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Julia Roberts to Present George Clooney with AFI Life Achievement Award

Julia Roberts will present the AFI Life Achievement Award – the nation’s highest honor for a career in film, to her longtime friend and colleague George Clooney at the 46th AFI Life Achievement Award Gala Tribute honoring the actor, director, writer and producer. This historic event will take place Thursday, June 7, 2018, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, CA. TNT will premiere the hour-and-a-half special, THE 46TH AFI LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: A TRIBUTE TO GEORGE CLOONEY on Thursday, June 21, at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT, followed by an encore at 11:30 p.m. ET/PT. Sister network Turner Classic Movies (TCM) will also air the special in September 2018 during a night of programming dedicated to Clooney’s work. This marks the sixth year the Emmy®-winning AFI special will air on Turner networks. Roberts has frequently collaborated with George Clooney, sharing the screen with him on the films OCEAN’S ELEVEN (2001), OCEAN’S TWELVE (2004) and MONEY MONSTER (2016). Additionally, she starred in his directorial debut, CONFESSIONS OF A DANGEROUS MIND (2002) and in AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY (2013) which Clooney produced. George Clooney is one of Hollywood’s most dynamic multi-hyphenates, a presence bigger even than his movies. With an instantly recognizable charm, he has captivated audiences in front of the camera, and defined a cinematic voice all his own behind it — all while using his global voice to shine light on issues of human rights, climate change and more. Throughout a career spanning screens big and small, his work has earned him eight Academy Award® nominations and two wins — with nominations in the most categories ever. He won an Oscar® for Best Supporting Actor for SYRIANA (2005), and went on to earn Best Actor nominations for MICHAEL CLAYTON (2007), UP IN THE AIR (2009) and THE DESCENDANTS (2011) — all films grounded by his signature charm, and his universal relatability. Clooney is as accomplished a filmmaker as he is a performer, from his directorial debut CONFESSIONS OF A DANGEROUS MIND to his multiple-Oscar®-nominated GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK. (2005) and THE IDES OF MARCH (2011). He earned a Best Picture Academy Award® for producing ARGO (2012). On screen, he continues to deliver performances that are moving, humorous and human, with additional acting credits including: OUT OF SIGHT (1998), THREE KINGS (1999), O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU? (2000), the OCEAN’S trilogy (2001, 2004, 2007), SOLARIS (2002), BURN AFTER READING (2008), FANTASTIC MR. FOX (2009), GRAVITY (2013) and HAIL, CAESAR! (2016). His next project is a Hulu miniseries adaptation of CATCH-22, which he will direct, produce and star in opposite Hugh Laurie and Kyle Chandler.
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Don’t Let Oleg Die! Imprisoned Ukrainian Film Director Oleg Sentsov Goes on Hunger Strike

