74th Cannes Film Festival is Back in 2021, Day One- 06-07-2021

After canceling the Cannes Film Festival in 2020 because of Covid 19, the 74th Cannes Film Festival is back in 2021 with its opening day on July 6, albeit two months later than its usual May date.  However, with some major changes to protect attendees, including Covid testing daily, fully vaccinated people along with social distancing and the wearing of masks.  

The red carpet steps are as lively with the paparazzi who I am sure missed having the opportunity last year of capturing pictures of the stars in attendance. This year they have the added pleasure of having Jury President Spike Lee Jury who always brings a lot of antics and wit on the red carpet. Opening day at the 74th Cannes Film Festival he showed up in a Louis Vuitton hot pink suit with matching sunglasses and custom Nike sneakers with his face on the tongue and a pink trim. Spike also has the added attention of having his likeness on the this years program, the Palais billboard and the official poster. An unheard of accomplishment at the Cannes Film Festival. I have attended every year since 2000 and never saw this offered to any other Jury President. Spike Lee will lead the jury of this year's at this years Cannes Film Festival and organizers hope the provocative American director will “shake things up” at the gathering of the world's cinema elite. Lee said he was “honored to be the first person of the African diaspora" chosen for the prestigious position. I am so sorry I was not able to attend Cannes this year for this historic moment and to cheer on Spike Lee in his history making role. 

Met Erica Watson in Cannes in 2012 when she was promoting her short film Rubado. I was fortunate support her in that effort and since then she has been making quite an impact in Hollywood, directing numerous episodes of major television shows. 

https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/the-4400-reboot-cw-erica-watson-director-1234934897/?fbclid=IwAR02ie5q0ug9Cir0W-HG5Pl-lfXb04NvUEHU5Ef7k-musQLOrHdGdf-v2Q4

The hottest new actor on the scene right now is the breakout star of Netflix's Bridgerton Series, Rege'-Jean Page.

From the moment Rege'-Jean Page appears on the screen in Netflix's Bridgerton series from Shondaland Productions, you were mesmerized, caught up,  falling in love and swooning all at the same time. Like one of my associates said, "everyone get out your fans, because Rege' is hotter than the fourth of July."

This was not Rege's first turn working with Shonda Rhimes (Shondaland), he starred for two seasons in the series "For the People" from 2018-2019. Born in January 1990 he falls under the zodiac sign of Aquarius. His name pronunciation is Rege' as in reggae, and Jean as in Wyclef. Born and raised in Harare, Zimbabwe of mixed race to a Zimbabwean mother and British father, Rege' moved to London at the age of 14. He formed a punk band with his younger brother where he played drums and sang.

Movies - Troublemaker (2004), Space Ark (2014), The Merchant of Venice (2016), Mortal Engines (2018), and Sylvies Love (2020).

 TV Shows - Casualty (2005),  Fresh Meat (2013), Waterloo Road (2015), Roots (2016), For the People (2109) and Bridgerton (2020). 

As of January 2021, Rege'-Jean's social media following has gone from 72.6k followers in December 2020 on Instagram to 2.8M, and 15.6K followers on Twitter to 93.2k.

Nice, France Old Town at night

Red Carpet Productions Vintage Clothing for Sale

This vintage Gianfranco Ferre dress is one of kind and is new and never worn. Price provided to interested parties only. #GianfrancoFerre #vintageclothing #vintage #runway

2016 Clive Davis Pre-Grammy Party

The Clive Davis Annual Pre-Grammy Party

Sunday, February 14, 2016 is not only Valentines Day but the date of one of the hottest parties in Los Angeles during Grammy weekend.  The entire week leading up to the Grammys are filled with parties throughout the City but none creates the hyper madness as Clive's pre-grammy affair.  This year there is a battle for A-list star attendance between Davis and the wedding of Apple Executive and Interscope Records founder Jimmy Iovine's marriage to Liberty Ross (ex-wife of movie director Rupert Sanders). Low and behold they are both schedule for the same date and time. The Iovine/Ross wedding is being held at David Geffens Beverly Hills mansion which is only a few miles from the Beverly Hilton Hotel, site of the Davis annual A-list soiree. There was an attempt made by the Davis organizing team to change the date to Saturday evening which has been the day of the party for the past 40 years, but unfortunately the hotel had already booked the date.  The reason for this years Sunday date is because the pre-grammy party was always held the day before the Grammy and this year the Grammy's have been moved to Monday instead of Sunday, thus canceling out the Saturday date.

