In October 2016, as co-directors Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato began shooting their new HBO documentary, “Liberty: Mother of Exiles,” their plan was straightforward. The film, which premieres Oct. 17, would trace the history of the Statue of Liberty, and follow the designer Diane von Furstenberg’s efforts to raise money for the new Statue of Liberty Museum in New York City.
But then Donald Trump was elected, and the statue became contested ground — and because of his anti-immigration stance, a significant political symbol. Since Trump took office, the Statue of Liberty has not only been the site of two protests shown in “Liberty” — one of which shut down Liberty Island on July 4, 2018 — but also was the subject of a heated exchange between Trump adviser Stephen Miller and CNN’s Jim Acosta about the famous Emma Lazarus poem, ”The New Colossus,” inscribed on a plaque on its pedestal.
“We wanted to avoid...
But then Donald Trump was elected, and the statue became contested ground — and because of his anti-immigration stance, a significant political symbol. Since Trump took office, the Statue of Liberty has not only been the site of two protests shown in “Liberty” — one of which shut down Liberty Island on July 4, 2018 — but also was the subject of a heated exchange between Trump adviser Stephen Miller and CNN’s Jim Acosta about the famous Emma Lazarus poem, ”The New Colossus,” inscribed on a plaque on its pedestal.
“We wanted to avoid...
- 10/3/2019
- by Kate Aurthur
- Variety Film + TV
For President Trump and many of his political allies, the concept of “legal immigration” often boils down to one common refrain: “Get in line.” But as John Oliver detailed on Last Week Tonight, doing so is easier said than done — if not outright impossible.
“Legal immigration is good,” the comedian said during Sunday’s episode. “That is a popular opinion, both among those who see immigration as foundational to America and among economists who largely agree that it increases economic growth.”
Oliver noted that 13 percent of people in this country are immigrants,...
“Legal immigration is good,” the comedian said during Sunday’s episode. “That is a popular opinion, both among those who see immigration as foundational to America and among economists who largely agree that it increases economic growth.”
Oliver noted that 13 percent of people in this country are immigrants,...
- 9/16/2019
- by Ryan Reed
- Rollingstone.com
It wasn’t that long ago that racism carried decisive political cost for Republicans. Back in 2012, Ken Cuccinelli, then the attorney general of Virginia, did an interview with a conservative show called The Morning Majority and spoke of immigrants in a manner many considered to be a comparison to vermin. “It is worse than our immigration policy,” he said of Washington, D.C.’s pest control standards. “You can’t break up rat families. Or raccoons, and all the rest, and you can’t even kill ‘em.”
The comparison more...
The comparison more...
- 8/14/2019
- by Jamil Smith
- Rollingstone.com
Composer, actress and accordion player Shaina Taub will hang up her squeezebox – temporarily, rest assured – this Sunday when her acclaimed Shakespeare in the Park musical adaptation of Twelfth Night closes its month-long run, bringing an end to a two-year journey that had the now-29-year-old songwriter working with everyone from non-professional performers in all five New York boroughs to the artistic directors of Manhattan’s Public Theater (Oskar Eustis) and London’s Young Vic (Kwame Kwei-Armah).
No end-of-summer blues for Taub, though – well, not a lot anyway – as the 2009 NYU grad and original cast member of Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 forges on with two fantastically intriguing projects: She’s collaborating with Elton John on a musical version of The Devil Wears Prada, and she’s continuing development of her own musical about the...
No end-of-summer blues for Taub, though – well, not a lot anyway – as the 2009 NYU grad and original cast member of Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 forges on with two fantastically intriguing projects: She’s collaborating with Elton John on a musical version of The Devil Wears Prada, and she’s continuing development of her own musical about the...
- 8/15/2018
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Los Angeles composer Peter Boyer will have his biggest national showcase to date when PBS’s “Great Performances” debuts his “Ellis Island: The Dream of America” on Friday, June 29.
Carl St. Clair conducts the Pacific Symphony in the hour-long broadcast, taped last year as part of the orchestra’s annual American Composers Festival. Actors Barry Bostwick, Camryn Manheim and Michael Nouri are among those speaking the words of immigrants who came through Ellis Island during the early years of the 20th century. Hundreds of historical photos provide a visual backdrop for both actors and orchestra.
Boyer talks about the challenge of writing “Ellis Island” in the below:
Boyer received a 2005 Grammy nomination for “best classical contemporary composition” for the work, which draws on the true stories of seven immigrants and frames their words with dramatic orchestral music that is very much in an Americana vein. The piece concludes with a...
Carl St. Clair conducts the Pacific Symphony in the hour-long broadcast, taped last year as part of the orchestra’s annual American Composers Festival. Actors Barry Bostwick, Camryn Manheim and Michael Nouri are among those speaking the words of immigrants who came through Ellis Island during the early years of the 20th century. Hundreds of historical photos provide a visual backdrop for both actors and orchestra.
Boyer talks about the challenge of writing “Ellis Island” in the below:
Boyer received a 2005 Grammy nomination for “best classical contemporary composition” for the work, which draws on the true stories of seven immigrants and frames their words with dramatic orchestral music that is very much in an Americana vein. The piece concludes with a...
- 6/25/2018
- by Jon Burlingame
- Variety Film + TV
Camila Cabello gave an inspiring speech about Dreamers before a U2 performance.
The Cuban-Mexican singer, 20, took the Grammy Award stage to talk about her own experience growing up as an immigrant.
“Tonight in this room full of music’s dreamers we remember that this country was built by dreamers for dreamers chasing the American dream. I’m here on this stage tonight because just like the Dreamers, my parents brought me to this country with nothing in their pockets but hope,” said Cabello, who was born in Cuba and lived in Mexico before emigrating to Miami when she was 6.
She continued,...
The Cuban-Mexican singer, 20, took the Grammy Award stage to talk about her own experience growing up as an immigrant.
“Tonight in this room full of music’s dreamers we remember that this country was built by dreamers for dreamers chasing the American dream. I’m here on this stage tonight because just like the Dreamers, my parents brought me to this country with nothing in their pockets but hope,” said Cabello, who was born in Cuba and lived in Mexico before emigrating to Miami when she was 6.
She continued,...
- 1/29/2018
- by Ale Russian
- PEOPLE.com
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