AFI FEST Summits to include conversations with Eva Longoria, Awkwafina, Florence Pugh, Jimmie Fails and more

Sterling K. Brown, Jon Hamm, Kerry Washington and Alfre Woodard Among “Indie Contenders” to Be Spotlighted 

Eva Longoria to discuss lack of representation of Latinx individuals in film

The American Film Institute (AFI) announced today the program for the inaugural AFI Summit that will take place at AFI FEST 2019 presented by Audi.

The lineup includes a conversation with producer, director, actress and activist Eva Longoria and founder of the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative Dr. Stacy Smith to discuss the latest findings from the Initiative about the alarming lack of representation of Latinx individuals in film; an in-depth and wide-ranging conversation between Susan Ruskin, Dean of the AFI Conservatory and Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer of Netflix; The Hollywood Reporter’s Indie Contenders Roundtable moderated by Scott Feinberg; the Los Angeles Times’ Doc Roundtable moderated by Amy Kaufman; a panel led by Brickson Diamond, Chairman of Blackhouse, with three pairs of entertainment executives of color discussing diversifying the film industry; and Shoot the Book where film rights managers pitch their projects.

DOC ROUNDTABLE 

Join AFI and Amy Kaufman of the Los Angeles Times as we bring together the leading directors behind some of the most talked-about and acclaimed documentaries of the yearincluding Alex Gibney (CITIZEN K), Eva Orner (BIKRAM: YOGI, GURU, PREDATOR), Steven Bognar (AMERICAN FACTORY), Roger Ross Williams (THE APOLLO), Feras Fayyad (THE CAVE), Waad Al-Kateab (FOR SAMA), Lauren Greenfield (THE KINGMAKER) and Nanfu Wang (ONE CHILD NATION).  

EVA LONGORIA AND DR. STACY SMITH ON THE ERASURE OF LATINX IN FILM

Founder of the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative Dr. Stacy Smith and producer, director, actress and activist Eva Longoria delve into the latest findings from the Initiative that show an alarming lack of representation of Latinx individuals in film, both behind and in front of the camera — and address a solutions-driven path forward.

EXECUTIVES OF THE CULTURE: SENIOR AND EMERGING ENTERTAINMENT EXECS OF COLOR ON HOLLYWOOD

Brickson Diamond, Chairman of Blackhouse, discusses the status of diversifying the film industry with three pairs of senior and junior executives who are serving in key roles in Hollywood.

INDIE CONTENDERS ROUNDTABLE

Hear from a diverse panel of artists who have done standout work in independent film this year. Presented by The Hollywood Reporter and moderated by columnist and blogger Scott Feinberg, the panel will feature a discussion with the artists about their careers and influences, as well as the challenges and rewards of working on indies. Panelists include Awkwafina (THE FAREWELL), Sterling K. Brown (WAVES), Cynthia Erivo (HARRIET), Jimmie Fails (THE LAST BLACK MAN IN SAN FRANCISCO), Jon Hamm (THE REPORT), Florence Pugh (FIGHTING WITH MY FAMILY and MIDSOMMAR), Kerry Washington (AMERICAN SON) and Alfre Woodard (CLEMENCY).

SHOOT THE BOOK

Organized by the French Embassy’s Cultural Services and the Institut Français, the panel moderated by Variety’s Steven Gaydos, features international publishers presenting their latest thriller and crime novels that are available for independent producers and filmmakers to option.

TED SARANDOS WITH SUSAN RUSKIN

Susan Ruskin, Dean of the AFI Conservatory, sits down for an in-depth and wide-ranging conversation with Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer of Netflix.  This is a Private AFI Conservatory Session for AFI Fellows.

Dates and times for all AFI FEST screenings and events will be available at AFI.com.

AS PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED

AFI FEST 2019 takes place November 14-21, 2019, at historic theaters in Los Angeles. Screenings, Galas, and other events will be held at the TCL Chinese Theatre, the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres and the Hollywood Roosevelt and will open with the World Premiere of AFI Conservatory alumni Melina Matsoukas’s QUEEN & SLIM. The festival will close with the World Premiere of Apple’s THE BANKER. AFI FEST will also feature the world premiere of Clint Eastwood’s RICHARD JEWELL. Additional announcements including Galas, Documentaries, Special Screenings, Tribute and World Cinema can be found here. The full festival lineup and schedule will be unveiled later this month. 

Audi returns for the 16th year as the exclusive Presenting Sponsor of AFI FEST, enabling the festival to host the very best of world cinema. Audi and their visionary support reflect a continuing commitment to create opportunities for equality in film and television. Audi also supports AFI through the Audi Fellowship for Women, a full-tuition scholarship created in 2017 to support promising female directors entering the AFI Conservatory. This Fellowship is part of the Audi commitment to drive progress and a landmark investment in the future of the storytelling community.

Audi is the exclusive presenting sponsor of AFI FEST 2019. Additional top sponsors include AT&T and American Airlines, the official airline of AFI.