apples and oranges, mixing undergraduate and graduate programs and including schools with more than 1,000 students...
The American Film Institute Conservatory finished as the top film school in the U.S. in TheWrap’s fifth annual ranking of programs, just ahead of previous No. 1, USC. And while the Top 10 remained fairly consistent from past years, three schools — AFI, Chapman and the University of North Carolina School of the Arts — posted their highest-ever finishes. Meanwhile, Biola University returned to the list after dropping off last year, and Pepperdine made it into our rankings for the first time.
The Wrap’s annual ranking of film schools was determined by an anonymous poll of more than 2,000 entertainment industry insiders, educators, deans, filmmakers and film pundits, along with experts tasked with evaluating each school.
Yes, the list compares apples and oranges, mixing undergraduate and graduate programs and including schools with more than 1,000 students...
- 10/16/2020
- by Victoria Ellison
- The Wrap
Robin Thede isn’t just a writer, producer, reality show host and actor, she is also a one-woman employment agency.
Over the past year, as many across the film and television industry have claimed they want to do better with inclusion of women and Bipoc in front of and behind the camera, Thede has found herself having many “really specific” and frank conversations about how to do so.
Although this is not something Thede only started doing this year, the demand for her attention has increased, partially due to the racial reckoning the country and the industry is experiencing.
“This year, specifically, I called a bunch of the late-night showrunners that I knew didn’t have any Black writers and I had really, really open and honest conversations with them about the need to hire Black people on their staff,” Thede says.
That is why, in addition to her ground-breaking...
Over the past year, as many across the film and television industry have claimed they want to do better with inclusion of women and Bipoc in front of and behind the camera, Thede has found herself having many “really specific” and frank conversations about how to do so.
Although this is not something Thede only started doing this year, the demand for her attention has increased, partially due to the racial reckoning the country and the industry is experiencing.
“This year, specifically, I called a bunch of the late-night showrunners that I knew didn’t have any Black writers and I had really, really open and honest conversations with them about the need to hire Black people on their staff,” Thede says.
That is why, in addition to her ground-breaking...
- 10/8/2020
- by Danielle Turchiano
- Variety Film + TV
Robin Thede has been selected as this year’s recipient of the Variety Creative Change Award at Mipcom.
The Variety Creative Change Award is given to an individual who uses their platform in the arts to create inclusive stories. This year it will be presented to Thede during the 4th Annual Mipcom Diversify TV Excellence Awards, which will be held on Oct. 13.
Additionally, 21 programs have been selected as part of a shortlist for Mipcom’s Diversify TV Excellence Awards this year, Reed Midem announced Wednesday. See below for that list.
Thede is the creator, showrunner and star of HBO’s “A Black Lady Sketch Show,” which picked up an Emmy Award nomination for variety sketch series (as well as noms for director Dime Davis and guest actress Angela Bassett) and won the Television Critics Assn. (TCA) Award for variety/sketch series this year.
She also appeared in the fourth season...
The Variety Creative Change Award is given to an individual who uses their platform in the arts to create inclusive stories. This year it will be presented to Thede during the 4th Annual Mipcom Diversify TV Excellence Awards, which will be held on Oct. 13.
Additionally, 21 programs have been selected as part of a shortlist for Mipcom’s Diversify TV Excellence Awards this year, Reed Midem announced Wednesday. See below for that list.
Thede is the creator, showrunner and star of HBO’s “A Black Lady Sketch Show,” which picked up an Emmy Award nomination for variety sketch series (as well as noms for director Dime Davis and guest actress Angela Bassett) and won the Television Critics Assn. (TCA) Award for variety/sketch series this year.
She also appeared in the fourth season...
- 9/23/2020
- by Danielle Turchiano
- Variety Film + TV
The second night of the Creative Arts Emmys Awards kicked off Tuesday.
Among the big winners for the night were “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver,” which won three Emmys. That includes a win for best writing for a variety series. In addition, “Saturday Night Live” walked away with yet another win in the best variety sketch series category, marking one of three wins it scored throughout the night.
The second installment of “Live in Front of a Studio Audience” picked up the award for best live variety special, which it also won last year. The win also made executive producer Norman Lear the oldest Emmy winner ever at 98, beating his own record when he won at 97.
“RuPaul’s Drag Race” also picked up two more awards, bringing its total to four so far. Tonight, the show won for best contemporary makeup for a variety, nonfiction or reality program (Non-Prosthetic) as...
Among the big winners for the night were “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver,” which won three Emmys. That includes a win for best writing for a variety series. In addition, “Saturday Night Live” walked away with yet another win in the best variety sketch series category, marking one of three wins it scored throughout the night.
The second installment of “Live in Front of a Studio Audience” picked up the award for best live variety special, which it also won last year. The win also made executive producer Norman Lear the oldest Emmy winner ever at 98, beating his own record when he won at 97.
“RuPaul’s Drag Race” also picked up two more awards, bringing its total to four so far. Tonight, the show won for best contemporary makeup for a variety, nonfiction or reality program (Non-Prosthetic) as...
- 9/16/2020
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Angela Bassett has two opportunities to win her first Primetime Emmy Award this year. One is for her guest role on HBO’s “A Black Lady Sketch Show” while the other is for narrating the Disney+ docuseries “The Imagineering Story.”
Bassett recently spoke with Gold Derby senior editor Daniel Montgomery about the fun of “A Black Lady Sketch Show,” the challenges of narrating “The Imagineering Story” and the idea of becoming the first Black woman to win an Emmy for narration. Watch the exclusive interview above and read the complete transcript below.
SEEDime Davis Interview: ‘A Black Lady Sketch Show’ director
Gold Derby: Angela Bassett is nominated for two Emmys this year for projects that couldn’t be more different, Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for “A Black Lady Sketch Show” and Best Narrator for the documentary series “The Imagineering Story” on Disney+. Would I be right in...
Bassett recently spoke with Gold Derby senior editor Daniel Montgomery about the fun of “A Black Lady Sketch Show,” the challenges of narrating “The Imagineering Story” and the idea of becoming the first Black woman to win an Emmy for narration. Watch the exclusive interview above and read the complete transcript below.
SEEDime Davis Interview: ‘A Black Lady Sketch Show’ director
Gold Derby: Angela Bassett is nominated for two Emmys this year for projects that couldn’t be more different, Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for “A Black Lady Sketch Show” and Best Narrator for the documentary series “The Imagineering Story” on Disney+. Would I be right in...
