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During Black History Month, there are no shortage of fascinating stories available to strengthen our appreciation for the contributions made by African Americans to U. S.

Following international acclaim for high octane thriller shows such as Fauda, Tehran and Prisoners of War, the last adapted stateside as Homeland, the Israeli television landscape now boasts a new comedy series, romantic while somewhat on the raunchy side, which has opened to rave reviews. Fresh from its North American premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, where it appeared as part of its Indie Episodic Program, Chanshi follows the defiant yet charming titular character as she breaks away from her traditional observant Jewish community in Brooklyn in order to fulfill her most intimate fantasies in the Holy Land in a series whose premise tackles religion and sexuality in an unconventional and provocative manner.

Not rain, sleet or snow could stop our intrepid HFPA members, Yong Chavez and Miriam Spritzer, from attending the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah last week and hitting all the buzzed-about screenings. We quiz the journalists about the vibe, the packed cinemas and great Q&A, and, of course, what they thought of the movies that everyone else was talking about, including: Eileen (Anne Hathaway), Theatre Camp, Magazine Dreams (Jonathan Majors), Past Lives, Shortcomings and You Hurt My Feelings (Julia Louis-Dreyfus).

On February 12, 1993, a small romcom movie titled Groundhog Day was released by Columbia Pictures - and we’ve been re-living that day over and over again for 30 years every February 2 as the official Groundhog Day. The film was directed, produced and co-written by comic genius, Harold Ramis, who died in 2014 at age 69 and also starred in, wrote and/or directed other classic comedies including: National Lampoon Animal House (1978), Meatballs (1979), Caddyshack (1980), Stripes (1981) and the groundbreaking blockbuster franchise, Ghostbusters (1984).

Music has been a great jumping board for singers who segue into acting in Hollywood. Most of them made their first public appearance on the gospel stage as kids and blossomed into the mainstream global stage.

Perpetratin’ Realism – 1990s Black Film, the HFPA-funded American Cinematheque series, has successfully continued for the last eight months to bring New Black Realism films to Los Angeles audiences. Films like New Jack City, Boyz n the Hood and Eve’s Bayou have reinvigorated issues surrounding Black life and racism through the prism of today’s heightened awareness.

Commitment to Life is a documentary about unwavering bravery in the face of death, as we meet and hear about so many of the extraordinary and courageous people in Los Angeles who stepped forward during the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Premiering at the Santa Barbara Film Festival on February 11, Commitment to Life is directed by Jeffrey Schwarz (Tab Hunter Confidential, I Am Divine), and documents the true story of how an intrepid group of LA people living with HIV/AIDS – doctors, movie stars, studio moguls and activists – changed the course of the pandemic.

A family, a piano: a classic home combination. Add some ghosts and the signature of August Wilson (1945-2005), and the result is a Pulitzer Award drama (1990) that Broadway just reprised, and has been announced as an upcoming movie with the same stage cast.

The documentary Invisible Beauty tells the story of Bethann Hardison, a fashion revolutionary who has been on the front lines of racial justice in her industry for over five decades. Through her life journey as a pioneering Black model, modeling agent and activist, the film explores race, beauty, and representation.

Indigenous Nollywood films have landed in mainstream movie theaters in the United States. The start was encouraging, and the organizers, Regal Cinemas, FilmOne Entertainment and Part Two Media with Amplify Africa promise new Nigerian movies in theaters every four to six weeks.