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The written executive summary which reports on our recent Yale Chief Executive Institute/Korn Ferry webinar entitled: “Strides Forward on Rebuilding Trust and Social and Racial Equality.”

This candid discussion features the prominent business leaders:

• Mellody Hobson – the president and co-CEO of Ariel Investments. She is chairwoman of Starbucks, former chairwoman of DreamWorks Animation as well as a board director at such firms as JP Morgan and Estee Lauder
• Ginni Rometty – executive chair and former CEO of IBM as well as,  co-chair with Merck CEO Ken Frazier OneTen, an OneTen, a coalition of 37 CEOs from top companies pledged to train, hire and promote one million Black Americans over the next 10 years, former board director of the Business Roundtable
• Darren Walker – president and chief executive of the Ford Foundation, board director of Ralph Lauren Corporation, and served as a board director of PepsiCo, as well as a top leader of the Rockefeller Foundation; the Abyssinian Development Corporation; UBS; and an attorney at Cleary Gottlieb.
• Doug Peterson – president, Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors of SP Global, formerly chief operating officer of Citigroup, board of the Business Roundtable
• Mike Hyter  – chief diversity officer for Korn Ferry, formerly Global Novations, where he served as President and Managing Partner, and author of  The Power of Choice: Embracing Efficacy to Drive Your Career (2020) as well as  The Power of Inclusion: Unlock the Potential and Productivity of Your Workforce(2005).

as they explore what they are doing to ensure lasting social justice, racial equality, and intentional inclusion within their organizations.We are proud that we move past the frequently recycled cliches and admonitions to address needed constructive efforts.

VATICAN NEWS

Premiered at the Rome Film Festival, the film “Francesco”, by Oscar-nominated director Evgeny Afineevsky, will begin streaming globally on Sunday 28 March on Discovery+ channel, following an opening in virtual cinemas. 

“It is an honor to host the global premiere of Francesco on Discovery+, spotlighting an intimate look at one of the world’s most beloved and influential leaders, Pope Francis”, said Lisa Holme, Group SVP of Content and Commercial Strategy for Discovery, Inc.

Relating his film on Pope Francis to his previous films, and in particular the one on Syria, the Afineevsky told Vatican News: “In my two previous films, I realized that humanity was in a crisis and I saw how movies and my visual storytelling could help bring attention to the important world issues of today’s world and create a call for action. I could see how my films were able to bring innocent and important voices of people from all over the world to the big screen. After Syria, I decided to do something that could bring hope, light, spread humanity and love, inspire change on many hot-bottomed world issues we are surrounded by. I later learned about Pope Francis and his remarkable humanitarian actions he is conducting towards all human beings on the planet, tasking actions and bringing attention towards all-important issues of today. So, I took the first step towards my own healing, as well as to present a road towards hope for our humanity, by presenting Pope Francis as the vehicle to inspire unity for all humankind”.

“Francis, as the head of the Catholic Church”, the director says, “has always encouraged bringing people together from different walks of life. His recent brave trip to Iraq is a proven action and a humble example on this front. That is something we are missing these days. I also realized that I wanted to bring more attention to the many other global and important issues that we as humans have created in these tumultuous times and Pope Francis as someone, who can demonstrate a tremendous amount of humility, wisdom though his life lessons and generosity towards all of us, and though his actions, that we can replicate or learn, can help us build a bridge to a better future and thrive as a global community”.

The director, from a Jewish family, declares himself to be a non-religious person. “I’m a cultural Jew”, he says about himself. “I was born Jewish, my family is Jewish. I respect religion. But I am not a religious person. And my movie is not a about the Catholic Church. It’s about a man who leads an important institution, it’s about understanding, faith, and something much bigger than the Church. It’s about us, about humanity, how we’ve created disasters all around us. It’s about a humble human being trying to show us a path to the future… especially now when the pandemic has created this red line separating us from our past and our future”.