- 9/3/2020
- by Kevin Jacobsen and Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
Has variety sketch peaked? This year’s Emmy category got caught in the rule change that limited the number of nominations in proportion to the number of contenders submitted — and with just 14 entries, that meant only three ballot slots. Several of last year’s nominees weren’t eligible in 2020, while “At Home With Amy Sedaris” didn’t make the cut, leaving room for returnees “Saturday Night Live” and “Drunk History,” and newcomer “A Black Lady Sketch Show.” With previous nominees such as “Portlandia,” and winners “Key & Peele” and “Inside Amy Schumer” also long gone, variety sketch could be at a crossroads. NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” is looking for a fourth consecutive win, but keep an eye on upstart “A Black Lady Sketch Show,” from HBO.
The Case for “Saturday Night Live”
“Saturday Night Live” wasn’t much of an Emmy player for most of its run, having landed...
The Case for “Saturday Night Live”
“Saturday Night Live” wasn’t much of an Emmy player for most of its run, having landed...
- 8/27/2020
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
The glow up for Robin Thede continues as the Warner Bros. Television Group (Wbtvg) has signed a new exclusive overall deal with the creator/executive producer and star of the Emmy-nominated A Black Lady Sketch Show on HBO. The deal continues WarnerMedia’s long-standing relationship with Thede and marks the first deal for the multi-hyphenate.
Under the pact, Thede will develop new television programming for all platforms including on-demand, streaming services as well as premium and basic cable channels. This includes HBO and HBO Max. Details about the financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Wbtvg has confirmed that the deal is an exclusive multi-year agreement.
Thede’s critically acclaimed A Black Lady Sketch Show is nominated for three Emmys including Outstanding Variety Sketch Series as well as Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for Angela Bassett and Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series for Dime Davis.
Under the pact, Thede will develop new television programming for all platforms including on-demand, streaming services as well as premium and basic cable channels. This includes HBO and HBO Max. Details about the financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Wbtvg has confirmed that the deal is an exclusive multi-year agreement.
Thede’s critically acclaimed A Black Lady Sketch Show is nominated for three Emmys including Outstanding Variety Sketch Series as well as Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for Angela Bassett and Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series for Dime Davis.
- 8/25/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
For “A Black Lady Sketch Show” director and producer Dime Davis, “we didn’t really set out to be an Emmy-nominated show. We just set out to do something that had never been done before, and I think that was our focus.” The HBO series nevertheless did earn three nominations, and Davis herself has two of them: Best Variety Sketch Series and Best Variety Series Directing. This is the first time Black women have ever been nominated in those categories (the show’s third nom is for guest star Angela Bassett). Watch our exclusive video interview with Davis above.
SEEAngela Bassett on going all out for ‘A Black Lady Sketch Show’ and reining it in for ‘The Imagineering Story’ [Exclusive Video Interview]
Setting that precedent with her nominations “is really incredible, but I feel like it’s so bittersweet,” she adds. “There’s a little sting with the honey if that makes sense.
SEEAngela Bassett on going all out for ‘A Black Lady Sketch Show’ and reining it in for ‘The Imagineering Story’ [Exclusive Video Interview]
Setting that precedent with her nominations “is really incredible, but I feel like it’s so bittersweet,” she adds. “There’s a little sting with the honey if that makes sense.
- 8/21/2020
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
A version of this story about Robin Thede and “A Black Lady Sketch Show” first appeared in the Emmy Hot List issue of TheWrap’s Emmy magazine.
It’s not easy for new shows to break into the Outstanding Variety Sketch Series category, which shrunk from six nominees all the way down to three this year, and includes such formidable contenders as “Saturday Night Live,” the most nominated program in Emmy history, and “Drunk History,” which has been nominated in all six years of the category’s existence.
But Robin Thede’s “A Black Lady Sketch Show” joined “SNL” and “Drunk History” as a nominee this year, making it the first Black-run sketch show nominated since “Key & Peele” in 2016 and the first-ever sketch show created, run, written and acted almost exclusively by Black women.
“My goal from the beginning was to provide a place where we could play in ways that we never had,...
It’s not easy for new shows to break into the Outstanding Variety Sketch Series category, which shrunk from six nominees all the way down to three this year, and includes such formidable contenders as “Saturday Night Live,” the most nominated program in Emmy history, and “Drunk History,” which has been nominated in all six years of the category’s existence.
But Robin Thede’s “A Black Lady Sketch Show” joined “SNL” and “Drunk History” as a nominee this year, making it the first Black-run sketch show nominated since “Key & Peele” in 2016 and the first-ever sketch show created, run, written and acted almost exclusively by Black women.
“My goal from the beginning was to provide a place where we could play in ways that we never had,...
- 8/20/2020
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
The 2019 premiere of “A Black Lady Sketch Show” opened on its group of comics lounging on a couch discussing “The Event,” an apocalyptic occurrence that leaves the women trapped and alone within their home.
Fast forward to 2020, and the couch-confined lifestyle is all-too-familiar. The show’s narrative serves as a backdrop, however, for a collection of sketches that air with each episode, featuring a cast of Black women as the main cast.
The show’s stars Robin Thede, Quinta Brunson, Gabrielle Dennis, Ashley Nicole Black, as well as director Dime Davis and guest star Angela Bassett, joined Variety‘s Jenelle Riley in the Variety Streaming Room to discuss the show’s importance, guests and future plans. Thede is also the creator and executive producer, while Black is a writer for the show. “A Black Lady Sketch Show” recently earned three Emmy nominations for variety sketch series, directing for a variety...
Fast forward to 2020, and the couch-confined lifestyle is all-too-familiar. The show’s narrative serves as a backdrop, however, for a collection of sketches that air with each episode, featuring a cast of Black women as the main cast.
The show’s stars Robin Thede, Quinta Brunson, Gabrielle Dennis, Ashley Nicole Black, as well as director Dime Davis and guest star Angela Bassett, joined Variety‘s Jenelle Riley in the Variety Streaming Room to discuss the show’s importance, guests and future plans. Thede is also the creator and executive producer, while Black is a writer for the show. “A Black Lady Sketch Show” recently earned three Emmy nominations for variety sketch series, directing for a variety...
