Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) has appointed Melody Lee as its chief marketing officer.
Lee joins MBUSA from global design company MillerKnoll, where she served as SVP of global brand & product marketing, leading brand strategy across Herman Miller and Knoll’s products, channels and audiences. Prior to MillerKnoll, Lee was the global COO for design communications agency Camron and VP for brand development with beauty brand Shiseido. Lee served in two executive roles at luxury automotive brand Cadillac, including global brand director of BOOK by Cadillac and director of brand marketing during her six-year tenure. Before joining Cadillac, Lee was EVP at PR agency Hill+Knowlton Strategies. Lee assumes her new role from previous CMO Drew Slaven, who retired from MBUSA earlier this year. Lee is a graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology and will begin her new assignment effective July 1.
“Heretic” and “Maria” Set As Red Carpet Premieres At AFI Fest
The American Film Institute (AFI) has announced that Heretic, the psychological thriller starring Hugh Grant, and Maria, based on the life of opera singer Maria Callas starring Angelina Jolie, will round out the Red Carpet Premieres section at this year’s AFI Fest. The Heretic Gala Screening will take place on Thursday, October 24, and the Maria Gala Screening will be held on Saturday, October 26. The complete Red Carpet Premieres section includes the world premieres of Music By John Williams, Robert Zemeckis’ Here, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl and Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2. All Red Carpet Premieres will take place at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre. The full lineup for AFI Fest 2024 will be unveiled on October 1.
“At the heart of AFI Fest is an unwavering dedication to celebrating the best in global cinema--together,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI president and CEO. “We look forward to uniting artists and audiences once again to be inspired by the art form in a powerful sense of community.”
Heretic follows two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) who are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (portrayed by Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse. The film is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods and produced by Stacey Sher, Beck, Woods, Julia Glausi and Jeanette Volturno. The film will be released nationwide by A24 on November 8.
Directed by Pablo Larraín, Maria presents a tumultuous and beautiful depiction of one of the world’s most renowned artists and reimagines the legendary soprano in her final days in Paris, as Callas (Jolie)... Read More