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    Spike Lee’s electric “BlacKkKlansman” premieres at Cannes

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments3276 Views
    Actors Laura Harrier, from left, Topher Grace, and director Spike Lee pose for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'BlacKkKlansman' at the 71st international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Monday, May 14, 2018. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)
    CANNES, France (AP) --

    Spike Lee's Ku Klux Klan crime drama "BlacKkKlansman" received a rousing, lengthy standing ovation at the 71st Cannes Film Festival.

    Lee's film tells true-life tale of a black police detective in Colorado who infiltrates the local chapter of the Ku Klux Klan. It was among the most highly anticipated titles at Cannes this year and immediate reaction was positive.

    "BlacKkKlansman" ties its story to the violent protests of Charlottesville, Virginia. It stars Denzel Washington's son, John David Washington, alongside Adam Driver and Topher Grace, who plays David Duke.

    Lee was outfitted in a shiny purple-and-orange tuxedo and wore one ring declaring "love" on one hand, and "hate" on the other. He bounced into the premiere announcing: "Brooklyn's in the house!"

    The "love" and "hate" rings pay homage to his film "Do The Right Thing"; the same jewelry was worn by character Radio Raheem.

    Tags:BlacKkKlansmanCannes Film FestivalSpike Lee



    Ex-OpenAI engineer who raised legal concerns about the technology he helped build has died

    Saturday, December 21, 2024
    Suchir Balaji poses for a photo in Hawaii in 2018. Balaji was a former OpenAI engineer and whistleblower who died in November 2024. (Balaji Ramamurthy via AP)

    Suchir Balaji, a former OpenAI engineer and whistleblower who helped train the artificial intelligence systems behind ChatGPT and later said he believed those practices violated copyright law, has died, according to his parents and San Francisco officials. He was 26.

    Balaji worked at OpenAI for nearly four years before quitting in August. He was well-regarded by colleagues at the San Francisco company, where a co-founder this week called him one of OpenAI's strongest contributors who was essential to developing some of its products.

    "We are devastated to learn of this incredibly sad news and our hearts go out to Suchir's loved ones during this difficult time," said a statement from OpenAI.

    Balaji was found dead in his San Francisco apartment on Nov. 26 in what police said "appeared to be a suicide. No evidence of foul play was found during the initial investigation." The city's chief medical examiner's office confirmed the manner of death to be suicide.

    His parents Poornima Ramarao and Balaji Ramamurthy said they are still seeking answers, describing their son as a "happy, smart and brave young man" who loved to hike and recently returned from a trip with friends.

    Balaji grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and first arrived at the fledgling AI research lab for a 2018 summer internship while studying computer science at the University of California, Berkeley. He returned a few years later to work at OpenAI, where one of his first projects, called WebGPT, helped pave the way for ChatGPT.

    "Suchir's contributions to this project were essential, and it wouldn't have succeeded without him," said OpenAI co-founder John Schulman in a social media post memorializing Balaji. Schulman, who recruited Balaji to his team, said what... Read More

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