- 8/17/2020
- by Eli Countryman
- Variety Film + TV
Are you bored with the content on Netflix? Have you watched everything on Hulu? Have you already caught up with the DC Universe shows you’ve never even knew existed until they were on HBO Max? Then may we suggest – if you haven’t already – perhaps you should catch up with the fantastic Robin Thede creation, “A Black Lady Sketch Show.”
Read More: Creative Arts Emmys virtual ceremonies expanding to five nights
HBO Emmy nominee for Outstanding Variety Series (Thede), Directing for a Variety Series and Guest Actor in a Comedy Series (seven-time nominee Angela Bassett), the program is a spring in a desert of sketch shows centered on persons of color let alone women of color.
Continue reading Robin Thede: “Please Wear A Mask So I Can Shoot” ‘A Black Lady Sketch Show’ Season 2 [Interview] at The Playlist.
Read More: Creative Arts Emmys virtual ceremonies expanding to five nights
HBO Emmy nominee for Outstanding Variety Series (Thede), Directing for a Variety Series and Guest Actor in a Comedy Series (seven-time nominee Angela Bassett), the program is a spring in a desert of sketch shows centered on persons of color let alone women of color.
Continue reading Robin Thede: “Please Wear A Mask So I Can Shoot” ‘A Black Lady Sketch Show’ Season 2 [Interview] at The Playlist.
- 8/13/2020
- by Gregory Ellwood
- The Playlist
Dime Davis already made Emmy history with her nomination in the variety series directing category for the freshman season finale of HBO’s “A Black Lady Sketch Show,” which she also co-executive produces. (She is the first Black woman to break onto this ballot.) If she picks up the statue in September, she will break another major barrier: being the first Black woman to win a directing Emmy overall.
How much do you think about things like the amount of Black people nominated before you in a category? Do you feel an added pressure or responsibility in choosing work or in the way that you work because of the strides the results can make?
We weren’t thinking at all about awards when we were shooting, but I knew I was the first woman to be in this position shooting this show — but also I knew it was the first...
How much do you think about things like the amount of Black people nominated before you in a category? Do you feel an added pressure or responsibility in choosing work or in the way that you work because of the strides the results can make?
We weren’t thinking at all about awards when we were shooting, but I knew I was the first woman to be in this position shooting this show — but also I knew it was the first...
- 8/12/2020
- by Danielle Turchiano
- Variety Film + TV
Even before the final-round voting ballots have been sent out, the 72nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards have made history.
The nominees include the most Black performers ever nominated in a single year. Not only is the sheer number a record, but 2020’s nominee class includes some notable firsts: Nicole Byer is the first Black woman to be nominated in the reality host category for Netflix’s “Nailed It”; Maya Rudolph became the first Black performer — man or woman — to be nominated against herself, scoring two noms in the guest comedy actress race for NBC’s “The Good Place” and “Saturday Night Live.” And Dime Davis is the first Black woman to be nominated in the variety series directing category for her work on HBO’s “A Black Lady Sketch Show.”
And while history may be made again come ceremony night on Sept. 20 — for example, if Davis wins, she will be...
The nominees include the most Black performers ever nominated in a single year. Not only is the sheer number a record, but 2020’s nominee class includes some notable firsts: Nicole Byer is the first Black woman to be nominated in the reality host category for Netflix’s “Nailed It”; Maya Rudolph became the first Black performer — man or woman — to be nominated against herself, scoring two noms in the guest comedy actress race for NBC’s “The Good Place” and “Saturday Night Live.” And Dime Davis is the first Black woman to be nominated in the variety series directing category for her work on HBO’s “A Black Lady Sketch Show.”
And while history may be made again come ceremony night on Sept. 20 — for example, if Davis wins, she will be...
- 8/11/2020
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Inclusion and parity are all the rage right now — a process that has been long in coming and is far from over — but creating an equal environment among colleagues in the entertainment industry isn’t as easy as it might seem. That includes the Emmy candidates for directing and writing. Actors are traditionally divided by gender, but not so with the other categories.
As Frank Scherma, chairman and CEO of the television academy, remarked before host Leslie Jones kicked off the virtual socially-distanced reading of the nominees, “This year we are also bearing witness to one of the greatest fights for social justice in history, and it is our duty to use this medium for change. That is the power and responsibility of television — not only delivering a multitude of services or a little escapism, but also amplifying the voices that must be heard and telling the stories that must be told.
As Frank Scherma, chairman and CEO of the television academy, remarked before host Leslie Jones kicked off the virtual socially-distanced reading of the nominees, “This year we are also bearing witness to one of the greatest fights for social justice in history, and it is our duty to use this medium for change. That is the power and responsibility of television — not only delivering a multitude of services or a little escapism, but also amplifying the voices that must be heard and telling the stories that must be told.
- 8/6/2020
- by Susan Wloszczyna
- Gold Derby
Dime Davis, director of HBO’s A Black Lady Sketch Show, has become the first Black woman to secure an Emmy nod for directing a variety series.
Debbie Allen was nominated in 1989 for directing ABC’s The Debbie Allen Special when the category was known as Outstanding Directing for a Variety or Music Program, but Davis becomes the first Black Woman for series directing. She is also only the second Black director to score a nomination in the category and the first in nearly 50 years since Mark Warren won for NBC’s Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In in 1971.
This comes as the Robin Thede-created sketch comedy was nominated for three awards this morning including for Outstanding Variety Sketch Series and for Angela Bassettt for Outstanding Guest Actress In A Comedy Series.
A Black Lady Sketch Show is strangely up against only Saturday Night Live and Drunk History in the...
Debbie Allen was nominated in 1989 for directing ABC’s The Debbie Allen Special when the category was known as Outstanding Directing for a Variety or Music Program, but Davis becomes the first Black Woman for series directing. She is also only the second Black director to score a nomination in the category and the first in nearly 50 years since Mark Warren won for NBC’s Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In in 1971.
This comes as the Robin Thede-created sketch comedy was nominated for three awards this morning including for Outstanding Variety Sketch Series and for Angela Bassettt for Outstanding Guest Actress In A Comedy Series.
A Black Lady Sketch Show is strangely up against only Saturday Night Live and Drunk History in the...
- 7/28/2020
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Women landed one third of all the Primetime Emmy nominations in the seven directing categories, a record high for the Television Academy.
In total, 16 women were recognized this year out of 48 total directing nominations — a big jump from last year, when nine out of 49 directing nominees (just over 18%) were women. And this year, a woman was nominated in every single directing category, after two straight years of no female directors getting a nod for a reality series and one year without a woman picking up a nom for a variety series.
