Radha Blank News

Following the week-long virtual experience, tonight the NAACP celebrated the stellar achievements of the 52nd NAACP Image Awards winners during a special LIVE broadcast on BET and simulcast across ViacomCBS networks including CBS for its first time, as well as BET Her, Comedy Central, Logo, MTV, MTV2, Paramount, Pop, Smithsonian, TV Land, VH1, BET PLUTO, and CMT.

The full-list of nominees for the 52nd NAACP Image Awards were announced today in a special virtual event on NAACP Image Awards’ Instagram channel hosted by Tony-award winning actress and singer Anika Noni-Rose, actress and singer Chloe Bailey, actress Erika Alexander, actor, dancer, and choreographer Nicco Annan, and actor and singer TC Carson.

The Hollywood Critics Association is pleased to reveal the full list of nominees for the 4th Annual HCA Film Awards. The virtual awards ceremony will stream on the official HCA Facebook page and YouTube channel on Friday, March 5, 2021, beginning at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET.

Fifteen emerging storytellers from Chile, India, Kenya, Tunisia and the U.S. will convene digitally for Sundance Institute’s January Screenwriters Lab, taking place online via Sundance Co//ab from January 11 -15, 2021. The Fellows will work to further develop twelve original projects, in collaboration with an experienced group of Creative Advisors.

The nonprofit Sundance Institute announced today that Radha Blank will be honored with the 2020 Vanguard Award presented by Acura, given annually to an artist whose work highlights the art of storytelling and creative independence. The award honors the artistic achievement of her feature film directorial debut The Forty-Year-Old Version, which premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and was developed by Blank at the Institute's Labs.

Final Draft, a Cast & Crew Company, now in its 30th year as the industry standard for screenwriting software, today announced the honorees for the 16th Annual Final Draft Awards.

Lia Vollack Productions has announced the hiring of Travis LeMont Ballenger, who will serve as Producer. Most recently, Mr. Ballenger held the position of Associate Artistic Director at The Globe Theater in San Diego, California.

The first virtual edition of the American Black Film Festival (ABFF), now in its 24th year, will feature a robust slate of speakers including Stacey Abrams, Kenya Barris, Mary J. Blige, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Barry Jenkins, Gabrielle Union and Lena Waithe

NSV announced today they have optioned the rights to Den of Thieves, the 1992 non-fiction book written by Pulitzer Prize winner, James B. Stewart. Oscar-nominated screenwriter Terence Winter (The Wolf of Wall Street, The Sopranos) will write the teleplay for the limited series, which tells the story of the massive insider trading scandal that brought down Drexel Burnham Lambert as well as ending the careers of Wall Street heavyweights Ivan Boesky and Michael Milken, who recently received a full pardon by President Trump. The series will be produced by Jordan Fudge under his NSV banner and Alexandra Milchan under her EMJAG Productions banner.

NSV announced today they have optioned the rights to Den of Thieves, the 1992 non-fiction book written by Pulitzer Prize winner, James B. Stewart. 

The Sundance Film Festival announced its 2020 award winners yesterday.

Wanderluxxe once again hosted one of the hottest parties during the Sundance Film Festival. Guests including Lena Waithe, Issa Rae, Jay Ellis, and Kendrick Sampson left Main Street to join the cast of '40 Year Old Version' at the film's premiere after-party.

Sundance Institute will curate dozens of offscreen events, including behind-the-scenes panels on the art of filmmaking, musical performances and a?" around the theme of Imagined Futures a?" a public Bonfire and several extended post-screening conversations (known as IF Screenings), at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival taking place in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Sundance, Utah, January 23 through February 2, 2020.

Fifteen screenwriters will convene to advance their independent projects at Sundance Institute's January Screenwriters Lab, taking place at the Sundance Mountain Resort in Utah, from January 17-22, 2020. At the Lab, the screenwriters will immerse themselves in a rigorous and holistic creative process, working to further develop their scripts with the mentorship of accomplished Creative Advisors.

The nonprofit Sundance Institute announced today the showcase of new independent feature films selected across all categories for the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. The Festival hosts screenings in Park City, Salt Lake City and at Sundance Mountain Resort, from January 23a?"February 2, 2020. The Sundance Film Festival is Sundance Institute's flagship public program, widely regarded as the largest American independent film festival and attended by more than 120,000 people and 1,300 accredited press, and powered by more than 2,000 volunteers last year.

It was announced today that production has begun on Playwright, Screenwriter and Producer Radha Blank's (SHE'S GOTTA HAVE IT, EMPIRE) all-new comedy, THE 40-YEAR-OLD VERSION.  Filmed on location in New York City, the film is written by Blank who, in her directorial debut, also leads the cast which includes Peter Kim (SATURDAY CHURCH, THE GOD COMMITTEE) and hip hop wonderkind, Oswin Benjamin, who makes his feature film acting debut.

Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein today announced the appointment of Travis LeMont Ballenger as Associate Artistic Director. The Globe will have two people in this key position, as Ballenger joins Associate Artistic Director Justin Waldman, who has been at the Globe since 2011. Ballenger and Waldman will report jointly to Edelstein. Ballenger will assume his artistic duties at The Old Globe on May 1.

Director Malcolm D. Lee is reuniting with Universal Studios for a new comedy, according to Variety.

The Classical Theatre of Harlem (CTH) is proud to announce the appointment of Carl Cofield as Associate Artistic Director. Cofield comes to the organization with a long history of directing for CTH and regional theaters across America. He is also a theater instructor and is currently on faculty at The New School and New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. CTH welcomes Cofield to further expand the mission and vision of the company.

The Fusion Film Festival, NYU Tisch School of the Arts' premiere student film festival celebrating women creators in film, TV, and new media will showcase the work of emerging female filmmakers through three days of screenings and panels beginning Thursday, April 5 and running throughSaturday, April 7. Against the backdrop of the #MeToo and Time's Up movements, this year's theme “Where Change Begins” will celebrate diversity and inclusion efforts and honor the artists and storytellers changing the entertainment industry. All events are free of charge.