U.S. Embassy Luxembourg is pleased to invite members of the public to a discussion with award-winning American film director Yoruba Richen on the topic of representation and visibility of women of color in the media and filmmaking, followed by a screening of the film How it Feels to be Free
on Tuesday, November 21, 2023 at 5:45 p.m
at Ciné Utopia
(16, Avenue de la Faïencerie – L- 1510 Luxembourg)
The event will begin with a welcome reception and a moderated discussion between Yoruba Richen and representatives from Luxembourg NGO We Belong Europe, followed by the film screening. The event is free but as seats are limited, prior registration is required. Registration form: https://forms.gle/uSWFPLrdoVKgobBx8
BACKGROUND
About the film How it feels to be free:
The documentary (directed by Yoruba Richen, produced by Alicia Keys) examines how six iconic African American women entertainers—Lena Horne, Abbey Lincoln, Nina Simone, Diahann Carroll, Cicely Tyson, and Pam Grier—broke through and challenged an entertainment industry hell-bent on keeping them out, transforming both themselves and their audiences in the process.
Featuring clips and interviews with these legendary talents and commentary by Halle Berry, Shonda Rhimes, Samuel L. Jackson, and other luminaries, the film examines the impact these trailblazing entertainers had on reshaping the narrative of Black female identity in Hollywood through their art and political activism while advocating for social change. Watch the trailer for How it feels to be free
About Yoruba Richen:
Yoruba Richen (she, her, hers) is an award-winning documentary filmmaker whose work has been featured on multiple outlets, including Netflix, MSNBC, Hulu, HBO, and PBS. Her film The Rebellious Life of Mrs Rosa Parks premiered at Tribeca Film Festival and won a Peabody Award. Other recent work includes the Emmy-nominated films American Reckoning (Frontline), How It Feels to Be Free (American Masters), The Sit In: Harry Belafonte Hosts the Tonight Show (Peacock), and Green Book: Guide to Freedom (Smithsonian Channel). She directed an episode of the award-winning series Black and Missing for HBO and High on the Hog for Netflix. Her new film, The Cost of Inheritance, which explores the complex issue of reparations in the United States, premiered at DOC NYC on November 12, 2023.
Yoruba is a past Guggenheim and Fulbright fellow, and she won the Creative Promise Award at Tribeca All Access. She was a Sundance Producers Fellow and Women’s Fellow and is a recipient of the Chicken & Egg Breakthrough Filmmaker’s Award. Yoruba is the founding director of the Documentary Program at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY and is an Associate Professor of Race and Identity.
