Page 29 - ARUBA TODAY

PEOPLE & ARTS A29
Black Panther movie causing excitement around country
By JESSE J. HOLLAND
Associated Press
There’s a Black Panther
party going on all around
the country.
Superhero fans, movie
fans and especially con-
noisseurs of black culture
— American and African
— are all eagerly await-
ing the debut of Marvel’s
“Black Panther” movie
starring comic book’s first
black superhero with an
enthusiasm not often seen
in American cinema.
“Black Panther” viewing
parties are already be-
ing scheduled around
the country for its Febru-
ary release, smack dab
in the middle of Black His-
tory Month. There are lines
of clothing based on the
movie’s African style being
prepared — the bright col-
ors and Afrofuturism styles
of Wakanda are in for
the spring. And Grammy-
winning rapper Kendrick
Lamar was just named to
produce the soundtrack.
And people are already
calling the yet-to-be seen
movie one of the most im-
portant of 2018, despite
the fact that the charac-
ter that has only appeared
once on the silver screen
and until now, has not oc-
cupied the same panthe-
on as comic book stalwarts
like Superman, Batman
and Spiderman.
Cate Blanchett to head
Cannes film festival jury
By SAMUEL PETREQUIN
Associated Press
PARIS (AP) — Australian
actress and campaigner
against sexual harassment
Cate Blanchett will head
this year’s Cannes film fes- months after she expressed
tival jury, organizers said
Thursday. In a statement,
top Cannes officials Pierre
Lescure and Thierry Frem-
aux expressed their delight
in welcoming “such a rare
and unique artist whose
talent and convictions
enrich both screen and
stage.” A two-time Acade-
my award winner, Blanch-
ett follows Spanish director ing Reese Witherspoon
Pedro Almodovar, who
headed the 70th edition
This image released by Disney and Marvel Studios’ shows Chadwick Boseman in a scene from
“Black Panther,” in theaters on Feb. 16, 2018. tional Community Building
But for some fans, none
of that matters because
the Black Panther holds a
unique position in the su-
perhero world and espe-
cially in the African and
black diaspora.
“As the father of two little
black boys I’m super ex-
cited to have a superhero
that looks like them on
screen,” said Glen Greezy
of New York City, who
along with more than 900
of his friends on Facebook,
plan to hit Times Square
and see the movie to-
gether on opening week-
end. “Other super heroes
are great and I see their
movies too, but something
about having a black man
as the main character in
of the festival last year. This down against sexual ha-
year’s star-studded event
on the French Riviera will
take place from May 8-19.
The appointment of
Blanchett, 48, comes
her support to the doz-
ens of women who came
forward with allegations
of sexual assault and ha-
rassment against Harvey
Weinstein, the disgraced
Hollywood mogul.
More recently, she joined
the Time’s Up initiative
alongside other high-
profile actresses includ-
and Emma Stone. The
campaign aims to clamp
a superhero movie is extra
appealing.” “Black Pan-
ther,” starring Chadwick
Boseman as the epony-
mous superhero, debuts on
February 16, picking up the
adventures of the newly
crowned African king and
superhero who debuted in
2016’s “Captain America:
Civil War.” Existing in the
same shared universe as
Iron Man, the Hulk, Captain
America and Spiderman,
the Panther, however, is
African royalty and his ad-
ventures center around his
futuristic hidden homeland
of Wakanda, considered
to be the most technologi-
cally advanced nation on
Marvel’s earth. In the new
movie, T’Challa, the Black
rassment and inequality
in the workplace. Cannes
organizers did not mention
the Weinstein scandal or
Blanchett’s commitment
to the fight against sexual
harassment. “I have been
to Cannes in many guises
over the years; as an ac-
tress, producer, in the mar-
ketplace, the gala-sphere
and in competition,”
Blanchett said.
“But never solely for the
sheer pleasure of watch-
ing the cornucopia of films
this great festival harbors. I
am humbled by the privi-
lege and responsibility of
presiding over this year’s
Friday 5 January 2018
Carolina and the Inten-
Collective and Leaders
Associated Press of a Beautiful Struggle in
Baltimore, are assembling
Panther’s real name, must discussion panels on the
battle long-time adversar- movie’s themes.
ies with the aide of his all- “’Black Panther’ is just go-
female bodyguards and ing to be really special. ...
a CIA agent to maintain I don’t plug into film an-
control of his country and ticipation. But I can feel it.
prevent a world war. A lot of my friends have
Directed by Ryan Coogler, asked me to go to the
it also has an all-star cast premiere! Everyone in my
including Angela Bassett, network is excited about it,
Lupita Nyong’o, Michael and you can feel it when
B. Jordan, Forest Whitaker, they’re not,” said Daniel
Danai Gurira, Sterling K. Kaluuya, the “Get Out”
Brown and more. star who also is featured in
For many people, the “Black Panther,” told The
Black Panther movie isn’t Associated Press recently.
just a movie; it’s a symbol The Internet explodes each
of change. time a new trailer, poster or
Groups like MALIK Frater- piece of artwork debuts
nity Inc., the first collegiate from the movie, spark-
fraternity founded on the ing hashtags like #Black-
concept of African frater- PantherSoLit and #Wel-
nalism, in Charlotte, North cometoWakanda. Twitter
declared that Black Pan-
ther was one of the most
tweeted-about movies of
2017, and the only movie
on the list that hadn’t pre-
miered yet. (https://twit-
ter.com/TwitterData/sta-
tus/938112019361882115 )
“Do we really have to wait
until February!” lamented
Elwood L. Robinson, chan-
cellor of Winston-Salem
State University in Winston-
Salem, North Carolina, on
Twitter while sporting a
Black Panther t-shirt.q
In this April 11, 2017 file photo, actress Cate Blanchett poses
during a photocall ahead of a diner for the launch of a Louis
Vuitton leather goods collection in collaboration with U.S. artist
Jeff Koons, at the Louvre Museum, in Paris.
Associated Press
jury.” Blanchett won the ese’s “The Aviator.”
2014 Oscar for best actress In 2012, she was honored
for her part in Woody Al- by the French government
len’s “Blue Jasmine,” ten and awarded the Cheva-
years after being awarded lier de l’Ordre des Arts et
the Oscar for best support- des Lettres by the French
ing actress in Martin Scors- Minister for Culture.q