Domingo To Receive Award at 40th SBIFF

 

Colman Domingo

SANTA BARBARA, CA - The Santa Barbara International Film Festival is honored to announce that cinema icon Colman Domingo will receive the Montecito Award at the 40th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Domingo will receive the prestigious award on Friday, February 14. The evening will highlight his powerhouse performance in Greg Kwedar’s SING SING, where Domingo’s portrayal of Divine G brings an incredible mix of vulnerability, charisma, and resilience to the big screen. This recognition comes from Domingo's win at last night’s Gotham Awards, where he took home the honor for Outstanding Lead Performance.

“ Colman is such a committed performer and of the most extraordinary talents on the small screen, in theatre, and in film, and he makes it all seem effortless.  His work in SING SING is unforgettable,” remarked SBIFF’s Executive Director Roger Durling.

Colman Domingo has been nominated for an Oscar, BAFTA, Tony® Award, Critics Choice Award, Independent Spirit, Gotham Awards, Lawrence Olivier, Drama Desk, Drama League, NAACP Image, and Black Reel Award. He has also won an Emmy, Astra, AAFCA, NAACP Image, and Black Reel Award.

In 2023, Domingo starred as Civil Rights leader Bayard Rustin in Netflix and Higher Ground’s film “Rustin," for which he received an Academy Award Nomination, Golden Globes, BAFTA, and SAG nomination. He can also be seen as “Mister” in the Warner Bros production of "The Color Purple," which received a SAG Ensemble nomination.  Domingo's executive produced and starred in Greg Kwedar’s film “Sing Sing,” which was purchased for distribution by A24 and had its theatrical release in the summer of 2024. He also executive produced "It's What's Inside”, which premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival and was released on NETFLIX in October 2024.

Domingo is well known for his Emmy Award-winning role as “Ali” in HBO’s “Euphoria” as well as his roles in “Zola,” “If Beale Street Could Talk,” ‘Selma,’ “Candyman,” and many more. 

He is currently seen in the Netflix limited series "The Madness" created by Clement Virgo. He also recently wrapped production on ‘Michael’ playing Joe Jackson, directed by Antoine Fuqua. Lionsgate will release the film on October 3, 2025. Additionally, Domingo will voice Norman Osborn in the upcoming Disney+ animated series “Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.” Domingo is currently in production on NETFLIX’s “The Four Seasons” alongside Tina Fey and Steve Carrell.

The Montecito Award is named after one of Santa Barbara's most beautiful and stylish areas. Past recipients include Jeffrey Wright, Angela Bassett, Penélope Cruz, Amanda Seyfried, Lupita Nyong’o, Melissa McCarthy, Saoirse Ronan, Isabelle Huppert, Sylvester Stallone, Jennifer Aniston, Oprah Winfrey, Daniel Day-Lewis, Geoffrey Rush, Julianne Moore, Kate Winslet, Naomi Watts, and Javier Bardem.

The 40th Santa Barbara International Film Festival will occur LIVE February 4 - February 15, 2025. Official events, including screenings, filmmaker Q&As, industry panels, and celebrity tributes, will be held at SBIFF’s Riviera Theatre and its new Film Center, plus the historic Arlington Theatre. Passes for the 2025 Festival are on sale now at sbiff.org.

Last year, the festival featured 200+ films from over 48 countries, with honorary awards given to Robert Downey Jr., Bradley Cooper, Mark Ruffalo, Paul Giamatti, America Ferrera, Lily Gladstone, Greta Lee, Charles Melton, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Andrew Scott, Martin Scorsese, Justine Triet, Billie Eilish, and Ludwig Göransson.

A-list and industry guests will once again ascend to Santa Barbara, making it a must-stop location on the awards circuit and delivering a record number of films with many World and U.S. premieres. The film lineup and schedule will be announced in January 2025.

About the Santa Barbara International Film Festival

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts and educational organization dedicated to discovering and showcasing the best in independent and international cinema. Over the past 39 years, SBIFF has become one of the top 10 film festivals in the United States, attracting 100,000 attendees and offering 11 days of 200+ films, tributes, and symposiums. SBIFF fulfills its mission to engage, enrich, and inspire the Santa Barbara community through film.

