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American Singer, Activist, Harry Belafonte, Dies at 96

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1 month ago

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Harry Belafonte, the dashing singer, actor and activist who became an indispensable supporter of the civil rights movement, has died, his publicist Ken Sunshine told CNN.

He was 96.

Belafonte died Tuesday morning of congestive heart failure, Sunshine said.

Belafonte was dubbed the “King of Calypso” after the groundbreaking success of his 1956 hit, “The Banana Boat Song (Day-O).” He also became a movie star after acting in the film adaption of the Broadway musical, “Carmen Jones.”

He was a key strategist, fundraiser and mediator for the civil rights movement. He continually risked his entertainment career — and at least once his life — for his activism. He became a close friend of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., who often retired to Belafonte’s palatial New York apartment to talk strategy or escape the pressures of leading the civil rights movement.

A voracious reader with a burning disdain for injustice, Belafonte’s political consciousness was shaped by the experience of growing up as the impoverished son of a poor Jamaican mother who worked as a domestic servant.

“I’ve often responded to queries that ask, ‘When as an artist did you decide to become an activist?’ ” he once said. “My response to the question is that I was an activist long before I became an artist. They both service each other, but the activism is first.”

The scope of Belafonte’s activism was astonishing. He saw the civil rights movement as a global struggle. He led a campaign against apartheid in South Africa, and befriended Nelson Mandela. He mobilized support for the fight against HIV/AIDS and became a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. He also came up with the idea for recording the 1985 hit song, “We Are the World,” which assembled a constellation of pop and rock stars, including Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson and Bruce Springsteen, to raise money for famine relief in Africa.

Belafonte didn’t mellow as his wealth and fame grew. He drew criticism after calling President George W. Bush “the greatest terrorist in the world” for leading an invasion of Iraq, and assailed Black celebrities such as Jay Z and Beyonce for not taking bolder stands on social justice. He criticized Barack Obama so much during the then Senator’s first presidential run in 2008 that Obama asked him, “When are you going to cut me some slack?”

“What make you think that’s not what I’ve been doing?” Belafonte responded.

CNN News

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Entertainment

76th Cannes Film Festival Ends with Bang

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7 days ago

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May 27, 2023

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The stars on parade at 76th Festival de Cannes

 

By Michael Effiong

The colour, the glamour, the style and class of the 76th Annual Cannes Film Festival ends today with a big bang.

Festival de Cannes, the film industry’s most prestigious festival will take place at 8:30 pm and will be broadcast live on France 2 and internationally on Brut.

The Jury, presided over by director Ruben Östlund and including director Maryam Touzani, actor Denis Ménochet, writer/director Rungano Nyoni, actress/director Brie Larson, actor/director Paul Dano, writer Atiq Rahimi, director Damián Szifron and director Julia Ducournau, will select the winners from the 21 films in Competition this year.

Actress Anaïs Demoustier, President of the Jury, will hand out the Caméra d’or award to the best first film. Actress Stacy Martin and director Ildikó Enyedi, President of the Short Film and La Cinef Jury, will award the Palme d’or for short films.

Actor Orlando Bloom will hand out the Jury Prize. Actor Song Kang-ho, last year’s winner of the Best Performance by an Actor for Broker and actress Zar Amir Ebrahimi, last year’s winner of the Best Performance by an Actress for Holy Spider, will award the Best Performance by an Actress and Best Performance by an Actor Prizes respectively.

 

Actor John C. Reilly, President of the Un Certain Regard Jury, will award the Best Screenplay Prize, while Pete Docter, Creative Director of Pixar Studios, will present the Best Director Prize.

 

The Festival de Cannes will also be honored by the exceptional presence tonight of legendary filmmaker Roger Corman, who will present the Grand Prix alongside virtuoso Quentin Tarantino.

 

Finally, the prestigious Palme d’or will be presented by the formidable and inspiring Jane Fonda.

 

The Closing Ceremony will mark the end of the 76th Festival de Cannes, and will be followed by the screening of Peter Sohn‘s film Elementary in the Grand Théâtre Lumière.

