Black Lives Matter in partnership with J. Walter Thompson New York has created BackingBlackBusiness.com, a web tool allowing people to easily discover Black owned small businesses throughout the U.S. Currently in Beta with over 300 Black-owned businesses, the site aims to reframe the importance and the role of Black-owned small businesses for the Black community. It also hopes to draw attention to the large and often underestimated racial disparities in business ownership and performance. The Google map based tool gives people the opportunity to use their dollars to support local Black-owned businesses in order to have a national impact. The site aspires to become the biggest and most easily accessible Black businesses database in the country. The goal is to have a good representation of Black-owned businesses in all states on the site by the end of 2017. The site allows Black owners to add themselves to the map, making data collection easier. It will be supported by a social and influencer campaign. Brent Choi, chief creative officer, J. Walter Thompson New York, said: “Our hope is to reduce the racial disparity that exists in economic well-being through the promotion of Black business ownership”….
“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