SBIFF continues its commitment to education and the community through many free educational programs and events. SBIFF’s programs support over 18,000 kids, students, and families in our local community by introducing film as an art form to young children with programs like AppleBox and Mike’s field trip to the Movies; teaching film analysis to high school and college students with programs like Rosebud and the Film Studies Program; and teaching the craft of screenwriting and filmmaking with Film Camp and 10-10-10 Mentorship programs. Most importantly, SBIFF’s programs are always directed toward the under-represented and under-served communities within Santa Barbara County.

More recently, SBIFF secured a long-term lease for the iconic multi-plex at 916 State Street in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara. This landmark acquisition paves the way for creating a state-of-the-art film center. This vibrant, year-round destination will be a central hub for cinema enthusiasts and the heart of SBIFF’s renowned Film Festival. Building on the success of the Riviera Theatre revitalization in 2016 and the opening of its own Education Center in 2019 in the downtown area, SBIFF continues to strengthen its commitment to the cultural fabric of Santa Barbara.

Disneyland Opens First Black-Themed Park Ride

Disneyland courtesy photo

By Darlene Donloe 

 Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, the first Black-themed ride in Disneyland’s history, finally opened to enormous fanfare on Friday, Nov. 15. 

The long-awaited new amusement park ride is the first time Disneyland’s diverse fan base has been able to see itself mirrored in one of the park’s rides. 

 The day before the opening, a host of Disney executives, fans, and celebrities, including Jenifer Lewis (Black-ish), who voices Mama Odie, Anika Noni Rose (Dreamgirls), who voices Princess Tiana, and Michael-Leon Wooley (AJ and the Queen), who voices ‘Louis,’ on the ride, were all on hand to christen Disney’s latest attraction and the next chapter of ‘The Princess and the Frog’. 

Lewis called the opening, ‘historic,’ while Rose called it ‘phenomenal,’ and ‘amazing.’ Charita Carter, executive creative producer of Tiana’s Bayou, and Carmen Smith, sr. v.p., creative development, Walt Disney Experiences, who both oversaw the development of the attraction, were on hand and called the ride a ‘fantastical journey.’ 

Tiana's Bayou Adventure is a log flume attraction at Magic Kingdom in Florida, and Disneyland in California. It is based on Disney's 2009 film, ‘The Princess and the Frog.’ 

The experience begins with an outdoor float-through that leads to indoor dark ride segments, with a climactic steep drop followed by an indoor finale. The drop is 52.5 feet (16.0 meters). 

The attraction, which replaced Splash Mountain, opened on June 28, 2024, at Magic Kingdom and on November 15, 2024, at Disneyland. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is set in New Orleans, circa 1927, as Tiana, who is now a restaurateur (Tiana’s Foods) is preparing to throw a Mardi Gras party. 

The water attraction has Tiana and her alligator friend, Louis, going into the bayou to find a band for the celebration. Tiana and Louis need help finding the new crew. Guests meet 19 new critters along the way, including a turtle, raccoon, bears, and more. They also run into Mama Odie and her pet snake Juju. 

The attraction, which has a carefree, cheerful feel, takes place in a land called Critter Country and takes riders on a musical journey through the Bayou with Tiana and her friends. It reportedly serves as a celebration, boasting a statement about the communal power of music and a narrative that serves as an American success story. 

One of the opening scenes has Tiana welcoming guests to the bayou while Louis plays the trumpet, frogs croak, and a band of critters plays zydeco music on various objects. Lighting up the scene are water lilies and fireflies. 

The ride features multiple songs from The Princess and the Frog, including “Down in New Orleans,” “Almost There,” “Gonna Take You There,” and “Dig a Little Deeper.” 

True to the Louisiana culture, the music, food, spirit, and flair of New Orleans are proudly on display, including murals by Louisiana artist Malaika Favorite on the building outside of the ride. While ‘Tiana’s Bayou Adventure’ is an incredible experience, the real magic comes from seeing a Black Disney Princess as the star of her own Disney Parks attraction for the first time. 

