TCA Summer 2024 Press Tour — Day 2 Highlights
We started Day 2 by exploring new horizons and awe-inspiring stories with our NATURE “Big Cats 24/7” panel. After a tour of the filmmaker’s base camp in Botswana which immersed the audience in the Okavango Delta, they explored how new technology allowed their team to observe new behaviors and gain novel insights into these majestic creatures. The wildlife cinematographers, Brad Bestelink, Anna Dimitriadis, and Gokongwei Seetsele “Sets” Nthomiwa, also revealed that it took some time to be comfortable being subjects of the film, but it was worth it to allow viewers to follow the action as it happens and connect to the animals via their emotions.
We changed our lens to focus on the natural world in a different way through LEONARDO DA VINCI, who viewed nature as the perfect inventor. Co-directors and writers Sarah Burns and David McMahon examined how this film approaches their first non-American subject in a different way than their past productions with regards to music and visuals. They also discussed how they wanted to strip away some of the mythology around this person and show the arc of his entire life in this documentary.
We left the natural world to examine the most pressing issues of our day in unpredictable times with thoughtful, timely and in-depth news coverage from FRONTLINE.
Our panelists, including FRONTLINE’s editor-in-chief and EP Raney Aronson-Rath, producer & director Marcela Gaviria, producer, director and correspondent Martin Smith, and journalist Jianying Zha, spoke about the importance of understanding China’s leader, how Chinese people see the U.S., and the roadblocks that face journalists that want to cover Chinese politics.
We continued to focus on China with our panelists from POV “Who’s Afraid of Nathan Law?”, which takes a close look at Hong Kong’s most famous dissident. We heard from both Nathan Law and the producer Matthew Torne about filmmaking in Hong Kong before and after the introduction of the National Security Law in 2020 and the intentional choices made when recordin Law’s interviews.
After a quick Hotel Portofino-themed lunch break, we continued to explore relationships with power and shining light on lesser-known histories with our VOCES “American Historia: The Untold History of Latinos” panel. Co-creator, host, and EP John Leguizamo and co-creator, director and EP Ben DeJesus spoke at length about the overlooked central role of Latinos in the creation of America and how to make sure these important stories are never erased again.
After learning more deeply about our shared past, we moved into recent history with an examination of the U.S. voting system in COUNTING THE VOTE: A FIRING LINE SPECIAL WITH MARGARET HOOVER. Panelists included experts in our voting systems who shed light on how states count votes and count them quickly on election day in November and how they bring greater transparency to those who mistrust the process.
We continued to investigate history through different lenses with our HOTEL PORTOFINO panel, who acknowledged that this season will contain darker themes as fascism rises in 1920’s Italy as they continue to explore how women moved through society and fought for liberation in the roaring 20s.
Creator and writer Matt Baker believes the appeal of this series is grounded in stories that resonate with modern audiences and that this drama keeps the audiences guessing. Actor Mark Umbers also appreciated his character’s charming villainy and almost tragic buffoonery as he underestimates the fascists and mafia in Italy.
As we left the shores of northern Italy, we refocused on American history with AMERICAN EXPERIENCE “Wilmington 1898: An American Coup,” which tells the story of the only successful coup d'état in the United States. Our panelists, including AMERICAN EXPERIENCE EP Cameo George, filmmaker Brad Lichtenstein, historian Dr. Crystal Sanders, and film participant Kieran Haile, illuminated the history that was intentionally buried about white supremacists overthrowing a democratically elected government in North Carolina. They discussed their methods for uncovering the truth and storytelling in this documentary airing this fall, including finding first hand accounts and hidden documentation of the events that transpired.
Next, an icon of American literature Julia Alvarez took to the stage to illuminate more of her life and life’s work in AMERICAN MASTERS and VOCES “Julia Alvarez: A Life Reimagined.”
Director and producer Adriana Bosch and Alvarez reflected on meeting each other for the first time and the process of how Alvarez entrusted Bosch to tell her story in this film. Alvarez also explored how her book “In the Time of the Butterflies” impacted politics and culture in the Dominican Republic and how violence against women was discussed around the world.
We finished our final day at Press Tour by immersing ourselves in the world of country music with GREAT PERFORMANCES “Patsy Cline: Walkin’ After Midnight.” Patsy Cline’s music inspired many of our panelists, including actor Beverly D’Angelo and musician Grace Potter, which led them to join this tribute performance to her artistry and immersive storytelling skills.
In each panel at Press Tour, we saw the incredible power of telling stories, shining a light on history, and building communities that are stronger together. We can’t wait to bring more inspiring content to the stage next time. Arrivederci, TCA!