The European Film Academy today released a statement, titled “Don’t Let Oleg Die!’ in support of of Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov who has been on a hunger strike for twelve days. Oleg Sentsov, best known for his 2011 film Gamer, is serving a 20-year prison sentence in Russia on charges of plotting terrorism acts.
On its website, EFA states, that the Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov, who was involved in supporting the Euro Maidan protests in Kiev and who has opposed the annexation of Crimea by Russia, was arrested by the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB) in his house in Simferopol on 10 May 2014 and brought to Moscow. On 25 August 2015, he was sentenced to 20 years in jail, a sentence that was confirmed iIn late November 2015 by the Russian Supreme Court in Moscow.
Don’t Let Oleg Die! Today is Day 12 of Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov’s indefinite hunger strike which his lawyer Dimitri Dinze reports he full plans to follow through to the death should his demands not be met. Oleg Sentsov, who was involved in supporting the Euro Maidan protests in Kiev and who opposed the annexation of Crimea by Russia, was arrested by the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB) in his house in Simferopol on 10 May 2014 and brought to Moscow where he was detained and awaiting trial for over a year. Although the key witness had retracted his testimony as given “under duress”, the trial, based on the accusation of Oleg Sentsov having committed “crimes of a terrorist nature”, was continued. Although thousands of signatures supporting an EFA letter to the President of Russia and Russian authorities were gathered across Europe, asking for Sentsov’s immediate release, Oleg Sentsov was sentenced to 20 years in prison. At the end of what Amnesty International described as “an unfair trial in a military court”, in late November 2015 the Russian Supreme Court in Moscow confirmed this sentence and Oleg Sentsov was moved to Yakutia. We are deeply worried so once again we ask that his safety is ensured and that he be released immediately and unconditionally! Please help us to help him, contact your foreign minister, your MP and MEP, and the Russian embassy in your country and ask them to do all they can for the release of Oleg Sentsov! We need to act now! (You can use the template below) With the support of Masha Alyokhina, activist (Pussy Riot), Russia Stephen Daldry, director, UK Mike Downey, producer, UK Dariusz Jablonski, producer, Poland Aki Kaurismäki, director, Finland Mike Leigh, director, UK Ken Loach, director, UK Wojciech Marczewski, director, Poland Daniel Olbrychski, actor, Poland Volker Schlöndorff, director, Germany Béla Tarr, director, Hungary Bertrand Tavernier, director, France Krzysztof Zanussi, director, Poland And 1,750 other members and friends of the European Film Academy as well as institutions including ANAC Associazione Nazionale Autori Cinematografici / National Association of Cinematographic Authors (Italy) APA Audiovisual Producers Association (Czech Republic) Directors UK FERA I Federation of European Film Directors PEN America The Austrian Film Academy The Czech Film Academy The European Producers Club The French Directors’ Guild (SRF) The German Film Academy The Polish Film Academy The Presidium of the Slovak Film and Television Academy (SFTA) The Russian Filmmakers Union Kinosoyuz The Ukrainian Film Academy The Union of Filmmakers of Ukraine Deeply worried, Agnieszka Holland & Wim Wenders PLEASE WRITE TO YOUR FOREIGN MINISTER, YOUR MP AND MEP, AND THE RUSSIAN EMBASSY IN YOUR COUNTRY AND CALL ON THEM TO SECURE OLEG’S SAFETY AND RELEASE. YOU MAY WISH TO USE BELOW TEXT. THANK YOU!!! Dear______________________, Don’t Let Oleg Die! Today Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov is on day 12 of an indefinite hunger strike which his lawyer Dimitri Dinze reports he full plans to follow through to the death should his demands not be met. Oleg Sentsov, who was involved in supporting the Euro Maidan protests in Kiev and who opposed the annexation of Crimea by Russia, was arrested by the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB) in his house in Simferopol on 10 May 2014 and brought to Moscow where he was detained and awaiting trial for over a year. Although the key witness had retracted his testimony as given “under duress”, the trial, based on the accusation of Oleg Sentsov having committed “crimes of a terrorist nature”, was continued and at the end of what Amnesty International described as “an unfair trial in a military court”, Oleg Sentsov was sentenced to 20 years in prison. In late November 2015 the Russian Supreme Court in Moscow confirmed this sentence and Oleg Sentsov was moved to Yakutia, where he has now started his hunger strike. I am deeply worried so I call on you to make sure that his safety is ensured and that he be released immediately and unconditionally! My name: My address:
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President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama to Produce Documentaries , Docu-series for Netflix

President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama have entered into a multi-year agreement to produce films and series with Netflix. The Obamas will produce a diverse mix of content, including the potential for scripted series, unscripted series, docu-series, documentaries and features. These projects will be available to the 125 million member Netflix households in 190 countries. The Obamas have established Higher Ground Productions as the entity under which they will produce content for Netflix. “One of the simple joys of our time in public service was getting to meet so many fascinating people from all walks of life, and to help them share their experiences with a wider audience,” said President Obama. “That’s why Michelle and I are so excited to partner with Netflix – we hope to cultivate and curate the talented, inspiring, creative voices who are able to promote greater empathy and understanding between peoples, and help them share their stories with the entire world.” “Barack and I have always believed in the power of storytelling to inspire us, to make us think differently about the world around us, and to help us open our minds and hearts to others,” said Mrs. Obama. “Netflix’s unparalleled service is a natural fit for the kinds of stories we want to share, and we look forward to starting this exciting new partnership.” “Barack and Michelle Obama are among the world’s most respected and highly-recognized public figures and are uniquely positioned to discover and highlight stories of people who make a difference in their communities and strive to change the world for the better,” said Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos. “We are incredibly proud they have chosen to make Netflix the home for their formidable storytelling abilities.”
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Jodie Foster And Dean Tavoularis To Receive AFI Conservatory Honorary Degrees