“I feel I have to thank the Pope for his patience with me”, Afineevsky says. “He’s very humble. You don’t feel any sense of superiority around him, you feel comfortable next to him as if you were sitting next to a relative or a friend. He likes to listen. So that you feel as he is here for you. He has a great sense of humor, he’s also a big sports fan. He has a great spirit – he’s always positive. What I admired most was how he brings people together; and the transparency he is bringing to the Church, the women empowerment with his calling women to work into the Holy See, in high positions”.

The director also explains how the pandemic changed the film: “I think pandemic completely reshaped my idea of the documentary. And as you can see, it’s all about this red line that forced us to realize what we need to reevaluate… what we need to leave behind in our past and what actions we need to take towards our future. That opening scene of the Pope walking to the lectern in the empty St Peters Square makes you to be shaken to the core of your soul. This scene to any person can be looking like the end of the world and possibly an end of the human race if we as society and humans do not stop for a moment and reevaluate all what we are doing”.

The film also tackles the issue of sexual abuse and power in the Church. And the director states that this is the part of which he is most proud: “The sexual abuse and abuse of power in the Church is a microcosm of abuse in various communities. Pope Francis is doing a lot to combat against sexual abuse and corruption in the Church. Showing how it happened and how the Pope is working hard to correct the wrongs of the past, is tremendously important and powerful. Change takes time. What I’ve witnessed, what Juan Carolos Cruz has witnessed and what other victims witnessed, is that pope Francis is taking the right steps in the right direction to clear this institution of corruption. It can’t be changed overnight, but we can see and witness in the film that he is doing a lot to change the situation and is on the right path”.

A passage in the film on gay couples caused much discussion immediately after its presentation at the Rome Film Festival. The Pope spoke about civil legislation, about the possibility of regulating homosexual civil unions, as happens in some countries, without assimilating them to the sacramental marriage between a man and a woman; about the need to protect persons from all kind of discrimination and about the right of gay children not to be excluded from their original families, inviting parents to understand and welcome them. “From the words of the Pope that I included in the film”, explains the director, “personally I understood that he, as a priest, simply wants to protect every human life, no matter of color of the skin, religion, or their sexuality. This is why he wants gay people to be protected against any kind of discrimination”. 

“This film”, Afineeysky concludes, “is a love letter to the Earth and its people and will be there as a strong reminder of what can happen when we stop ‘loving one another’. May we all follow the simple mantra and beautiful actions of this incredible man – Pope Francis. I hope that it will bring attention to the important global issues portrayed in the film; and that we can come together to effect change in the world and preserve it for the future. With Pope Francis as the central figure in the film, it is a testament to the power of one person to make a difference. And an inspiration to the viewer to do the same”.

Kevin Hart will appear in a role that is very different than what fans have grown accustomed to seeing from the comedian over the years. 

Netflix released the trailer Monday for Hart’s next project, the comedy-drama film “Fatherhood,” and the preview gives fans a glimpse into the serious acting chops that Hart will flex.

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The movie tells the story of a widower, played by Hart, who is dealing “with doubts, fears, heartache and dirty diapers” as he raises his only daughter by himself, according to its Netflix description.

The film is an adaptation of the 2011 book “Two Kisses for Maddy: A Memoir of Loss and Love” by Matthew Logelin. The memoir is about the author’s experience of losing his wife after she gave birth to their only child.

Hart joined the film’s cast in 2019, according to Variety. The North Philly native is also a producer on the project, and his production company HartBeat Productions is involved.

The cast includes Lil Rel Howery, Alfre Woodard, DeWanda Wise, Anthony Carrigan and Paul Reiser. Paul Weitz, who worked on hit movies like “American Pie” and “About a Boy,” is the film’s director.

Columbia Pictures and Higher Ground Productions, the production company founded by the Obamas, are involved with the project too.

“Fatherhood” will be available to stream on Netflix starting June 18, just two days before Father’s Day. 

The movie’s scheduled release date had been moved several times. The film was most recently expected to come out in April. However, the movie was pushed back in March after Sony Pictures licensed the film to Netflix, according to Deadline.

“Fatherhood” is the latest production featuring Hart that will be available on Netflix.

