The Walter Kaitz Foundation’s annual Hollywood Creative Forum event will focus its lens beyond diversity within the U.S. entertainment industry toward a more global perspective.
The virtual forum, which runs Aug. 11-12, will continue to champion culturally accurate representation across entertainment through its various sessions, conversations and screenings, but this year’s offering will also broaden its reach internationally to showcase content created beyond our boarders, according to Kaitz Foundation executive director Michelle Ray.
“This year’s theme, ‘Stories from the Diaspora,’ acknowledges the industry’s global audience by exploring stories from the US and across the globe that speak to the human experience of any group of people who are living outside their place of origin, and how every diasporic experience deeply affects our individual and collective stories,” Ray said. “When you think about how globally influential media & entertainment is in shifting and shaping our perspectives, you recognize the huge opportunity, and some would even say responsibility, to expand the lens, to be sure that every story is told well, with authenticity and respect.”
Among the highlights of the Forum are “KaitzTalk” sessions with Africa Channel principle owner and Madison Media Management LLC chairman and CEO Paula Madison, and Revolt Media and TV CEO Detavio Samuels; a screening of documentary film Stateless, which looks at the history and present-day politics of Haiti and the Dominican Republic; and panel sessions focusing on navigating the original content pipeline and understanding the Native American voice in entertainment.