Before this year, female directors had the highest representation in 2013, when eight of the 33 nominees — or 24% — were women. That was when there were still just six directing categories, as reality series had not been added to the list at that time.
In the writing categories, women landed 33 nominations out of a total of 120 nominees, or 27.5%. That’s a slight...
In total, 16 women were recognized this year out of 48 total directing nominations — a big jump from last year, when nine out of 49 directing nominees (just over 18%) were women. And this year, a woman was nominated in every single directing category, after two straight years of no female directors getting a nod for a reality series and one year without a woman picking up a nom for a variety series.
Before this year, female directors had the highest representation in 2013, when eight of the 33 nominees — or 24% — were women. That was when there were still just six directing categories, as reality series had not been added to the list at that time.
In the writing categories, women landed 33 nominations out of a total of 120 nominees, or 27.5%. That’s a slight...
- 7/28/2020
- by Jennifer Maas
- The Wrap
The Emmy Awards ballot for Best Variety Series Directing lists 31 episodes, so there will be only five nominees in this category for the first time in three years, under the new Emmy rules. Under the proportional-representation rules for this category, two slots are reserved for the 16 submitted episodes of sketch series, two are reserved for the 15 submitted talk series and the last slot is a free-for-all. The six nominees last year were:
“Documentary Now!” (Alex Buono & Rhys Thomas): “Waiting for the Artist” “Drunk History” (Derek Waters): “Are You Afraid of the Drunk?” “Last Week Tonight” (Paul Pennolino): “Psychics” “The Late Show” (Jim Hoskinson): “Live Midterm Election Show” Winner — “Saturday Night Live” (Don Roy King): “Host: Adam Sandler” “Who is America?” (Sacha Baron Cohen & Nathan Fielder & Daniel Gray Longino & Dan Mazer): “Episode 102”
There is a new rule this year that only two co-directors can be credited per submission.
“Documentary Now!” (Alex Buono & Rhys Thomas): “Waiting for the Artist” “Drunk History” (Derek Waters): “Are You Afraid of the Drunk?” “Last Week Tonight” (Paul Pennolino): “Psychics” “The Late Show” (Jim Hoskinson): “Live Midterm Election Show” Winner — “Saturday Night Live” (Don Roy King): “Host: Adam Sandler” “Who is America?” (Sacha Baron Cohen & Nathan Fielder & Daniel Gray Longino & Dan Mazer): “Episode 102”
There is a new rule this year that only two co-directors can be credited per submission.
- 7/25/2020
- by Riley Chow
- Gold Derby
The second season of Lena Waithe’s Boomerang on Bet came to an end netting 1.3 million total viewers P2+. The first of the final two episodes delivered the comedy’s highest-rated episode of the season. The final two episodes of the series logged double-digits-l+3 ratings lift compared to their Live + Same Day numbers, +32% (Episode #207), and +36% (Episode #208).
The sophomore season of the series executive produced by Waithe and Halle Berry grew its audience by +22% from Season one in L+3 (Adults 18-49). This season saw two women of color taking the helm as co-showrunners: Dime Davis and Angeli Millan. The entire season was directed exclusively by women of color, with Davis returning to the director’s chair for half of the season.
Bet also aired the season finale of Tyler Perry’s Sistas which delivered 1.6 million total...
The sophomore season of the series executive produced by Waithe and Halle Berry grew its audience by +22% from Season one in L+3 (Adults 18-49). This season saw two women of color taking the helm as co-showrunners: Dime Davis and Angeli Millan. The entire season was directed exclusively by women of color, with Davis returning to the director’s chair for half of the season.
Bet also aired the season finale of Tyler Perry’s Sistas which delivered 1.6 million total...
- 5/5/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
It might’ve been a Tuesday night in Hollywood, but the “Boomerang” cast, crew and exec. producer Lena Waithe were ready to celebrate “Waithe Wednesdays” at the Bet drama’s second season premiere.
“It’s a beautiful time, you know,” Waithe told Variety at the event’s green carpet, speaking to press for the third time in just over a week, after the events celebrating her role on HBO’s “Westworld” and her new Bet series “Twenties,” which debuted on the network March 4 with nearly two million viewers tuning in.
Speaking of “Twenties’” impressive bow, Waithe said, “To me, what the 2 million viewers meant was that society really showed us that they’re ready. They’re ready to step into this new chapter where intersectionality is not, you know, abnormal, but it is the norm. And I really felt that love and that support.”
And with “Boomerang,” Waithe and her...
“It’s a beautiful time, you know,” Waithe told Variety at the event’s green carpet, speaking to press for the third time in just over a week, after the events celebrating her role on HBO’s “Westworld” and her new Bet series “Twenties,” which debuted on the network March 4 with nearly two million viewers tuning in.
Speaking of “Twenties’” impressive bow, Waithe said, “To me, what the 2 million viewers meant was that society really showed us that they’re ready. They’re ready to step into this new chapter where intersectionality is not, you know, abnormal, but it is the norm. And I really felt that love and that support.”
And with “Boomerang,” Waithe and her...
- 3/12/2020
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
In today’s TV news roundup, MTV announced the premiere date and cast for the 35th season of “The Challenge,” and the CW announces premiere dates for three summer shows.
Casting
MTV has revealed the lineup for season 35 of the reality-competition series “The Challenge,” dubbed “The Challenge: Total Madness.” To commemorate the landmark season, the 28-member cast features a mix of series veterans and newcomers competing in challenges for a million-dollar prize. Among the veterans are Mattie Breaux, Tula “Big T” Fazakerley and Jennifer West, each back for their second-ever challenge; third-time challengers Josh Martinez, Dee Nguyen, Melissa Reeves, Rogan O’Connor and Stephen Bear; fourth-time challenger Tori Deal; fifth-time challengers Kailah Casillas and Kyle Christie; sixth-time challengers Nelson Thomas and Jordan Wisely; seventh-time challengers Ashley Mitchell and Cory Wharton; and eighth-time challenger Jenna Compono. Additionally, mega-veterans such as 13-time challengers Aneesa Ferreira and Wes Bergmann, 17-time challenger Ct Tamburello; and Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio,...