For some, that truly makes it ‘The Happiest Place On Earth’.

'King of Kings: Chasing Edward Jones' Doc, Produced By Quincy Jones and Debbie Allen, Has North American VOD Release

Gangster for some, philanthropist for others, who was really Edward Jones? In the 1930s and 1940s, this descendant of slaves becomes one of the richest men in the United States thanks to the Policy business, an illegal numbers game, that ultimately became the modern state lottery, now played by millions nationwide. It’s estimated that Edward Jones made amassed a fortune  $25 million in the Policy business (numbers game),  and put money in the pockets of Black folks who didn’t have many economic opportunities. But in these times of segregation, his success and unfailing support to the African American community are a problem. In conflict with both the mob and the Feds, he is eventually forces into a life on the run!

Exploring the rise and fall of the most famous Policy King of all times -- Edward  Jones, nicknamed the “King of Kings” --  his filmmaking granddaughter uncovers an unparalleled story, while showing the lasting repercussions of his untold story, both within her family, and for Chicago’s South Side where he once embodied the American dream. 

Love, success, violence, revenge, mafia, murder, betrayal, prison, kidnapping. . . Edward Jones’s story holds all the best ingredients of gangster movies. Add segregation and you have a very explosive cocktail! 

 KING OF KINGS | 98 minutes runtime 

Director Harriet Marin Jones and the legendary Quincy Jones.  
Photo by Emmanuel Guimier

 

Curtis Haywood Has An Emotional 'Last Dance'

 

 

As his mother valiantly fought brain cancer in the final two years of her life, soul/jazz saxophonist Curtis Haywood struggled to let her go. But he knew he had to let go if only to relieve her of the crippling pain she endured. In that moment of clarity, he imagined dancing with her one final time. Haywood captured that intimate and emotional moment on “Last Dance,” the newly released single that he wrote. Billboard chart-topping guitarist Steve Oliver produced the track and is featured playing on the Megawave Records release which is among the most added new singles on the Billboard radio chart. 

 

While the poignant backstory may seem somber, Haywood’s “Last Dance” is a joyous celebration of life’s transient beauty. The soulful interplay of Haywood's soprano saxophone and Oliver's guitar creates a rich, downtempo R&B groove inviting listeners to dance. 

The accompanying video, below, mirrors this vibrant energy, showcasing the track’s infectious spirit.

“‘Last Dance’ is about recognizing the necessity of releasing what no longer serves us, opening ourselves to new beginnings and brighter futures. This powerful message resonates throughout the song, making it a perfect anthem for anyone facing life’s inevitable transitions,” said Haywood who shot the video during a summer residency in the Hamptons.

 

The Brooklyn-born and based Haywood is a saxophonist and steelpan player who attended the Berklee College of Music. He has released three albums incorporating classic R&B, soul, jazz, and gospel beginning with his 2007 self-titled debut set. Haywood also issued a couple of Christmas singles, “Mary, Did You Know?” and “Hark the Herald Angles Sing.” A dynamic concert performer, Haywood has performed with or been on marquees featuring contemporary jazz, classic R&B, soul, and gospel greats Chieli Minucci, Elan Trotman, Will Donato, JJ Sansaverino, Melissa Morgan, Melba Moore; Ray, Goodman & Brown; The Intruders and Harold Melvin’s Blue Notes, Dennis Edwards and The Temptations Review, Kirk Franklin, Sounds of Blackness, and Noel Pointer.

John Smith & DA'JA 'Make Me Feel Good'

DETROIT, Mich. - Some lines from movies resonate on a deeper level. As multi-instrumentalist John Smith watched Halle Berry’s Academy Award-winning performance in “Monster’s Ball,” her character said something so simple, yet it had a profound impact on him, inspiring the title of his band DA’JA’s new single, “Make Me Feel Good.” The DA’JA Entertainment contemporary jazz release written and produced by Smith is currently collecting radio playlist adds as it hits streaming and retail platforms including Spotify, iTunes, and Apple Music.