The logistics this year included a massive security checkpoint for partygoers with scanners and waning of guest before they are even checked into the ticket line.

From my perch in the Beverly Hilton lobby I spotted a number of A-Listers and B-Listers lining up to be waned and scanned, dressed in black tie and evening gowns.

The annual pre-Grammys event honored music manager Irving Azoff, who received the Recording Academy’s Industry Icon Award and a cast of movie stars, music industry hotshots were also in attendance. Party goers included Jamie Foxx, Sylvester Stallone, Chris Rock, Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton, Jane Fonda, Christina Aguilera, Carly Simon, Barry Manilow, John Legend and a whole lot more.

There were several musical performances with Beck and Dave Grohl providing a tribute to David Bowie by performing his song “The Man Who Sold the World.”  Some other performances included Carly Simon, Barry Manilow, Fetty Wap, and  Earth, Wind & Fire, who honored the recently deceased founder and front man Maurice White.


At the pool the next day I spotted several of the attendees (Dionne Warwick, Chaz Ebert) resting up and getting some sun before the nights Grammy Awards.  I actually hung out with Jamie Foxx who was babysitting his daughter and some young relatives while they played in the hotel pool. We sang some old school music that he was playing on his boombox, including the Average White Bands, Play That Funky Music White Boy and Bell Biv Devoe's Poison. He was busy signing autographs for anyone who came up to him and taking selfies with anyone who asked. He finally turned it into a party when he and another pool attendee started dancing to BBD's song.  He kept turning the sound up until finally security came over to see what was going on.  It was funny watching the guys face when he realized it was Jamie. Of course he couldn't do anything about it because it was Jamie.  The perks of being an A-lister. #CliveDavisGrammyParty @JamieFoxx #BeverlyHiltonHotel #Grammy #Pool #Party #BellBivDevoe

Jamie Foxx with his daughter and nieces and nephews in the Beverly Hilton Hotel Pool

Jamie Fox, Evelyn Wheeler and Linda O'Bannon at the Beverly Hilton Hotel

Jamie Foxx and Evelyn Wheeler and the Beverly Hilton Hotel

Jamie Foxx and friend dancing to BBD, Poison at the Beverly Hilton Hotel Pool


Jamie Foxx and friend dancing to BBD, Poison at the Beverly Hilton Hotel Pool

The 58th Grammy Awards

Monday February 15 was the Grammy Awards at the Staples Center hosted by LL Cool J.

World Premiere of Olympic Pride, American Prejudice at the LA Film Festival

June 4, 2016 the astounding Deborah Riley Draper documentary film Olympic Pride, American Prejudice had its world premiere at the LA Film Festival in Culver City, California. The film which chronicles the 18 African American athletes who competed in the 1936 Summer Games in Berlin, Germany at the height of Hitler's Nazi regime is a tour de force from Deborah Draper.  The 18 athletes who competed in track and field, boxing and boxing were Jesse Owens, Ralph Metcalfe, Mack Robinson (the older brother of baseball player Jackie Robinson), Art Oliver, James Clark Atkinson, John Brooks, Dave Albritton, James LuValle, John Woodruff, Archie Williams, Frederick Pollard,  Jack Wilson, Cornelius Johnson, Howard King, Willis Johnson, John Terry, Tidye Pickett, and Louise Stokes defied Hitler's notion of Aryan Supremacy.  Since the German's filmed everything, there is tons of footage of the track and field competitions. Although Jesse Owens was well known for the four gold medals he won in Germany, the other 17 athletes were largely ignored once they returned home under Jim Crow laws.