 

The 21 films competing for the Palme d’or this year are : Firebrand by Karim Aïnouz, Asteroid City by Wes Anderson, Rapito (Kidnapped)(Kidnapped) by Marco Bellocchio, Les Filles d’Olfa (Four Daughters)(Four Daughters) by Kaouther Ben Hania, L’Été dernier (Last Summer) (Last Summer) by Catherine Breillat, Kuru Otlar Ustune (About Dry Grasses)(About Dry Grasses) by Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Le Retour (Homecoming) by Catherine Corsini, The Zone of Interest by Jonathan Glazer, Club Zero by Jessica Hausner, May December by Todd Haynes, Monster by Kore-Eda Hirokazu, Kuolleet Lehdet (Fallen Leaves)(Fallen Leaves) by Aki Kaurismäki, The Old Oak by Ken Loach, Il Sol dell’ avvenire (A Brighter Tomorrow)(A Brighter Tomorrow) by Nanni Moretti, La Chimera by Alice Rohrwacher, Black Flies by Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire, Banel e Adama by Ramata-Toulaye Sy, La Passion de Dodin Bouffant (The Pot-au-Feu) (The Pot-au-Feu) by Tran Anh Hùng, Anatomie d’une chute (Anatomy of a Fall) (Anatomy of a Fall) by Justine Triet, Jeunesse (Le Printemps) (Youth (Spring))(Youth (Spring)) by Wang Bing, Perfect Days by Wim Wenders.

The Closing ceremony, usually a wonderful evening to behold will be broadcast in English and French by Brut.

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Entertainment

Renowned Singer, Tina Turner Dies at 83

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1 week ago

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May 24, 2023

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Legendary singer, Tina Turner, has passed away at the age of 83 after a long illness in her home in Küsnacht near Zurich, Switzerland, Daily Mail reports.

She was known as the ‘Queen of Rock’n Roll’. ‘With her, the world loses a music legend and a role model,’ her representatives said in a statement.

Tina Turner was born in 1939 in Brownsville, Tennessee. She became famous as part of the Ike and Tina Turner duo in the 70s before embarking on a successful solo career, which is one of the most successful of any female performer in history.

She was known as the Queen of Rock ‘N’ Roll and is survived by three children.

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Entertainment

See Full List of 2023 AMVCA Winners

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2 weeks ago

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May 22, 2023

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The 9th edition of the African Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) was held today, Saturday, May 20, 2023.

The prestigious event, at the Eko Hotel, celebrated talents in the film world across Africa.

Veteran actress Patience Ozokwor took home the Industry Merit Award for her admirable service to the industry. Jade Osiberu’s Brotherhood and Kunle Afolayan’s Anikulapo grabbed multiple awards in different categories.

Below is the list of winners:

Best Actor in a Comedy – (Movie/TV Series)
Samuel Perry (Broda Shaggi) –

Best Actress in a Comedy – (Movie/TV Series)
Bimbo Ademoye – Selina

Best Actor in a Drama – (Movie/TV Series)
Tobi Bakre – Brotherhood

Best Actress in a Drama – (Movie/TV Series)
Osas Ighodaro – Man of God

Best Supporting Actor (Movie/TV Series)
Abdisattar Ahmed – Gacal

Best Supporting Actress (Movie/TV Series)
Efe Irele – Four Four Forty Four

Best Short Film
Adeoye Adetunji – Pa Aromire

Best Online Social Content Creator
Elozonam, Kie Kie – Back From The Future

Best Original Telenovela
Mpali

Best Unscripted Original
King Bugar

Best Original Comedy Series
Njoro Wa Uba

Best Original Drama Series
Ricordi

Best Art Director
Wale Adeleke – King Of Thieves (Agesinkole)

Best Costume Designer (Movie/TV Series)
Adeola Art-Alade – The Real Housewives of Lagos (Reunion Episode)

Best Lighting Designer (Movie/TV Series)
Mathew Yusuf – Brotherhood

Best Picture Editor (Movie/TV Series)
Holmes Awa & Daniel Tom – Crime & Justice

Best Sound Editor (Movie/TV Series)
Anu Afolayan – Anikulapo

Best Soundtrack (Movie/TV Series)
Kent Edunjobi – Anikulapo

Best Makeup (Movie/TV Series)
Maryam Ndukwe, Hakeem Effects Onilogbo – Shanty Town

Best Writer (Movie/TV Series)
Sola Dada – Anikulapo

Best Cinematographer (Movie/TV Series)
Loukman Ali – Brotherhood

Best Movie, Southern Africa
Jewel – Elvis Chucks

Best Movie, East Africa
Click Click Bang – Philip Karanja Njenga

Best Movie, West Africa
Brotherhood – Jade Osiberu

Best Television Series
Crime & Justice – Yinka Edward

Best Documentary
Nigeria-the Debut – Nora Awolowo

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