“When Halle’s character leaned in and said, ‘Make me feel good,’ it was simple, but something about the way she delivered the line hit me. It felt raw like she was asking for more than just a moment. She was asking for connection, to be truly understood. That line stayed with me. It captured a feeling of vulnerability and desire, this universal need we all have to feel alive, wanted, and seen. Whether it’s being close to someone, feeling free, or breaking away from everything that holds us back. That’s where the song came from. It’s more than just words; it’s a request, a plea for something real and unforgettable,” said the Detroit-based Smith about the latest single from DA’JA’s “Life After Life” album, which dropped last year.

A cool electric jazz guitar lead speaks evocatively on “Make Me Feel Good.” The downtempo R&B/contemporary jazz groove is carved by bassist Rob Skinner and drummer Jeff Canady while the melodic backdrop is draped by Moe Whitsett’s understated keyboards and warmed by Dennis Lee’s horns.

Smith’s mission is to use music to unite and unify, bridging generations, races, and the cultural divide. Inspired by the death of GRAMMY-winning crossover superstar Selena, he crafted an alchemy of jazz, funk, R&B, and Latin music that he branded Latin Funk. DA’JA’s first album release, “Straight Up John Smith,” dropped in 2002. The band’s fourth collection, “Life After Life,” has spawned seven singles: “Life After Life,” “Takin It Easy,” “Paradise (Full Mix),” “After Five,” “Magical,” “True Love (Acoustic),” and now, “Make Me Feel Good.”

Nominated for Instrumental & Jazz Artist of the Year at the Los Angeles Music Awards, John Smith & DA’JA have played popular Detroit-area venues and festivals at which they shared the stage with Anita Baker, Martha Reeves, Force MDs, and The Time.

In its touring configuration, Smith anchors the DA’JA band septet from the drum throne and is flanked by Derrick Bow (bass), Rodney Walker (guitar), Eddie Payne (keyboards), Neyo Jones (percussion), Terrell Williams (trumpet), and Moe Garcias (horns).

For more information, visit https://dajaent.net.

 

LA Opera Presents Les Talens Lyriques On November 13

(Los Angeles) October 15, 2024 — On November 13, LA Opera will present the Paris-based chamber ensemble Les Talens Lyriques in a concert under the baton of founder and conductor Christophe Rousset, taking place in the intimate environment of Zipper Hall. The program, entitled "The Sound of Music in Versailles," is a tribute to the flourishing sound worlds of the master composers of the French Baroque era, created for the royal courts of King Louis XIV and XV.

"The Sound of Music in Versailles" will showcase music by Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632-1687) and François Couperin (1668-1733), as well as the lesser known Michel Lambert (c. 1610-1696) and Michel Pignolet de Montéclair (1667-1737).

Mezzo-soprano Amboisine Bré will be the featured vocal soloist. In addition to Mr. Rousset at the harpsichord, the instrumentalists will be violinist Gilone Gaubert violinist Benjamin Chénier and cellist Emmanuel Jacques.

Performance and Ticket Info

Les Talens Lyriques will perform at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 9, at the Colburn School's Zipper Concert Hall (located at 200 S. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012).

A limited number of tickets are on sale now, beginning at $54. Tickets can be purchased online at LAOpera.org, by phone at 213.972.8001, or in person at the LA Opera box office at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (135 N. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles CA 90012). For disability access, call 213.972.0777 or email LAOpera@LAOpera.org.

About Les Talens Lyriques

Championing a broad vocal and instrumental repertoire ranging from early Baroque to the beginnings of Romanticism, the musicians of Les Talens Lyriques aim to throw light on the great masterpieces of musical history, while providing perspective by presenting rarer or little-known works that are important as missing links in the European musical heritage. This musicological and editorial work, which contributes to their renown, is a priority for the ensemble.

Les Talens Lyriques takes their name from the subtitle of Jean-Philippe Rameau’s 1739 opera Les Fêtes d’Hébé. Their repertoire includes works by Monteverdi, Cavalli, Landi, Handel, Lully, Desmarest, Mondonville, Cimarosa, Traetta, Jommelli, Martin y Soler, Mozart, Salieri, Rameau, Gluck, Beethoven, Cherubini, García, Berlioz, Massenet, Gounod, Saint-Saëns and others.