The American Film Institute (AFI) will confer AFI Conservatory Doctorate of Fine Arts degrees honoris causa upon Academy Award-winning actor/director Jodie Foster and Academy Award-winning production designer Dean Tavoularis. They will be recognized for their contributions to the art of the moving image during the AFI Conservatory’s commencement ceremony on June 11, 2018, at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre. Foster and Tavoularis join an esteemed group of distinguished past Honorary Degree recipients, including Robert Altman, Maya Angelou, Saul Bass, Kathryn Bigelow, Mel Brooks, Carol Burnett, Anne V. Coates, Clint Eastwood, Roger Ebert, Nora Ephron, James Earl Jones, Lawrence Kasdan, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Kathleen Kennedy, Angela Lansbury, John Lasseter, Spike Lee, David Lynch, Helen Mirren, Rita Moreno, Quentin Tarantino, Robert Towne, Cicely Tyson, Haskell Wexler and John Williams. See the full list here.
Jodie Foster
Actor, director, producer and icon Jodie Foster has more than 100 screen credits to her name, including an Academy Award® nomination at age 14 for her role in Martin Scorcese’s TAXI DRIVER (1976), and two Academy Award® wins — for her performance as a sexual assault survivor seeking justice in THE ACCUSED (1988), and for her career-defining role as FBI Agent Clarice Starling in Jonathan Demme’s THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (1991). She also received an Oscar® nomination for NELL (1994), which she co-produced. As an actress, her work includes films as vast and varied as TOM SAWYER (1973), ALICE DOESN’T LIVE HERE ANYMORE (1974), BUGSY MALONE (1976), FREAKY FRIDAY (1976), FOXES (1980), MAVERICK (1994), CONTACT (1997), PANIC ROOM (2002), A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT (2004), FLIGHTPLAN (2005), INSIDE MAN (2006), THE BRAVE ONE (2007), CARNAGE (2011) and ELYSIUM (2013), among others. She next stars in HOTEL ARTEMIS (2018). Her work as a director and producer — which has earned multiple Primetime Emmy® and Directors Guild of America Award nominations — includes LITTLE MAN TATE (1991), HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS (1995), THE BEAVER (2011) and MONEY MONSTER (2016), as well as standout episodes of prestige TV series such as BLACK MIRROR, HOUSE OF CARDS and ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK.
Dean Tavoularis
Dean Tavoularis has collaborated with legendary filmmakers Michelangelo Antonioni, Arthur Penn, Warren Beatty and Roman Polanski to create the iconic and disparate worlds of ZABRISKIE POINT (1970), BONNIE AND CLYDE (1967), BULWORTH (1998) and THE NINTH GATE (1999), respectively — but it is his work with legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola that truly defines his exemplary career as a production designer. His prolific partnership with Coppola began with THE GODFATHER (1972), followed by THE CONVERSATION (1974) and THE GODFATHER PART II (1974), which earned him the Academy Award® for Best Art Direction. His work continued with Coppola on APOCALYPSE NOW (1979), TUCKER: THE MAN AND HIS DREAM (1988) and THE GODFATHER PART III (1990) — all of which earned Tavoularis Oscar® nominations — as well as ONE FROM THE HEART (1981), THE OUTSIDERS (1983), RUMBLE FISH (1983) and PEGGY SUE GOT MARRIED (1986). Tavoularis also received an Oscar® nomination for William Friedkin’s THE BRINK’S JOB (1978). Additional credits include THE ESCAPE ARTIST (1982), THE PARENT TRAP (1998) and CARNAGE (2011). He received the prestigious Art Directors Guild Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007.
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Horror Anthology Series from Guillermo del Toro Coming Soon To Netflix

