With Sundance 2020, just days away, there are a lot of great features by and featuring people of color to check out. But beyond these outstanding films, Sundance is also known for its dynamic programming. MACRO Lodge has always been the hotspot for creatives of colors to highlight their bodies of work, and engage in meaningful conversations about the importance of their art.
This year’s MACRO slate does not disappoint, take a look at some of what’s on their docket:
The MACRO Lodge at Sundance (www.StayMACRO.com), presented by SheaMoisture and hosted by MACRO Founder & CEO Charles D. King (Sorry To Bother You, Mudbound, Fences) and his wife Stacey Walker King, Chief Brand Officer of the company, will return to the Sundance Film Festival for its third annual showcase of inclusive screenings, panels and parties at the iconic film festival to champion diversity, inclusion and people of color at its prime location on Main Street in Park City, UT with four days of programming.
Featured events from January 24-27, 2020 will include appearances by Kerry Washington, Issa Rae, America Ferrera, Winston Duke, Zazie Beetz, Daniel Dae Kim, Wilmer Valderrama, Tessa Thompson, multi-hyphenate filmmakers Stella Meghie, Esteban Arango, Edson Oda, Justin Simien, dream hampton, Marvin Lemus, the director of the Academy Award® nominated film Hair Love, Matthew A. Cherry and many, many more.
Friday, January 24, 2020
MACRO Open House
Guests are invited to eat – drink – vibe with MACRO’s Stacey Walker King, Charles D. King and The MACRO team and stop by The Refresh Lounge powered by Shea Moisture.
Celebrating The Fight. Appearance by Kerry Washington.
CAA Amplify and The Ford Foundation partner to host a reception to celebrate Kerry Washington and the premiere of The Fight, an inspiring and emotional insider look at how the ACLU’s battles to protect our civil liberties and the legal gladiators on the front lines fighting them.
In Conversation: Director Justin Simien & The Cast of Bad Hair
Writer/director Justin Simien stops by the lodge to discuss his brilliant, satirical, psychological thriller, Bad Hair. Simien’s incisive wit with startling moments of horror are woven throughout this deliciously nostalgia-drenched creation starring Elle Lorraine, Ashley Blaine Featherson, Yaani King Mondschein and James Van Der Beek who will join Simien to discuss their roles.
Presence,
Represented. Hosted by Color Of Change & The Open Society Foundations
A night of intimate dinner conversation with storytellers—including writers,
executives and content creators to discuss the ways we are represented in
creative content and how this representation informs and influences.
Midnight MACRO Party
MACRO’s annual late night bash, celebrating the company’s 5th anniversary. Hosted by MACRO’s Stacey Walker King and Charles D. King.
Saturday, January 25, 2020
The Photograph: Fireside Chat Featuring Director Stella Meghie and Issa Rae. Sponsored by Universal Pictures.
From writer/director Stella Meghie, from her original screenplay, comes Universal Pictures’ The Photograph, a sweeping love story starring Issa Rae and Lakeith Stanfield about forgiveness and finding the courage to seek the truth, no matter where it may lead you. Meghie and Rae come to discuss their new film that will debut in theaters nationwide on Valentine’s Day 2020.
Netflix’s Gentefied: Clips & Conversation Featuring Creators Marvin Lemus & Linda Yvette Chavez and America Ferrera
In MACRO’s Netflix TV series Gentefied, the story follows three Mexican-American cousins and their struggle to chase The American Dream, even while that same dream threatens the things they hold most dear: their neighborhood, their immigrant grandfather and the family taco shop. Creators Marvin Lemus and Linda Yvette Chavez, showrunner/executive producer Monica Macer and executive producers Charles D. King, Aaliyah Williams, Teri Weinberg, Kim Roth and America Ferrera discuss the series ahead of its 2020 debut on the streaming platform.
Blast Beat: The AfterParty with Moises Arias, Mateo Arias, Kali Uchis, Daniel Dae Kim, Wilmer Valderrama And More
The post premiere soiree’ for the 2020 Sundance film Blast Beat, Colombian American writer/director Esteban Arango’s blazing debut feature including Moises Arias, Mateo Arias, Kali Uchis, Diane Guerrero, Daniel Dae Kim and Wilmer Valderrama. Music by DJ Mel DeBarge. Featuring a performance by recording artist Teo Arias.
MACRO Open House
Guests are invited to connect – chill – flow with MACRO executives and stop by The Refresh Lounge powered by Shea Moisture.
Color Of Change x Afropunk Solution Sessions Present Building Black Power, Futures & Joy
This year, the nation’s largest online racial justice organization, Color Of Change, returns with its pop-up podcast in partnership with the leader in live music, film, fashion and art for Black people, Afropunk. Conversations will focus on safe spaces, art for life and storytelling in a time for revolution. Included in these conversations will also be issues that deserve center stage this election year: voting rights, criminal justice reform and fighting white nationalism.