Hart’s latest stand-up comedy special, “Zero F**** Given,” premiered in November. It was his sixth on the streaming platform.

Two years ago, Netflix released Hart’s stand-up comedy special “Irresponsible,” the docuseries “Kevin Hart: Don’t F*** This Up” — which chronicled Hart’s personal life — and the kid-friendly special “Kevin Hart’s Guide to Black History.” 

The 41-year-old Hart also has signed on to an unnamed limited drama series with the streaming service.

We are raiding the Audio Long Reads archives and bringing you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors.

This week’s article: Skip Lievsay has created audioscapes for Martin Scorsese and is the only sound man the Coen brothers go to. But the key to this work is more than clever effects, it is understanding the human mind. By Jordan Kisner

How to listen to podcasts: everything you need to know

Netflix has agreed multi-year US licensing deal granting it exclusive rights to house Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) films following their theatrical and home entertainment release windows.

Building on Netflix’s pre-existing deal with Sony Pictures Animation films, the agreement gives the streaming giant exclusive “first pay window” rights to SPE movies beginning with its 2022 film slate.

This includes Uncharted, Morbius, Where the Crawdads Sing, and Bullet Train.

It also covers future releases such as the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse sequel and several more films featuring Marvel characters, including future Venom and Spider-Man movies, plus expected Jumanji and Bad Boys follow-ups.

Netflix will also get the first look at any direct-to-streaming films from Sony, some of which it has committed to make.

Further reading

“Sony Pictures is a great partner and we are thrilled to expand our relationship through this forward-thinking agreement,” said Scott Stuber, Netflix’s head of global films. “This not only allows us to bring their impressive slate of beloved film franchises and new IP to Netflix in the US, but it also establishes a new source of first run films for Netflix movie lovers worldwide.”

The Uncharted movie, which was recently delayed, is the first feature film from PlayStation Productions, a studio formed by Sony Interactive Entertainment to adapt its original game properties for film and television.

PlayStation Productions is also working on a The Last of Us adaptation with HBO, a live-action Ghost of Tsushima movie helmed by John Wick director Chad Stahelski, and a Twisted Metal TV series from Deadpool’s writers, among other projects.

Aired 3/20/21
on KPBS News

Listen to this story by Beth Accomando.

Movie theaters reopened on Friday, which is exciting news for people waiting for big Hollywood films like “Godzilla VS Kong,” the new Bond and “Black Widow.” This weekend many of the Oscar-nominated films are hitting cinemas for the first time and the one new release is the spy thriller, “The Courier.”

“The Courier” is based on the true story of how British businessman Greville Wynne was recruited by MI6 to help transport crucial intelligence from a Soviet man named Oleg Penkovsky (Merab Ninidze).

It’s the early 1960s and Wynne (Benedict Cumberbatch) is a salesman who represents Western manufacturers in foreign countries. MI6 sees him and his international dealings as a perfect cover for smuggling information out of Soviet Russia.

Mostly, Wynne was to carry on business as usual. But from time to time he would be asked to bring pilfered Soviet secrets back to London. Penkovsky works for the KGB but has the official title of trade specialist, which means it would be quite unextraordinary for him to meet repeatedly with Wynne.

Penkovsky seems an unlikely spy at first glance. He’s a World War II hero and seems a loyal Soviet citizen. But his loyalty is not merely to those holding power; it is to something bigger. So when he sees Krushchev pounding the podium and heating up the Cold War tensions, he becomes so concerned over the dangers of potential nuclear war that he decides to turn secrets over to the West in the hope of avoiding a nuclear armageddon.

The story of these two unlikely spies is more in the vein of John La Carrè than James Bond. What the film delivers is something that is both fascinating and utterly mundane. The interactions between the two men were designed to take place in plain sight and not involve any danger, and for the bulk of the film that’s true, which, as you might suspect, is not exactly riveting cinema. Wynne and Penkovsky engage in bland business banter while Wynne’s wife (Jessie Buckley) assumes his new secretiveness is to cover up an affair. The fascinating part is how something that seems so unexciting proves to play a key role in defusing the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Director Dominic Cooke is a serviceable director. He endows his film with a meticulous sense of detail but without ever making those details feel riveting. The fault lies in part with the script, which gives Wynne the greater focus when in many ways it’s Penkovsky who is the more interesting character. The film also creates a female American spy (played by “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’s” Rachel Brosnahan) to bring the film some gender equity, but the role feels very much like a plot device.