[caption id="attachment_29217" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Guillermo del Toro[/caption] Academy Award-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro is coming to Netflix with a new genre-defining anthology series titled Guillermo del Toro Presents 10 After Midnight. Del Toro will present a collection of personally curated stories, that are both equally sophisticated and horrific. With this first live-action series, del Toro and Netflix extend their collaboration, which began with the award-winning animated series Trollhunters. On Guillermo del Toro Presents 10 After Midnight, creator and executive producer del Toro will bring his own visionary style as both a writer and director to certain episodes. In addition, he will hand pick a team of the genre’s best writers and exciting new filmmakers to bring his selection of stories to life. Del Toro reteams with The Shape of Water producer J. Miles Dale, who serves as executive producer, along with Gary Ungar (Exile Entertainment). Guillermo del Toro Presents 10 After Midnight is a Netflix production, and its first original horror anthology series. Guillermo del Toro is the writer and director of the Academy Award-winning film The Shape of Water, which earned four Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Score and Best Production Design. Del Toro is the creator of the critically acclaimed and Emmy Award-winning DreamWorks Trollhunters on Netflix, which will return for a third season later this year. His previous films alternate between Spanish-language dark fantasy pieces, such as The Devil’s Backbone (2001), and Pan’s Labyrinth (2006), winner of three Academy Awards; and American studio movies, such as the vampire superhero action film Blade II (2002), the supernatural adventures Hellboy (2004) and Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008); and the science fiction monsters-versus-robots film Pacific Rim (2013).
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Actor Chadwick Boseman Inspires Graduates at Howard University’s 2018 Commencement Ceremony [Video]

[caption id="attachment_29211" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Chadwick Boseman delivers the 2018 commencement address at Howard University.[/caption] Award-winning actor and alumnus Chadwick Boseman delivered the Howard University 2018 commencement address. “I stand here today knowing that my Howard University education prepared me to play Jackie Robinson, James Brown, Thurgood Marshall and T’Challa,” said Boseman. “But what do you do when the principles and standards that were instilled in you at Howard close the doors in front of you? Sometimes you need to get knocked down before you can really figure out what your fight is and how you need to fight it.” Boseman described career obstacles that, although difficult, eventually led him to his true calling. “When you are deciding on next jobs, next steps, further education…you would rather find purpose than a job,” said Boseman. “Purpose crosses disciplines. It is the reason that you are on the planet at this particular time in history. Your very existence is wrapped up in the things you are here to fulfill. Whatever you choose for a career path, remember the struggles along the way are only meant to shape you for your purpose.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIHZypMyQ2s
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Cameron Bailey Promoted to Artistic Director and Co-Head of TIFF

The Board of Directors of TIFF this week promoted Cameron Bailey to the newly created position of Artistic Director and Co-Head of TIFF. The role is a promotion and expansion of Bailey’s current position of Artistic Director, which he has held since 2012. Prior to that, Bailey held the role of Festival Co-Director from 2008-2012. Bailey will report directly to the Board of Directors effective October 1, 2018. Since CEO Piers Handling’s announcement last July that the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival would be his last, the TIFF Board engaged in a process for CEO transition, including a review of the organization’s current structure. After their assessment, the Board decided on a two-headed structure for TIFF, with one position (Bailey’s) focused on the artistic direction of the organization, and the other, Managing Director & Co-Head, focused on the business and revenue optimization. These two positions will work closely together to set the tone and lead the organization, bringing the new strategic plan to life. They will both report directly to the Board of Directors. “With a five year strategic plan for TIFF launched this year, and more changes on the horizon for our industry, we believe a two-headed structure is right for the future success of TIFF,” explained Jennifer Tory. “Cameron is a film industry veteran who has earned a reputation for discerning, expansive curation since joining TIFF as a programmer in 1990. Combined with his accomplishments as TIFF’s Artistic Director, we have full confidence in his vision for the direction of the organization.” “Piers has done a remarkable job during his tenure as Director & CEO and Artistic Director before that,” continued Tory. “We are indebted to him for the vision and strategy – and the elegance he brought to the role.” “I have tremendous respect for Cameron and his longstanding contribution to TIFF’s success,” said Piers Handling. “His passion and vision for the future of the organization underlines his deep leadership skills. It gives me great comfort to know TIFF is in such good hands.” “I’ve been fortunate to work alongside Piers for so many years. We programmed Canadian films together, we made our first programming trip to Burkina Faso together and we’ve spent countless hours working out how best to engage audiences with the power of film,” said Cameron Bailey. “I am honoured to be entrusted with guiding the future of TIFF.” A search committee of the Board of Directors has been working with Caldwell Partners to identify candidates for the Managing Director & Co-Head role. The search is international in scope and is expected to result in an announcement prior to this September’s Festival.
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RIP: Yaser Murtaja, Photojournalist/Cameraman Killed Wearing ‘PRESS’ Vest Covering Gaza Protest

