Blog - Urbanworld

Denzel Washington in a black and white still from the film, The Tragedy of Macbeth

Oscars 2022 Nominees: Latinx Noms Come in Strong

Leave a Comment / Blog / By Urbanworld Film Festival

Tuesday morning Tracee Ellis Ross and Leslie Jordan announced nominations for the 94th annual Academy Awards, and despite a moderately awkward year due to the pandemic’s effects in theater viewings (and thus low box office numbers), a few films swept several nominations. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avbXw0kOlQc Leading with 12 nominations, Netflix’s “The Power of the Dog” was followed …

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Janet Jackson Speaks Her Truth in Lifetime Documentary

Leave a Comment / Blog / By Moeima Dukuly

Icon, living. Janet Jackson is another living legend that is assuring her legacy is told, her way and from her mouth. Joining Tina Turner (and recently, Bobby Brown) – Ms. Jackson’s documentary is being released on January 28-29 in a two day simulcast event broadcasting across A&E and Lifetime’s networks. The four-hour doco, which has been “five years in the …

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Wonder, Returns

Leave a Comment / Blog / By Moeima Dukuly

The classic sitcom The Wonder Years gets a reboot! The popular 1988 coming-of-age sitcom, originally starring Fred Savage – has a new cast and location; viewing the cultural, political and social shifts of the 1960s through new eyes. The reboot will star an African American middle class family – the Williams: newcomer Elisha “EJ” Williams …

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Who We Are

Leave a Comment / Blog / By Urbanworld Film Festival

Before asking Who We Are… let’s ask, ‘who is he?’ “He” being – Jeffery Robinson, and creator of the documentary Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism, along with Emily Kunstler and Sarah Kunstler. The recently retired ACLU deputy legal director, presents America’s history of anti-Black racism, much of which has come to be misunderstood. …

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Our Climate, My Legacy

Leave a Comment / Blog / By Ellery Spikes

My father, Stacy Spikes, founded the Urbanworld Film Festival 25 years ago; it’s nearly twice as old as I am. Since then, ‘The Filmmaker’s Festival,’ or ‘People’s Festival,’ as it’s widely acclaimed as, has grown to be the largest multicultural festival in the US, and an Academy/BAFTA Award qualifying festival. I’ve always appreciated my father’s …

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