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PEOPLE & ARTS Thursday 5 sepTember 2019
Filmmaker Nate Parker apologizes for being ‘tone deaf’

By LINDSEY BAHR vations putting his name
Associated Press behind Parker’s.
VENICE, Italy (AP) — Three “It’s a move forward. Nate
years ago, filmmaker Nate is in here. He’s not hiding.
Parker came under scrutiny He’s answering all ques-
for a rape allegation from tions,” Lee said. “This is only
his college days that essen- Nate’s second feature film,
tially derailed the release of there’s a lot more in him.”
his Nat Turner film “The Birth The producers didn’t hesi-
of a Nation.” tate to back a film from
Now, with a new film about Parker either, even con-
police brutality debuting sidering the fact that “The
at the Venice Film Inter- Birth of a Nation” fizzled in
national Film Festival, he is theaters and didn’t even
apologizing for how he re- make back its acquisition
sponded then. price. Next week, they’ll
“Standing here today at take the film to the Toronto
39, the reality is I was quite International Film Festival
tone deaf ... to a lot of the to screen for distributors in
things that happened in hope of securing a release
the climate,” Parker said at plan.
a small news conference in “In Europe we didn’t know
Venice on Sunday. “My re- what was going on with
sponse obviously hurt a lot Director Nate Parker, left, and actor Shane Paul McGhie pose for photographers at the photo call Nate Parker,” Ammar said,
of people, frustrated and for the film ‘American Skin’ at the 76th edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, Sunday, who called Parker’s agent
angered a lot of people Sept. 1, 2019. after being moved by “The
and I apologize.” Associated Press Birth of a Nation.” ‘’All I
The film’s inclusion in this Parker was accused of at the festival to some 650 his own way. Parker was in- cared about is the power
year’s festival, which also sexual assault when he people. spired to write the film after of the filmmaker, actor,
saw the premiere of a new was a sophomore at Penn “I’m still learning and grow- Michael Brown was killed in writer, director.”
Roman Polanski film, was State University. Although ing and still feeling the Ferguson, Missouri. In the film, Parker brings
criticized by some who he was acquitted, the in- need to make films that “I haven’t had a film that’s together all sides to have
saw it as incongruous with cident emerged in the speak to things that need affected me this deeply in a “real conversation” be-
the progress that has been press around the release to change in our country a while,” said Lee, who of- tween those supporting
made in the culture in the of “The Birth of a Nation,” a and the world,” Parker said. fered to help Parker in any the police and those feel-
#MeToo era. The #MeToo film which many expected “And this topic was very way that he could. “This is ing persecuted by law en-
movement, which refer- to win awards. Parker re- dear to me.” a very important film and I forcement.
ences a Twitter hashtag sponded then saying he The new film, “American wanted to be part of it ... “What I wanted to do was
used by victims to acknowl- was “falsely accused” and Skin,” stars Parker as an Art can affect people’s be- really force the conversa-
edge experiences of sexu- had been “vindicated” ex-Marine who sees his un- havior good or bad. And tion,” he said. “This film isn’t
al assault and harassment, by the court. A remorse- armed 14-year-old son mur- it is my hope that this film about those two sides. It’s
gained international mo- ful Parker was seated dered by a police officer deals with the very serious about being the bridge
mentum in October 2017 alongside Spike Lee, who during a traffic stop. When problem with police and between those two sides ...
after dozens of women ac- is supporting the film, and the courts fail to hold the brown and black people in and being able to talk on
cused movie mogul Harvey producers Mark Burg and officer responsible, Parker’s the United States of Ameri- the level about what they
Weinstein of sexual miscon- Tarak Ben Ammar hours be- character Lincoln Jefferson ca.” see and what they feel ev-
duct. fore his new film premieres decides to seek justice in Lee said he had no reser- ery day.”q

Franco Columbu, bodybuilder and Schwarzenegger friend, dies

By GIADA ZAMPANO the man he called “my best of Mr. Olympia in 1976 and
Associated Press friend.” He often referred to 1981.
ROME (AP) — Italian body- Columbu as the strongest Besides his athletic career,
builder, boxer and actor man he ever knew, Columbu acted for TV
Franco Columbu, one of The two men built an endur- shows series and in mov-
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s ing friendship after meeting ies. He appeared in three
closest friends, has died in in Germany 54 years ago. of Schwarzenegger’s films:
his native Sardinia. He was “I love you Franco. I will “The Terminator,” ‘’The
78. always remember the joy Running Man” and “Conan
Columbu died at John Paul you brought to my life, the the Barbarian.”
II hospital in the city of Ol- advices you gave me, and Sylvester Stallone also re-
bia after he became ill the twinkle in your eye that membered Columbu in a
while swimming in the sea, never disappeared,” the tweet.
the hospital said. move star and former Cali- “The greatest and strongest
He lived in Los Angeles for fornia governor wrote. bodybuilder I have ever
years but was vacationing After starting his career met has passed... He taught
In this April 26, 1986 file photo, maid of Honor Caroline Kennedy in Sardinia. as a boxer, Columbu pro- me many things that I have
and Best Man Franco Columbu, leave St. Francis Xavier Church Schwarzenegger, a body- gressed into Olympic applied throughout my life -
after the wedding of Caroline’s cousin Maria Shriver to Arnold builder before he turned weightlifting, powerlifting, We will NEVER HAVE A MAN
Schwarzenegger in Hyannis, Mass. to acting, posted a warm and later bodybuilding, LIKE THIS AGAIN,” the actor
Associated Press farewell on Twitter about winning the prestigious title tweeted. q