Yaser Murtaja, a 31-year-old Gaza photojournalist, who worked as a cameraman for Ai Weiwei’s documentary, Human Flow, which covered the global refugee crisis, was shot by the Israeli military during demonstrations on the Israeli-Gazan border and died in hospital on Friday, April 6th, 2018. The Washington Post reports: The young journalist shot drone images and video for Ain Media, a small Gaza-based news agency he started five years ago. Murtaja, who was married and had a 2-year-old son, died Saturday after being shot the day before while covering protests at the edge of the Gaza Strip. Murtaja was laid to rest Saturday in the land he never left. His body was carried through the streets of Gaza City draped in a Palestinian flag and the blue-and-white vest marked “PRESS” that he was wearing when he was shot. Ai Weiwei posted photos of Murtaja on his Instagram account over the weekend. https://www.instagram.com/p/BhRWZ-5gxhN/?hl=en&taken-by=aiww https://www.instagram.com/p/BhR24QFABNn/?hl=en&taken-by=aiww Image via Facebook
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RIP: Multi-Talented Actress Nanette Fabray Died at 97

[caption id="attachment_27225" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Nanette Fabray accepts the 23rd Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 1986. Photo: SAG-AFTRA[/caption] Nanette Fabray, the Tony Award and Emmy Award-winning actress, died on Thursday at her home in Palos Verdes, Calif. She was 97. Ms. Fabray started out in film with her first movie role as a lady-in-waiting to Elizabeth I (Bette Davis) in “The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex” (1939). Her one notable film success was the Comden and Green musical “The Band Wagon” (1953), directed by Vincente Minnelli. SAG-AFTRA issued a statement, “SAG-AFTRA mourns the passing of performer Nanette Fabray, who died Feb. 22 at the age of 97. The multi-talented Fabray, who joined the union in 1937, was the 1986 recipient of the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award, the union’s highest honor. Fabray began her acting career at the age of 5, appearing as Baby Nan in vaudeville. She became a leading lady in radio, moving successfully to stage and film in such features as Elizabeth and Essex, A Child is Born, The Band Wagon and Harper Valley P.T.A. Her television credits included One Day at a Time, The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Coach, which starred Fabray’s niece Shelley Fabares, a former SAG National Board member. Her work garnered her numerous accolades, including a Tony and three Emmys. Fabray, who was herself hearing impaired, was an advocate for education and assistance of the deaf and hearing impaired. She traveled and lobbied extensively to implement sign language interpretation and on television. At the time she received the award, she had been appointed by then-House Speaker Tip O’Neill to the U.S. Senate Commission on Education and the Deaf. “A true performer and star of Hollywood’s Golden Age, Nanette Fabray had limitless exuberance and an expert sense of comic timing,” said SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris. “Her dedication to her art was equaled only by her generosity and willingness to help others.” “
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Morgan Spurlock’s “Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!” Pulled from Sundance Film Festival

[caption id="attachment_26009" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Morgan Spurlock in Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken![/caption] Morgan Spurlock’s latest documentary “Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!” has being pulled from the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, just days after he published his online confession where he admitted to past sexual misconduct. The Washington Post is reporting that the other partners – Jeremy Chilnick and Matthew Galkin in his production company Warrior Poets, said Friday in a statement that “this is not the appropriate time” for the film to premiere. In his online confessional, titled “I am Part of the Problem” Spurlock wrote, that “When I was in college, a girl who I hooked up with on a one night stand accused me of rape.”