Casting
MTV has revealed the lineup for season 35 of the reality-competition series “The Challenge,” dubbed “The Challenge: Total Madness.” To commemorate the landmark season, the 28-member cast features a mix of series veterans and newcomers competing in challenges for a million-dollar prize. Among the veterans are Mattie Breaux, Tula “Big T” Fazakerley and Jennifer West, each back for their second-ever challenge; third-time challengers Josh Martinez, Dee Nguyen, Melissa Reeves, Rogan O’Connor and Stephen Bear; fourth-time challenger Tori Deal; fifth-time challengers Kailah Casillas and Kyle Christie; sixth-time challengers Nelson Thomas and Jordan Wisely; seventh-time challengers Ashley Mitchell and Cory Wharton; and eighth-time challenger Jenna Compono. Additionally, mega-veterans such as 13-time challengers Aneesa Ferreira and Wes Bergmann, 17-time challenger Ct Tamburello; and Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio,...
- 3/5/2020
- by J. Kim Murphy
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Bet’s Boomerang is coming back for season 2 on March 11 and it’s bringing a talented roster of women of color to direct all eight episodes. The network also released a new trailer that gives an extended look at the comedy which puts Bryson (Tequan Richmond), Simone (Tetona Jackson) and the entire Boomerang gang in a whole new — and hyperrealistic — series of life lessons.
Lena Waithe’s Hillman Grad Productions have set Angeli Millan and Dime Davis as co-showrunners. Davis, who also worked on the show’s freshman season, directed four of the eight episodes while Tiffany Johnson and Katrelle N. Kindred will direct two episodes each. Kindred was brought on by Davis and is also a member of ViacomCBS’s ViewFinder Emerging TV Directors Program. Boomerang marks her TV directorial debut.
Lena Waithe’s Hillman Grad Productions have set Angeli Millan and Dime Davis as co-showrunners. Davis, who also worked on the show’s freshman season, directed four of the eight episodes while Tiffany Johnson and Katrelle N. Kindred will direct two episodes each. Kindred was brought on by Davis and is also a member of ViacomCBS’s ViewFinder Emerging TV Directors Program. Boomerang marks her TV directorial debut.
- 3/3/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Robin Thede has always had affection for sketch comedy. In fact, when she was little girl, her parents let her stay up late to watch Saturday Night Live — but only up until Weekend Update. When In Living Color came out, Thede was even more submerged in the world of sketch with a trailblazing show that included people of color. Thede continues that tradition of shaking up the status quo with A Black Lady Sketch Show on HBO.
Executive produced by Thede and Issa Rae, A Black Lady Sketch Show stars and is written by Black women. With core cast members Ashley Nicole Black, Gabrielle Dennis and Quinta Brunson; Dime Davis in the director’s chair for all episodes; and a wildly impressive slate of guest stars that includes Laverne Cox, Angela Bassett, Lena Waithe, Patti Labelle Loretta Divine and more, Ablss is groundbreaking as the first of its kind. Through subversive comedy,...
Executive produced by Thede and Issa Rae, A Black Lady Sketch Show stars and is written by Black women. With core cast members Ashley Nicole Black, Gabrielle Dennis and Quinta Brunson; Dime Davis in the director’s chair for all episodes; and a wildly impressive slate of guest stars that includes Laverne Cox, Angela Bassett, Lena Waithe, Patti Labelle Loretta Divine and more, Ablss is groundbreaking as the first of its kind. Through subversive comedy,...
- 8/20/2019
- by Dino-Ray Ramos and Amanda N'Duka
- Deadline Film + TV
When Robin Thede’s Bet late-night show “The Rundown” was canceled in July 2018, she wasted no time in finding her next project, the HBO sketch comedy series “A Black Lady Sketch Show.”
The comedian, whose career started with sketch and improv comedy at The Second City theatre group in Chicago, had already been soft-pitching a sketch show to work on between seasons of “The Rundown.” The day the Bet show was canceled, she got a call from Issa Rae about what she planned on doing next, and had her answer ready to go.
“I just wanted to create a really authentic product, something that was uniquely from our point of view,” said Thede. “I set out to highlight black women living grounded experiences in a magical reality.” When she told the “Insecure” star about her vision, Rae immediately offered to take the show to HBO.
Also Read: Black Panther Party Dramedy From 'Insecure' Writer,...
The comedian, whose career started with sketch and improv comedy at The Second City theatre group in Chicago, had already been soft-pitching a sketch show to work on between seasons of “The Rundown.” The day the Bet show was canceled, she got a call from Issa Rae about what she planned on doing next, and had her answer ready to go.
“I just wanted to create a really authentic product, something that was uniquely from our point of view,” said Thede. “I set out to highlight black women living grounded experiences in a magical reality.” When she told the “Insecure” star about her vision, Rae immediately offered to take the show to HBO.
Also Read: Black Panther Party Dramedy From 'Insecure' Writer,...
- 8/16/2019
- by Kylie Harrington
- The Wrap
There’s nothing radical about the structure of HBO’s new comedy series “A Black Lady Sketch Show”; it’s a series of pop culture parodies and send-ups of current events. But the series has its own sharp-witted, affable point of view and provides a necessary showcase for more black women performers than have ever appeared on a single show, led by a core cast that includes creator Robin Thede, Ashley Nicole Black, Gabrielle Dennis and Quinta Brunson, who are all funny, dynamic, and unapologetically provocative.
It’s a point of view that comes primarily from the show’s creator and co-star, Robin Thede, who was the head writer on Larry Wilmore’s “The Nightly Show” – Wilmore is among the famous faces who appear in the series – and oversaw “The Rundown with Robin Thede”, which was also groundbreaking for late-night television, airing on Bet.
A half hour of some of the brashest,...
It’s a point of view that comes primarily from the show’s creator and co-star, Robin Thede, who was the head writer on Larry Wilmore’s “The Nightly Show” – Wilmore is among the famous faces who appear in the series – and oversaw “The Rundown with Robin Thede”, which was also groundbreaking for late-night television, airing on Bet.
A half hour of some of the brashest,...
- 8/2/2019
- by Tambay Obenson
- Indiewire
Hop on Twitter, and you will find a multitude of posts from frustrated black women decrying everything from cultural appropriation – to be clear, Kim Kardashian did not create cornrows – to the deplorable and racist way four freshman congresswomen of color have been villainized by the Potus.
