Film News Roundup: AMC, Regal to Leave ‘Roma’ Out of Best Picture Showcases
In today’s film news roundup, “Roma” will not be in the best picture showcases at AMC and Regal, “Jimi Hendrix: Electric Church” gets a release and SAG-AFTRA’s David White has a new appointment.
‘ROMA’ SPURNED
Related stories
The Message of the Oscar Nominations: You'd Better Have a Social Message
How to Watch This Year's Oscar-Nominated Films
Vote: Which Movie Should Win the Oscar for Best Picture?
AMC Theatres and Regal Cinemas are leaving Alfonso Cuaron’s “Roma” out of their upcoming annual showings of the contenders for the Academy Award for best picture.
Both chains made the announcement Tuesday after “Roma” was nominated for 10 Academy Awards and indicated that the rationale stems from their refusal to book Neflix’s titles, due to the Netflix policy of ignoring the traditional 90-day window between initial theatrical release and home release. In the case of “Roma,” Netflix debuted the movie on Nov. 21 and began streaming the film on Dec. 14.
AMC said, “For more than a decade, movie-lovers have enjoyed the AMC Best Picture Showcase to catch up on the nominated films that played at AMC throughout the prior year. This year, Academy members nominated a film that was never licensed to AMC to play in our theatres. As such, it is not included in the AMC Best Picture Showcase.”
Regal said in its statement: “The Regal Best Picture Film Festival showcases the Best Picture nominees that played in our theatres in 2018. For that reason, ‘Roma,’ a movie predominantly shown on TV, will not be included in our festival.”
The news was first reported by Deadline Hollywood.
HENDRIX DOCUMENTARY
Abramorama is partnering with Experience Hendrix LLC and Sony Legacy Recordings to release their concert documentary “Jimi Hendrix: Electric Church” in more than 35 theaters over the next two months.
“Electric Church,” which originally aired on Showtime, tells the story of the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s involvement as the headliner of the Second Atlanta International Pop Festival on July 4, 1970. The film features interviews with Hendrix’s Experience bandmates Billy Cox and the late Mitch Mitchell as well as Steve Winwood, Rich Robinson, Kirk Hammett, Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeschi and festival organizer Alex Cooley. The film will be shown first on Jan. 31 at the Arclight Hollywood and the IFC Center in New York.
The performance took place 10 weeks before Hendrix died at the age of 27. The film includes performances of “Hey Joe,” “Voodoo Child (Slight Return),” “Purple Haze,” “Straight Ahead,” “Freedom” and “Room Full Of Mirrors.”
SAG-AFTRA APPOINTMENT
SAG-AFTRA national executive director David White has been appointed by the Federal Reserve Board of Governors to a seat as director of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.
White will serve as one of nine directors of the San Francisco bank for a three-year term that runs through Dec. 31, 2021. The board of directors plays a role in monetary and credit policy along with supervising administration of the regional bank.
White became national executive director of the Screen Actors Guild in 2009. He was a major driver for the 2012 merger of SAG and AFTRA, which currently represents about 160,000 performers.
Subscribe to Variety Newsletters and Email Alerts!