I am Part of the Problem
Read: https://t.co/MfRAtm3fcv — Morgan Spurlock (@MorganSpurlock) December 14, 2017
I am Part of the Problem As I sit around watching hero after hero, man after man, fall at the realization of their past indiscretions, I don’t sit by and wonder “who will be next?” I wonder, “when will they come for me?” You see, I’ve come to understand after months of these revelations, that I am not some innocent bystander, I am also a part of the problem. I’m sure I’m not alone in this thought, but I can’t blindly act as though I didn’t somehow play a part in this, and if I’m going truly represent myself as someone who has built a career on finding the truth, then it’s time for me to be truthful as well. I am part of the problem. Over my life, there have been many instances that parallel what we see everyday in the news. When I was in college, a girl who I hooked up with on a one night stand accused me of rape. Not outright. There were no charges or investigations, but she wrote about the instance in a short story writing class and called me by name. A female friend who was in the class told be about it afterwards. I was floored. “That’s not what happened!” I told her. This wasn’t how I remembered it at all. In my mind, we’d been drinking all night and went back to my room. We began fooling around, she pushed me off, then we laid in the bed and talked and laughed some more, and then began fooling around again. We took off our clothes. She said she didn’t want to have sex, so we laid together, and talked, and kissed, and laughed, and then we started having sex. “Light Bright,” she said. “What?” “Light bright. That kids toy, that’s all I can see and think about,” she said … and then she started to cry. I didn’t know what to do. We stopped having sex and I rolled beside her. I tried to comfort her. To make her feel better. I thought I was doing ok, I believed she was feeling better. She believed she was raped. That’s why I’m part of the problem. Then there was the time I settled a sexual harassment allegation at my office. This was around 8 years ago, and it wasn’t a gropy feely harassment. It was verbal, and it was just as bad. I would call my female assistant “hot pants” or “sex pants” when I was yelling to her from the other side of the office. Something I thought was funny at the time, but then realized I had completely demeaned and belittled her to a place of non-existence. So, when she decided to quit, she came to me and said if I didn’t pay her a settlement, she would tell everyone. Being who I was, it was the last thing I wanted, so of course, I paid. I paid for peace of mind. I paid for her silence and cooperation. Most of all, I paid so I could remain who I was. I am part of the problem. And then there’s the infidelity. I have been unfaithful to every wife and girlfriend I have ever had. Over the years, I would look each of them in the eye and proclaim my love and then have sex with other people behind their backs. I hurt them. And I hate it. But it didn’t make me stop. The worst part is, I’m someone who consistently hurts those closest to me. From my wife, to my friends, to my family, to my partners & co-workers. I have helped create a world of disrespect through my own actions. And I am part of the problem. But why? What caused me to act this way? Is it all ego? Or was it the sexual abuse I suffered as a boy and as a young man in my teens? Abuse that I only ever told to my first wife, for fear of being seen as weak or less than a man? Is it because my father left my mother when I was child? Or that she believed he never respected her, so that disrespect carried over into their son? Or is it because I’ve consistently been drinking since the age of 13? I haven’t been sober for more than a week in 30 years, something our society doesn’t shun or condemn but which only served to fill the emotional hole inside me and the daily depression I coped with. Depression we can’t talk about, because its wrong and makes you less of a person. And the sexual daliances? Were they meaningful? Or did they only serve to try to make a weak man feel stronger. I don’t know. None of these things matter when you chip away at someone and consistently make them feel like less of a person. I am part of the problem. We all are. But I am also part of the solution. By recognizing and openly admitting what I’ve done to further this terrible situation, I hope to empower the change within myself. We should all find the courage to admit we’re at fault. More than anything, I’m hopeful that I can start to rebuild the trust and the respect of those I love most. I’m not sure I deserve it, but I will work everyday to earn it back. I will do better. I will be better. I believe we all can. The only individual I have control over is me. So starting today, I’m going to be more honest with you and myself. I’m going to lay it all out in the open. Maybe that will be a start. Who knows. But I do know I’ve talked enough in my life … I’m finally ready to listen Spurlock stepped down from the company after the publication of the online confessional. Warrior Poets released a statement confirming his departure to Deadline, signed by Chilnick and Matthew Galkin, who is listed as a partner of the company along with Spurlock. On behalf of Warrior Poets, we as partners have always supported our company and its endeavors. As of today, Morgan Spurlock will be stepping down effective immediately. We will continue to lead the company as equal partners, producing, distributing & creating from our independent production company. Respectfully, Co-Founder & Partner Jeremy Chilnick and Partner Matthew Galkin YouTube Red also announced that the streaming company will no longer release his film Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken! which was snagged for a reported $3.5 million after it premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. A spokesman for YouTube said: “We feel for all of the women impacted by the recent statements made by Morgan Spurlock. In light of this situation, we have decided not to distribute Super Size Me 2 on YouTube Red.”
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RIP: Ken Shapiro Writer and Director of Indie Film THE GROVE TUBE, Dead at 76

