Jonathan Demme News

From Friday, October 4 through Thursday, October 10, BAM presents a new restoration of Gregory Nava's classic of Chicano cinema Selena (1997), a star-is-born tribute to the late Tejano singer, starring Jennifer Lopez in her breakout film role. 

Joana Vicente and Cameron Bailey, Co-Heads of TIFF, today announced the TIFF Tribute Gala, an annual awards fundraiser to support TIFF's year-round programmes and core mission to transform the way people see the world through film, and to celebrate the film industry's outstanding contributors. The event takes place Monday, September 9 at the Fairmont Royal York, during the 44th Toronto International Film Festival. To recognize their leadership in creating a union between social impact and cinema, the TIFF Tribute Gala will introduce the new TIFF Impact Award. Participant Media will receive the inaugural award, which will be accepted by Founder and Chairman Jeff Skoll and CEO David Linde, marking an incredible 15 years of social action through storytelling. The TIFF Tribute Gala will also include the new Mary Pickford Award, honouring a female emerging talent in the industry. The inaugural award is given this year in celebration of United Artists' 100th anniversary. The recipient of this award, as well as additional honourees for the TIFF Tribute Gala, will be announced in the coming weeks.

From Friday, July 19 through Tuesday, July 23, BAM presentsIntimate Epics, a five-day, six-film series of intimately-focused works by master filmmakers—including Spike Lee, Edward Yang, Chantal Akerman—all with run times of over three hours.  

From Friday, June 28 through Thursday, July 4, BAM presents a 30th anniversary run of Brooklyn icon Spike Lee's culture-shifting masterpiece Do the Right Thing (1989). Screenings before 6pm will play in a newly restored 4K DCP; screenings after 6pm will play in a brand new 35mm print.

The American Film Institute (AFI) announced today the first wave of guest presenters who will celebrate Denzel Washington at the 47th AFI Life Achievement Award on June 6, 2019, at a Gala Tribute in Los Angeles. Chadwick Boseman, Jodie Foster, Jamie Foxx, Morgan Freeman (2011 honoree), Michael B. Jordan, Issa Rae, Julia Roberts and Cicely Tyson will all be in attendance to pay tribute to Washington's life and work. In addition, multitalented film, television and music video artist Melina Matsoukas (AFI Class of 2005) will receive the 2019 Franklin J. Schaffner Alumni Medal, recognizing her extraordinary creative talents.  

Yesterday, May 2, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced its 2019 FilmWatch and FilmCraft grant recipients, which included the Jacob Burns Film Center (Pleasantville, NY), a nonprofit five-screen cinema and education center and one of the most successful suburban art houses in the country. The $10,000 FilmCraft grant will support JBFC's inaugural REMIX Artist-in Residence.

Ben Platt stopped by TODAY to perform the song 'older' off of his solo album, 'Sing To Me Instead' which was released today! Before the performance, Platt talked with Hoda Kotb about how he warms up his vocals with hand warmers!

The 21st Annual Roger Ebert's Film Festival, co-founded and hosted by Chaz Ebert and also known as 'Ebertfest,” announced today the final slate of films for the 2019 event.  

The Cinema Audio Society Award for Outstanding Sound Mixing Motion Picture - Live Action was presented to the sound mixing team from “Bohemian Rhapsody” of John Casali, Paul Massey, Tim Cavagin, Niv Adiri, CAS, Mike Tehrani, Glen Gathard, Jemma Riley Tolch.

ADIR 26 FILMS announces the launch of its Kickstarter campaign for “Reefa” (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/reefathemovie/reefa) starringJeffrey Wahlberg, and the greenlight for production of its independent film starting in March 2019 with an expected launch date of Fall 2019.

He has a Tony, Grammy, Emmy and now a tour! Following his new album release, Ben Platt will take to the road performing a series of concerts.

Ben Platt has released the first single off his upcoming album, Sing To Me Instead. The song, titled Ease My Mind, can be heard in the video below!

Ben Platt took to Twitter to announce the release of his debut album! In the tweet, Platt said, 'With a full heart, I can finally say that my debut album 'Sing To Me Instead' will be out in the world on 3/29. The first two songs will be out THIS FRIDAY 2/1, as well as a pre-order of the whole album. Let the story begin.'

Raue Center For The Arts is excited to welcome a collective on nine musicians drawn to cerebral adventures, infectious rhythms and pioneering music known to the world as Talking Heads! Rock the Raue with BiG SUiT: A Tribute to Talking Heads at 8 p.m. on January 19, 2019! If you have come to experience Talking Heads… "This Must Be The Place."

Ben Platt took to Twitter yesterday to share his take on the Beatles' classic 'I Want to Hold Your Hand.'

Ben Platt took to Twitter to share a video of him performing the hit single 'Shallow' from the film A Star is Born. Check out Ben going off the deep end (in the best way possible) below!

Writers Theatre presents the limited engagement of An Evening with PigPen Theatre Co., a two-night only concert series featuring the stars of PigPen (The Hunter and the Bear, The Old Man and the Old Moon), with a few surprises for the holiday season. An Evening with PigPen Theatre Co. will be presented for two performances only, December 16 and 17, 2018 in the Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe.

Denzel Washington will receive the 47th AFI Life Achievement Award, America's highest honor for a career in film. The award will be presented to Washington at a Gala Tribute on Thursday, June 6, 2019, in Los Angeles, CA.

Multi-hyphenate Steven Spielberg will receive the Cinema Audio Society Filmmaker Award at the 55th Annual CAS Awards on February 16th, at the Intercontinental Los Angeles Downtown. 

Ben Platt took to Twitter to share a video of him performing 'She Used To Be Mine' from WAITRESS, and to express his sadness for not being able to see Nicolette Robison take on the role of Jenna. See the video below!