Written and directed by Ms. Draper whose 2012 multi-award winning film Versailles 73: American Runway Revolution (covered in this blog numerous times over the years) was just a glimpse into where this filmmaker is headed. Her tenacity for digging into the souls of the individuals covered in her documentaries is trail blazing. The research that it took to create this film is amazing. Ms. Draper and her crew traveled across the USA and to Berlin and beyond to bring a creditable film to the screen. From the opening vintage footage of the 400 meter race to the end logging each of the athletes accomplishments during and after Berlin, this film will inspire and fill you with pride.

Executive produced and narrated by multiple Image and Grammy Award winner Blair Underwood,  his well-tuned voice also resonates with the accomplishments of the athletes. The background music and the theme song " Find My Victory" written by Composer Cheryl Rogers for the film will fill you with emotion and if you find yourself shedding a tear, it's just a sign that the emotional ride was well worth it.

Executive Producer Blair Underwood, Writer/Director Deborah Riley Draper, Executive Producer Michael Draper, Executive Producer Amy Tiemann and daughter Miranda and husband Michael at the Olympic Pride, American Prejudice cocktail reception at the Culver Hotel during the LA Film Festival

Lorrie Ivas and Writer/Director Deborah Riley Draper at the LA Film Festival screening of Olympic Pride, American Prejudice at the Arc Light Cinemas

Eric Johnson and Shannon King Nash 

Executive Producer Blair Underwood, Writer/Director Deborah Riley Draper at the Olympic Pride, American Prejudice cocktail reception at the Culver Hotel during the LA Film Festival

Caralene Robinson, Evelyn Bakon Wheeler and Writer/Director Deborah Riley Draper, at the Olympic Pride, American Prejudice cocktail reception at the Culver Hotel during the LA Film Festival

Line Producer, Lacy Barnes, Evelyn Bakon Wheeler and Caralene Robinson on the red carpet at the Olympic Pride, American Prejudice cocktail reception at the Culver Hotel during the LA Film Festival

Executive Producer Blair Underwood and Evelyn Bakon Wheeler at the Olympic Pride, American Prejudice cocktail reception at the Culver Hotel during the LA Film Festival

Writer/Director Deborah Riley Draper, and Eric Johnson 

Writer/Director Deborah Riley Draper at the Q&A after the screening of Olympic Pride, American Prejudice at the LA Film Festival

DP Jonathan Hall, Writer/Director Deborah Riley Draper, Executive Producer/Narrator Blair Underwood at the sold out second screening of Olympic Pride, American Prejudice

Lorrie Ivas, Evelyn Bakon Wheeler and Writer/Director Deborah Riley Draper after the screening of Olympic Pride,  American Prejudice at the LA Film Festival

AAFCA Awards in Los Angeles

Grammy week in LA is loaded with parties and events everywhere. However, I arrived at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, Tuesday, February 9, 2016 to attend the AAFCA Awards the next evening.  This will be my third attendance at the AAFCA's. I am here to support my friend Writer/Director Deborah Riley Draper (her first documentary film was Versailles 73: American Runway Revolution) for which she was awarded the AAFCA Best Director Documentary Award in 2013) and is currently working on her second documentary, Olympic Pride, American Prejudice.  Deborah asked me to act as her publicist on the red carpet, as she will be presenting the Best Director Award for a documentary film along with Louis Gossett, Jr.  It was a full day starting with a visit to the taping of the The Talk at CBS Studios and lunch with Deborah, Lacy and Linda at the divine Asian fusion restaurant Rock Sugar.

Below are some AAFCA red carpet moments.

Actress Emayatzy Corinealdi

Comedian Tommy Lee Davidson

Actor Courtney Vance

Director Deborah Riley-Draper

Deborah Riley-Draper

Actress Sheryl Lee Ralph

Chaz Ebert and Deborah Riley-Draper

Singer/Actor Tyrese Gibson

Deborah Riley-Draper and Louis Gossett, Jr.

Stars of TV Sitcom "Blackish"

Miles Brown and Yara Shahidi from Blackish

Chaz Ebert

Deborah Riley-Draper

Sheryl Lee Ralph

Courtney Vance star of the OJ mini series as Johnny Cochran