Ken Shapiro, writer and director of the 1974 independent film, The Groove Tube died of cancer Saturday in Las Cruces, N.M. He was 76. The Groove Tube is a collection of skits called “The Groove Tube,” starring Shapiro, Richard Belzer and Chevy Chase, that has been credited as the template for raw sketch comedy, as seen in “Saturday Night Live.” The low-budget movie satirizes television and the counterculture of the early 1970s. The film was originally produced to be shown at the Channel One Theater on East 60th St. in New York, a venue that featured R-rated video recordings shown on three television sets, which was a novelty to the audiences of the time. The news desk satire, including the signature line “Good night, and have a pleasant tomorrow” was later used by Chase for his signature Weekend Update piece on Saturday Night Live, although in the film he does not appear in that segment. Shapiro is survived by his wife Kelly, step-daughter Danielle-Lampkins; his sister Cookie and brother Stanley. He is also survived by his daughters, Rosy and Emily and his grandchildren Cerulean, Willa, Milo, and Romy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkG6HMPBJoo
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Louis C.K. Admits “These stories are true”

Louis C.K. today released the following statement addressing the allegations of sexual misconduct that were published in yesterday’s New York Times article. In the wake of the report, the release of his upcoming film I Love You, Daddy was canceled by the distributor, The Orchard. I want to address the stories told to the New York Times by five women named Abby, Rebecca, Dana, Julia who felt able to name themselves and one who did not. These stories are true. At the time, I said to myself that what I did was okay because I never showed a woman my (penis) without asking first, which is also true. But what I learned later in life, too late, is that when you have power over another person, asking them to look at your (penis) isn’t a question. It’s a predicament for them. The power I had over these women is that they admired me. And I wielded that power irresponsibly. I have been remorseful of my actions. And I’ve tried to learn from them. And run from them. Now I’m aware of the extent of the impact of my actions. I learned yesterday the extent to which I left these women who admired me feeling badly about themselves and cautious around other men who would never have put them in that position. I also took advantage of the fact that I was widely admired in my and their community, which disabled them from sharing their story and brought hardship to them when they tried because people who look up to me didn’t want to hear it. I didn’t think that I was doing any of that because my position allowed me not to think about it. There is nothing about this that I forgive myself for. And I have to reconcile it with who I am. Which is nothing compared to the task I left them with. I wish I had reacted to their admiration of me by being a good example to them as a man and given them some guidance as a comedian, including because I admired their work. The hardest regret to live with is what you’ve done to hurt someone else. And I can hardly wrap my head around the scope of hurt I brought on them. I’d be remiss to exclude the hurt that I’ve brought on people who I work with and have worked with who’s (sic) professional and personal lives have been impacted by all of this, including projects currently in production: the cast and crew of Better Things, Baskets, The Cops, One Mississippi, and I Love You Daddy (sic). I deeply regret that this has brought negative attention to my manager Dave Becky who only tried to mediate a situation that I caused. I’ve brought anguish and hardship to the people at FX who have given me so much The Orchard who took a chance on my movie and every other entity that has bet on me through the years. I’ve brought pain to my family, my friends, my children and their mother. I have spent my long and lucky career talking and saying anything I want. I will now step back and take a long time to listen. Thank you for reading.
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People

Jodie Foster

Dean Tavoularis