In contrast, much-needed moments of levity by black women and for black women are much harder to find. That’s going to change when HBO’s “A Black Lady Sketch Show” premieres Friday. Funny, irreverent, subversive and self-aware the series, created and executive produced by comedian Robin Thede, is rife with brilliant bits meant to be shared via social media. Every episode (HBO previewed the first six for critics) has at least three noteworthy sketches that will make viewers revel, ruminate and post. Even the title sequence, which features puppets and Megan thee Stallion’s “Hot Girl,” is sharable.
In the pilot, there is...
In contrast, much-needed moments of levity by black women and for black women are much harder to find. That’s going to change when HBO’s “A Black Lady Sketch Show” premieres Friday. Funny, irreverent, subversive and self-aware the series, created and executive produced by comedian Robin Thede, is rife with brilliant bits meant to be shared via social media. Every episode (HBO previewed the first six for critics) has at least three noteworthy sketches that will make viewers revel, ruminate and post. Even the title sequence, which features puppets and Megan thee Stallion’s “Hot Girl,” is sharable.
In the pilot, there is...
- 8/2/2019
- by Mekeisha Madden Toby
- Variety Film + TV
Robin Thede’s new HBO series “A Black Lady Sketch Show” has already made history: it’s the first sketch series cast comprised entirely of black women, and it boasts the first all-black women writers room. These landmark achievements are as much a credit to the creators of the series and HBO for taking a chance on it, as they are an indication of how the television comedy landscape has failed to be inclusive of black women’s voices in a meaningful way. Thede is aware of these particulars, and for her, as well as executive producer Issa Rae and director Dime Davis – who were all present for a panel at the Television Critics Association’s summer press tour – the show was a no-brainer.
“That’s how I pitched it,” Thede said in response to whether she was aware that it was a groundbreaking idea when she met with HBO...
“That’s how I pitched it,” Thede said in response to whether she was aware that it was a groundbreaking idea when she met with HBO...
- 7/25/2019
- by Tambay Obenson
- Indiewire
Spoiler Alert: This article contains details about the season finale of Boomerang.
When it was announced that Lena Waithe was teaming with Halle Berry to bring the wildly underrated ’90s rom-com to Bet as a television series, diehard fans of the original were giddy with excitement as the new iteration set out to struck a curious chord with the younger generation — some of whom have never heard of the TV show. With Ben Cory Jones as showrunner and a team of fresh talent in front of and behind the camera, the first 10 episodes of the series brought a new perspective and look to the continuation of the film starring Eddie Murphy as playboy Marcus Graham who learns to love like an actual adult. Waithe and Berry (who starred in the original) brought the story into 2019 with a raw and real sense of storytelling and tonight’s finale titled “Trust” had...
When it was announced that Lena Waithe was teaming with Halle Berry to bring the wildly underrated ’90s rom-com to Bet as a television series, diehard fans of the original were giddy with excitement as the new iteration set out to struck a curious chord with the younger generation — some of whom have never heard of the TV show. With Ben Cory Jones as showrunner and a team of fresh talent in front of and behind the camera, the first 10 episodes of the series brought a new perspective and look to the continuation of the film starring Eddie Murphy as playboy Marcus Graham who learns to love like an actual adult. Waithe and Berry (who starred in the original) brought the story into 2019 with a raw and real sense of storytelling and tonight’s finale titled “Trust” had...
- 4/10/2019
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Lena Waithe has praised Viacom-owned Bet for speaking the same language as her on the half-hour comedy Boomerang. Waithe and Halle Berry are exec producing the remake of the 1992 movie, in which Berry starred alongside Eddie Murphy. They are joined on the team by by Dime Davis and Ben Cory Jones, who is showrunner on the series from Paramount Television and Bet Networks.
“Most of the shows I do are being pushed through a white filter. The most exciting thing about Bet and Paramount is that we speak the same language,” Waithe said Monday at TCA. “There is no, ‘Well can you have more joy in that moment of black pain’ – I don’t have to do that. That’s no shade at other partners I work for but the best thing is working with people who look like me and trust me. Black and honest as hell.”
The Chi creator added,...
“Most of the shows I do are being pushed through a white filter. The most exciting thing about Bet and Paramount is that we speak the same language,” Waithe said Monday at TCA. “There is no, ‘Well can you have more joy in that moment of black pain’ – I don’t have to do that. That’s no shade at other partners I work for but the best thing is working with people who look like me and trust me. Black and honest as hell.”
The Chi creator added,...
- 2/12/2019
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
The Sundance Film Festival is all about independent film — but is it really?
In between screenings and late into the night, Park City is actually Party City. From intimate cocktail soirées to musical performances, this year’s film festival has something for everyone.
Here is Variety’s ultimate party guide for Sundance 2019…
Thursday, Jan. 24
Lyft & Neon Kick Off Party
Celebrating “The Biggest Little Farm” and “Apollo 11”
Lyft Lounge, 5:30-7:30pm
Friday, Jan. 25
30th Annual GLAAD Media Awards Nominations Announcement
Mj Rodriguez and Nico Santos
At&T Hello Lounge, 8 a.m.
Danny Clinch Pop-Up Gallery Opening Party
Salesforce Music Lodge, 4-6 p.m.
GLAAD Media Awards Nominees Cocktail Party
At&T Lounge, 4:30-6 p.m.
SundanceTV’s Sundance Film Festival Kickoff Party
Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Jenna Elfman, Rhea Seehorn, Kirby Howell-Baptiste and Sarah Wayne Callies
SundanceTV HQ, 5-8 p.m.
“Honey Boy” Party
Shia Labeouf, Fka Twigs, Maika Monroe,...
In between screenings and late into the night, Park City is actually Party City. From intimate cocktail soirées to musical performances, this year’s film festival has something for everyone.
Here is Variety’s ultimate party guide for Sundance 2019…
Thursday, Jan. 24
Lyft & Neon Kick Off Party
Celebrating “The Biggest Little Farm” and “Apollo 11”
Lyft Lounge, 5:30-7:30pm
Friday, Jan. 25
30th Annual GLAAD Media Awards Nominations Announcement
Mj Rodriguez and Nico Santos
At&T Hello Lounge, 8 a.m.
Danny Clinch Pop-Up Gallery Opening Party
Salesforce Music Lodge, 4-6 p.m.
GLAAD Media Awards Nominees Cocktail Party
At&T Lounge, 4:30-6 p.m.
SundanceTV’s Sundance Film Festival Kickoff Party
Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Jenna Elfman, Rhea Seehorn, Kirby Howell-Baptiste and Sarah Wayne Callies
SundanceTV HQ, 5-8 p.m.