Christophe Rousset and Les Talens Lyriques appear throughout Europe, with performances at the Opéra National de Paris, Opéra-Comique, Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Philharmonie de Paris, Opéra Royal de Versailles, Dutch National Opera, Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Lausanne Opéra, Teatro Real Madrid, Vienna State Opera, Theater an der Wien, Théâtre Royal de La Monnaie in Brussels, London’s Wigmore Hall and Barbican Centre, among others, as well as on tour elsewhere throughout the world.

Learn more at LesTalensLyriques.com.

Nicole Byer Brings the Funny to Beverly Hills

Nicole Byer

By Darlene Donloe

Nicole Byer has a ‘funny’ way of making her audience laugh.

For one night only, during a recent standup set at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, Byer’s comedy was on fire as she held the nearly sold-out, diverse audience in the palm of her hand.

Dressed casually in jeans, a bright, multi-colored striped top and black-white checked sneakers, Byers showed why she is a popular comedienne. Her charming personality – coupled with a solid delivery makes her a formidable comical opponent.

With only a microphone and a stool, the actress, host, and comedienne, who confidently paced back and forth making good use of the stage, took the audience on a journey through her life.

As she was introduced, Byer, sporting a slimmed-down frame, walked quickly to the lone microphone in the middle of the stage and wasted no time getting to work. A veteran and a pro, she knows how to keep the audience’s attention.

Nicole Byer

Best known as the host of the EMMY-nominated baking series Nailed It!, the podcaster and writer, whose 1,000-watt personality is as warm and inviting as it is hilarious and engaging, talked about being a big star with several Emmy nominations, using Ozempic, her hosting duties on ‘Wipeout,’ with co-host John Cena, traveling with her friend, Sasheer Zamata, who is also her co-host on the podcast ‘Best Friends,’ meeting a Munchkin-size Tom Cruise, her love of porn and her many failed relationships.

She proudly spoke about dumping one date because he bragged about putting sour cream in his mac ‘n cheese. It was a deal breaker.

But what she’s good at is interacting with her audience. She feeds off of the crowd. Half of her set was asking questions of those in the audience. With just a simple prompt as, ‘Who’s in a relationship,?’ Byer is off and running, with quick, and witty repartee. She could do a whole set by dissecting the relationship of her fans.

Nicole Byer

Looking for relationship advice, Byer, who loves to interject anecdotes from her life, asked one couple in the audience the secret to their longevity. Both the man and the woman, who have been married for 49 years, seemed confused by the question. Awkward moments went by with Byer close to giving up on getting an answer.  She jokingly looked at the couple and said, “I’m just trying to get some relationship advice.” Finally, the man said, keeping his mouth shut was the secret, while the woman said it was having good humor. By that time, Byer was ready to move on.

Fresh off her performance in the Netflix Is A Joke festival, Byer, who can be seen in the Netflix special, ‘Nicole Byer: Big Beautiful Weirdo and the NBC comedy, ‘Grand Crew,’ briefly bragged about her busy career.

In 2020, Byer made history by becoming the first Black woman ever to be nominated in the category of “Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program” and was nominated again in 2021 and 2022. The series premiered its seventh season in October 2022.

Byer can be seen in Comedy Central’s supernatural comedy, Cursed Friends alongside Harvey Guillén, Jessica Lowe, and Andrew Lewis Caldwell. She also appears in the immersive comedy special, Surrounded, presented by Just for Laughs.

Nori Reed

Nori Reed was the perfect opener. With her acerbic delivery, she quickly had the audience in stitches.

Reed, originally from Kentucky, is an LA-based comedian, writer, and actress who, at one time, described her comedy as languid, critical, psychosexual, and secretly hopeful.

Her set was much too short. Reed, who introduced Byer, is a great warm-up. It would be worth the price of admission to see her set again. 

As the audience left, it was clear by the quips and laughter, that Byer had successfully brought the funny!