The pandemic cannot stop art and the love of film.
Helping launch the 2020 Hamptons International Film Festival last night was a divine conversation with actor extraordinaire Leslie Odom, Jr.
Speaking during a ticketed online conversation with playwright Matthew López. The Tony winner spoke about his soon to be widely released film “One Night in Miami.”
The Regina King directed project features a great array of black actors highlighted by a black filmmaker. The fact that this film exists is a ‘miracle,’ as stated by the moderator López. The powerful message of equality that “One Night in Miami” carries is a large part of the reason that it is buzzing in 2020 and running on a potential award-winning streak.
Four central characters in the movie played by towering historical figures in American history was monumental to the actor as he stated during the talk. ‘It was a tall order’ to be a part of the cast.
The film is becoming part of the movement of 2020, where this is a year of people really asking to be listened to including young, black activists. It is an American awakening as mentioned by both the host and the actor during the conversation.
“A morsel of history is something so rare. It is valuable… (us as actors) playing these historic characters has given me a real relationship with a morsel of these historic figures in the times that they lived in,” said the Broadway star.
The night also reflected on a movement in time right now that cannot be ignored with Black Lives Matter.
“I think that my work is the first part of a conversation,” stated the actor about the life-changing opportunity to play legendary singer Sam Cooke.
“We have a lot of work to do, but we are up for it,” ended the actor on the positive stance. “We have to be in the moment right now and into the future.
The Hamptons International Film Festival was founded to celebrate Independent film—long, short, fiction and documentary—and to introduce a unique and varied spectrum of international films and filmmakers to our audiences. The festival is committed to exhibiting films that express fresh voices and differing global perspectives, with the hope that these programs will enlighten audiences, provide invaluable exposure for filmmakers and present inspired entertainment for all.
Quoted in a pre-recorded message from David Nugent, Artistic Director of HamptonsFilm, “I would like to welcome you to today’s conversation. This has been a signature program of ours since 1993 when Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg sat down and had a surprise first conversation. We have had so many great filmmakers and actors and activists come throughout the years to be a part of this program. And we are thrilled to continue it this year with these wonderful participants. Thank you for coming and checking us out and enjoy.