“Honey Boy” Party
Shia Labeouf, Fka Twigs, Maika Monroe,...
- 1/24/2019
- by Marc Malkin
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: The Lena Waithe- and Halle Berry-executive produced Boomerang recharge doesn’t debut until February, but Sundance Film Festival attendees are going to get a world premiere preview of the Bet series in just over a week.
In addition, eaving the likely still ongoing government shutdown behind for the snow of Utah, new Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will be bringing some of her much-analyzed moves to the festival too. A Sff juror last year, Jada Pinkett-Smith is returning to Sundance as well for what is described as a fireside chat by the host of Facebook Watch’s Red Table Talk at MacRo founder and CEO Charles D. King’ Main Street lodge.
Back for a second year at the Robert Redford-founded Park City-based bash, the MacRo locale will be screening at least one episode of the Tequan Richmond and Tetona Jackson led Boomerang on January 26, nearly three weeks before...
In addition, eaving the likely still ongoing government shutdown behind for the snow of Utah, new Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will be bringing some of her much-analyzed moves to the festival too. A Sff juror last year, Jada Pinkett-Smith is returning to Sundance as well for what is described as a fireside chat by the host of Facebook Watch’s Red Table Talk at MacRo founder and CEO Charles D. King’ Main Street lodge.
Back for a second year at the Robert Redford-founded Park City-based bash, the MacRo locale will be screening at least one episode of the Tequan Richmond and Tetona Jackson led Boomerang on January 26, nearly three weeks before...
- 1/17/2019
- by Dominic Patten and Amanda N'Duka
- Deadline Film + TV
The first trailer is out for the new Bet series Boomerang, co-produced by Lena Waithe and Halle Berry.
Based on the film of the same name, the series picks up roughly 25 years after the 1992 theatrical release. The subversive comedy follows the children of the original cast as they try to balance making their mark on the professional world while navigating the personal struggles of young professionals.
The first-look clip includes interviews and Bts footage with Waithe and showrunner Ben Cory Jones (HBO’s Insecure), who discuss the origins of the show and how it will look at relationships and dating in the 21st Century.
The 10-episode Boomerang half-hour series premieres Feb. 12 on Bet with Tequan Richmond & Tetona Jackson, Leland Martin and Lala Milan. The show executive produced by Halle Berry, Lena Waithe and co-produced by Bet Networks and Paramount Television.
Boomerang follows the lives of Jacqueline Boyer’s son (Richmond...
Based on the film of the same name, the series picks up roughly 25 years after the 1992 theatrical release. The subversive comedy follows the children of the original cast as they try to balance making their mark on the professional world while navigating the personal struggles of young professionals.
The first-look clip includes interviews and Bts footage with Waithe and showrunner Ben Cory Jones (HBO’s Insecure), who discuss the origins of the show and how it will look at relationships and dating in the 21st Century.
The 10-episode Boomerang half-hour series premieres Feb. 12 on Bet with Tequan Richmond & Tetona Jackson, Leland Martin and Lala Milan. The show executive produced by Halle Berry, Lena Waithe and co-produced by Bet Networks and Paramount Television.
Boomerang follows the lives of Jacqueline Boyer’s son (Richmond...
- 1/7/2019
- by Erik Pedersen and Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Bet’s “Boomerang” sequel series has found its cast.
“Everybody Hates Chris” alum Tequan Richmond and his “All Night” co-star Tetona Jackson will star in the 10-episode comedy as the son and daughter, respectively, of the characters played by Eddie Murphy and Robin Givens in 1992 romantic comedy.
Executive produced by “The Chi” creator Lena Waithe and Halle Berry, who starred in the original film, the series will follow the two characters as they try to step out of their parents’ shadows and make a legacy of their own.
Also Read: Former Bet Gm Michael Armstrong Named Licensing Evp at Paramount Pictures Television
“Insecure” and “Underground” alum Ben Cory Jones will serve as executive producer and showrunner, having co-written the pilot with Waithe. Rishi Rajani of Hillman Grad Productions is also executive producer. Dime Davis is attached to direct multiple episodes, including the pilot episode and finale.
Leland Martin and Lala Milan...
“Everybody Hates Chris” alum Tequan Richmond and his “All Night” co-star Tetona Jackson will star in the 10-episode comedy as the son and daughter, respectively, of the characters played by Eddie Murphy and Robin Givens in 1992 romantic comedy.
Executive produced by “The Chi” creator Lena Waithe and Halle Berry, who starred in the original film, the series will follow the two characters as they try to step out of their parents’ shadows and make a legacy of their own.
Also Read: Former Bet Gm Michael Armstrong Named Licensing Evp at Paramount Pictures Television
“Insecure” and “Underground” alum Ben Cory Jones will serve as executive producer and showrunner, having co-written the pilot with Waithe. Rishi Rajani of Hillman Grad Productions is also executive producer. Dime Davis is attached to direct multiple episodes, including the pilot episode and finale.
Leland Martin and Lala Milan...
- 10/3/2018
- by Reid Nakamura
- The Wrap
Tequan Richmond (Everybody Hates Chris) and Tetona Jackson (All Night) are set as leads in Boomerang, Bet’s reboot of the 1992 film. Leland Martin (All Night) and Lala Milan (Claws) also are set as series regulars in the 10-episode half-hour series, executive produced by Halle Berry, Lena Waithe and co-produced by Bet Networks and Paramount Television
Based on the 1992 American romantic comedy film, Boomerang will follow the lives of Jacqueline Boyer’s son (Richmond) and Marcus and Angela Graham’s daughter (Jackson) as they try to step out of their parents’ shadows and make a legacy of their own.
Richmond’s Bryson is resourceful, tough and charming. Raised by a single mother, he’s self-assured and doesn’t hide his vulnerability. Every bit as driven as Simone, Bryson wants to make his mark on this world.
Jackson’s Simone is privileged, beautiful, cool and driven to a fault. She has...
Based on the 1992 American romantic comedy film, Boomerang will follow the lives of Jacqueline Boyer’s son (Richmond) and Marcus and Angela Graham’s daughter (Jackson) as they try to step out of their parents’ shadows and make a legacy of their own.
Richmond’s Bryson is resourceful, tough and charming. Raised by a single mother, he’s self-assured and doesn’t hide his vulnerability. Every bit as driven as Simone, Bryson wants to make his mark on this world.