“The Courier” serves up a fascinating chapter of spy history but it may not be the film to send you rushing back to the cinema. The film is worth seeing, though, so that we can pay tribute to a pair of rather ordinary men who showed extraordinary courage because they had a genuine sense of human decency and desire to keep the world safe for their children and future generations.

“The Courier” is playing in multiple cinemas in San Diego.

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Beth Accomando

Arts Culture Reporter

I cover arts and culture, from Comic-Con to opera, from pop entertainment to fine art, from zombies to Shakespeare. I am interested in going behind the scenes to explore the creative process; seeing how pop culture reflects social issues; and providing a context for art and entertainment.

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THE MULLIGAN follows the life of a successful international businessman, Paul McAllister, whose personal life is falling apart. While playing in a pro-am charity golf tournament sponsored by his company, Paul has a complete meltdown. With the introduction of a mysterious character known as “The Old Pro,” Paul receives the inspiration he needs to reverse his downward spiral and experience his own personal “do-over” which is much more about his life than his golf game.

“Through the game of golf, I have experienced many of my greatest memories and formed some of my closest friendships,” says Actor Eric Close. “I’m excited to explore Paul’s journey of redemption through the game of golf and an unlikely friendship.”

Inspired by the novel from Wally Armstrong and Ken Blanchard, screenplay writers Rick Eldridge, Jimmy Hager, Randall Eldridge and Roland Eldridge pack THE MULLIGAN with a combination of golf and heartwarming life lessons.

Follow The Mulligan on Facebook @TheMulliganMovie, Twitter @MulliganMovie, Instagram @themulligan_movie and online at https://themulliganmovie.com/

About ReelWorks Studios:
ReelWorks Studios, LLC was founded by Rick Eldridge in August of 2009 as a production services and distribution management company. Business offices are located in Charlotte, North Carolina with representation and offices in Santa Monica, California. CEO, Rick Eldridge, has been in the entertainment business for over 35 years as a producer, director, musician and creative visionary. The company now has over 100 titles under management comprised of feature film, television programming and digital media. Get all the latest news from ReelWorks at https://reelworks.net/

About Blanchard Companies:
Drs. Ken and Marjorie Blanchard incorporated The Ken Blanchard Companies in 1979 with three simple goals—to make a difference in people’s lives, to drive human worth and effectiveness in the workplace, and to help each organization we work with become the provider, employer, and investment of choice.

SOURCE ReelWorks Studios

Related Links

https://reelworks.net

Your guilty streaming pleasure?

1980s VFL footy

Which phrase do you overuse?

“What are you doing?” When it is obvious that people are either working, eating or sleeping.

What did you want to do when you grew up?

Big W manager.

What was your first job?

Big W worker.

Facebook or Instagram?

Insta because there are fewer words to read and less hating. I always want to use Kamahl’s quip about Facebook: why are people so unkind?

Recommend a podcast…

Conversations with Richard Fidler.

What’s one vice you wish you could give up?

Writing pamphlets.

The song that’s always on high rotation? Queen – A Kind of Magic.

What are you reading?

Banks by Grantlee Keiza if I stop falling asleep. It was supposed to be part of the research for Buraadja but I was and remain endlessly sidetracked.

Favourite movie of the past decade? Lion. I cried so much.

Top of your sporting bucket list? A Geelong premiership.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? Never trust a man when left alone in a room with a tea cosy doesn’t try it on. On a serious note: don’t waste time.

What are the three things you couldn’t live without? Blueberries, family/friends and a loud silly laugh.

Samir’s home in Atlanta, Georgia, is some 13,000 miles away from Gujarat, India, where his extended family lives. The outbreak hit the city hard, Samir – whose name has been changed for the family’s privacy – says.