Leaving The Door Open Behind You: Creating Opportunities for the New Generation of Makers and Creators
Featuring Cara Sabin, CEO, Sundial Brands. Moderated by Stacey Walker King, Chief Brand Officer, MACRO.
Traditionally, Black spatial identity is characterized by a feeling of community, though Westernization and capitalism has pushed us further from this idea. How do we actually do the work of pulling the younger generations up and preparing them for success? Whether it be in film castings or corporate board rooms, we share how people in their respective industries can create opportunities and pave the way for future Black creatives and executives.
Sunday, January 26, 2020
Screening of Hair Love Followed by A Conversation with Issa Rae, Director Matthew A. Cherry & Producer Karen Toliver. Sponsored by Sony Animation.
Guests will see the 2020 Academy Award® nominated and critically-acclaimed animated short film Hair Love, featuring Issa Rae, centered around the relationship between an African-American father, his daughter and her hair. After the screening, the filmmakers and Rae talk about this heartwarming story and journey to get this important film made.
Nine Days: Fireside Chat with Director Edson Oda, Winston Duke, Zazie Beetz, The Filmmakers & Cast
Moderated by Charles D. King, Executive Producer, Nine Days and Founder & CEO, MACRO
The cinematic birth of Japanese Brazilian writer/director Edson Oda is Nine Days—the supernatural, metaphysical Sundance film starring Winston Duke and Zazie Beetz. The stars and the filmmakers give a sneak peek of clips from the film ahead of its Sundance world premiere. Benedict Wong, Bill Skarsgård, Arianna Ortiz, David Rysdahl and producers Jason Michael Berman, Datari Turner, Mette Marie Kongsved and Laura Tunstall join Duke, Beetz and Oda for a fireside chat at the lodge.
Sylvie’s Love: In Conversation with Tessa Thompson, Nnamdi Asomugha, Writer/Director Eugene Ashe and Producer Gabrielle Glore. Moderated by Sydney Scott, ESSENCE.
The delicate meld of romance and music transcends this sweeping romantic story through changing times, geography, and professional success. The filmmakers as well as stars Tessa Thompson and Nnamdi Asomugha stop by the lodge to talk about the film, an ode to the unstoppable force of love in our lives.
Moving the Needle: How Immigrant Stories Are Shifting American Culture.
Featuring Blast Beat’s Erick Castrillon and Farewell Amour’s Ekwa Mshinga.
An exclusive sneak peek of Define American’s research study with the Norman Lear Center for Media examining immigrant representation on screen and audience perceptions and a chance to hear from filmmakers, talent and activists who are leading the charge. Panel will include filmmakers and talent from 2020 Sundance films Farewell Amor and Blast Beat, two films in dramatic competition that tell the story of immigration from a very different lens than what we are used to seeing.
By
Us, For Us: A Night Of Comedy. Presented By Color Of Change.
Sponsored By The Open Society Foundations.
A sneak peek at Color Of Change’s new comedy talk show about everything Black
that digs into the difficult conversations of the Black diaspora in the way
only we can. Hosted by some of the funniest and respected up and coming
comedians, activists and cultural commentators, the show addresses everything
from issues like criminal justice reform, white nationalism, voting rights, to
queer and Black safe spaces, to if Popeyes truly has the best chicken sandwich.
The show leans heavily on comedic talent, but also on the ability to speak with
authority as the nation’s largest online racial justice organization.
Black Creatives Late Night Brunch. Presented By Color Of
Change & The Open Society Foundations.
A party to honor and celebrate Black content creators and storytellers
attending Sundance. Brunch food will be
served.
Monday, January 27, 2020
#TellBlackStories. Moderated By dream hampton.
Presented
By Color Of Change, The Open Society Foundations and Firelight Media
To commemorate the one year anniversary launch of Color Of Change’s
#TellBlackStories podcast, this panel will include changemakers, content
creators and activists leading the movement for authentic and powerful
representations of Black people and touch on the most relevant issues impacting
the community over the past year, into 2020 and beyond.
Panel: Native Voices Rising
Native American creatives are leading the way into a new era of media representation—an exciting wave of stories and opportunities is here. Up until now, Native characters have only made up between 0 to 0.04% of representation in American films and primetime television. Conversation with Bird Runningwater, Sundance Institute; Crystal Echo Hawk, Illuminatives; Heather Rae and actress Julia Jones, who are part of a larger community making strides in creating and amplifying contemporary Native stories for new audiences.
Culture Shift: The Business and Practice of Curating Creativity for Culture, Policy and Social Change
Join brilliant leaders across sectors, each of whose critical role forms the new landscape of culture shift strategy for championing creativity for personal, community and social change.
All events are by invitation only, but please visit www.StayMACRO.com for more details.
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