Jackson’s Simone is privileged, beautiful, cool and driven to a fault. She has...
- 10/3/2018
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Halle Berry and Lena Waithe have signed on as executive producers for the “Boomerang” TV series currently in the works at Bet.
Based on the 1992 American romantic comedy film in which Berry starred alongside Robin Givens and Eddie Murphy, this new series will follow the lives of Jacqueline Boyer’s son and Marcus and Angela Graham’s daughter as they try to step out of their parents’ shadows and make a legacy of their own.
“I’m thrilled to team up with Lena on this project as she is without a doubt a leading voice of her generation and a trail blazer in her own right,” Berry said. “I’m truly excited to be a part of bringing this iconic and beloved film to the small screen.”
Produced by Bet Networks and Paramount Television, the 10-episode half-hour series will premiere in 2019 on Bet. Ben Cory Jones is attached as showrunner...
Based on the 1992 American romantic comedy film in which Berry starred alongside Robin Givens and Eddie Murphy, this new series will follow the lives of Jacqueline Boyer’s son and Marcus and Angela Graham’s daughter as they try to step out of their parents’ shadows and make a legacy of their own.
“I’m thrilled to team up with Lena on this project as she is without a doubt a leading voice of her generation and a trail blazer in her own right,” Berry said. “I’m truly excited to be a part of bringing this iconic and beloved film to the small screen.”
Produced by Bet Networks and Paramount Television, the 10-episode half-hour series will premiere in 2019 on Bet. Ben Cory Jones is attached as showrunner...
- 9/24/2018
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Over 26 years after she had her breakthrough big screen appearance in Boomerang, Halle Berry is now going to put some serious spin on BET’s small screen sequel of sorts, and Lena Waithe is joining her.
The Oscar winner and the Emmy winner will be executive producers on the 10-episode half-hour Bet Networks and Paramount Television produced series, which is set to drop next year.
“I’m thrilled to team up with Lena on this project as she is without a doubt a leading voice of her generation and a trail blazer in her own right,” soon-to-be Bruised director Berry said in a statement Monday. “I’m truly excited to be a part of bringing this iconic and beloved film to the small screen.”
“This is less of a reboot and more of a continuation of the original story,” added Waithe. “There’s no point in trying to remake a classic,...
The Oscar winner and the Emmy winner will be executive producers on the 10-episode half-hour Bet Networks and Paramount Television produced series, which is set to drop next year.
“I’m thrilled to team up with Lena on this project as she is without a doubt a leading voice of her generation and a trail blazer in her own right,” soon-to-be Bruised director Berry said in a statement Monday. “I’m truly excited to be a part of bringing this iconic and beloved film to the small screen.”
“This is less of a reboot and more of a continuation of the original story,” added Waithe. “There’s no point in trying to remake a classic,...
- 9/24/2018
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
When Justin Simien’s hit feature film Dear White People came out in 2014, it immediately struck a chord with some groups — and a nerve with others. With a name that raised and furrowed a couple of eyebrows, Dear White People skewered identity politics in heightened reality set in the fictitious Ivy League institution of higher learning known as Winchester University.
The film put race in a different light, combining comedy, satire, drama and collegiate fare that made for a narrative of intersectional identity that garnered rave reviews as a film — and again as a Netflix series.
When Simien came by Deadline’s New Hollywood Podcast, he not only shared his Hollywood journey with us but also dropped some serious knowledge about the history of race and identity, and how it inspires his show and affects real life. Still, he says the Lionsgate TV series isn’t just about race. Simien...
The film put race in a different light, combining comedy, satire, drama and collegiate fare that made for a narrative of intersectional identity that garnered rave reviews as a film — and again as a Netflix series.
When Simien came by Deadline’s New Hollywood Podcast, he not only shared his Hollywood journey with us but also dropped some serious knowledge about the history of race and identity, and how it inspires his show and affects real life. Still, he says the Lionsgate TV series isn’t just about race. Simien...
- 5/8/2018
- by Dino-Ray Ramos and Amanda N'Duka
- Deadline Film + TV
Dev Patel directs Armie Hammer in a stylish dark comedy. Don Hertzfeldt delivers a second installment of his award-winning animated saga. And Dime Davis documents artist Mark Bradford’s creativity in action. These are just a few of the treats to be found among the 69 live action, animated, and documentary shorts playing the 2018 Sundance Film Festival.
The Sundance programmers whittled the 69 official selections from 8,740 submissions (down 245 from the previous year). Making the cut were several shorts with recognizable talent in front of the lens: Simon Helberg and Brett Gelman suffer through an unbalanced relationship in Jessica Sander’s two-hander “End of the Line,” Lakeith Stanfield plays himself in Shaka King’s “Lazercism,” and Armie Hammer undertakes a supporting role as a television huckster in Dev Patel’s “Home Shopper.”
Read More:Sundance 2018: 21 Must-See Films At This Year’s Festival, From ‘Wildlife’ to ‘Sorry to Bother You’
IndieWire previewed 47 films available...
The Sundance programmers whittled the 69 official selections from 8,740 submissions (down 245 from the previous year). Making the cut were several shorts with recognizable talent in front of the lens: Simon Helberg and Brett Gelman suffer through an unbalanced relationship in Jessica Sander’s two-hander “End of the Line,” Lakeith Stanfield plays himself in Shaka King’s “Lazercism,” and Armie Hammer undertakes a supporting role as a television huckster in Dev Patel’s “Home Shopper.”
Read More:Sundance 2018: 21 Must-See Films At This Year’s Festival, From ‘Wildlife’ to ‘Sorry to Bother You’
IndieWire previewed 47 films available...
- 1/15/2018
- by Kim Adelman
- Indiewire
The American Film Institute (AFI) has announced its annual AFI Conservatory Directing Workshop for Women (Dww) Showcase set for Tuesday, April 12, 2016 at 7pm, at the Directors Guild of America (DGA) in Los Angeles. The event provides an opportunity for the program’s 2015 participants to premiere their work to an invitation-only audience of representatives and working artists from throughout the creative community. This year’s 10 episodic and short film directors in attendance will be: Amy Barrett, Christine Boylan, Dime Davis, Claire Fowler, Mia Lidofsky, Erica Liu, Bella Monticelli, Rebecca Murga, Philiane Phang and Chelsea Woods. Bios can be...
- 3/22/2016
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
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