Excerpt from the New Film, Life’s Essentials with Ruby Dee,
to Premiere
Stars will align to fete legendary actress Ruby Dee on the occasion of her 90th birthday and the premiere of an excerpt of a new documentary about her life on Wednesday, November 14. Hosts Angela Bassett and Susan L. Taylor will be joined by Harry Belafonte, Pete Seeger, Glynn Turman, Courtney Vance, Jeffrey Wright, Malik Yoba and a host of other luminaries paying tribute to Dee, whose storied acting career has spanned more than 70 years. The notables will join Dee, whose birthday was October 27, for the premiere of a 30-minute excerpt of the film, Life’s Essentials with Ruby Dee, by Muta’Ali, grandson of Dee and her late husband Ossie Davis; the film follows his quest for their secrets to love, art and activism. The reception and screening will take place at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture from 6:00 to 9:00 pm.
Ambassador Andrew Young, Latonya Jackson, Samuel L. Jackson and Courtney Vance will serve as honorary chairs for the evening. The event is made possible through the generous support of Billye and Hank Aaron, AARP, as well as 1199 SEIU, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated, Camille and Bill Cosby and the Carol Sutton Lewis and William M. Lewis, Jr. Charitable Foundation.
Life’s Essentials with Ruby Dee is expected to be released in 2013. For more information on the film, visit www.RubyDeeStory.com.
Honoree Ruby Dee; hosts Angela Bassett and Susan L. Taylor; Billye Aaron, Ankh Ra Amenhetep, Gina Belafonte, Harry and Pamela Belafonte, Khephra Burns, the Reverend Calvin O. Butts, Mayor David Dinkins, Rev. James A. Forbes and Betty Forbes, Micki Grant, Pete Seeger, Glynn Turman, Courtney Vance, Jeffrey Wright, Malik Yoba; director Muta’Ali; producer NJ Frank; consulting producer and daughter of Dee and Davis Nora Davis Day; and Schomburg Center Director Khalil Gibran Muhammad
Wednesday, November 14. Press check-in at 5:30 pm. Arrivals/reception from 6:00 pm to 6:45 pm. Program and screening beginning at 7:00 pm. Post-screening reception, approx. 8:15 pm to 9 pm.
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, 515 Malcolm X Boulevard at 135th Street
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I am happy to see this honor for Ruby Dee. I met her several times in Minneapolis.Ossie supported my endeavors to share my work in civil rights of South Carolina. I still feel most saddened when the late Ossie Davis is not around for such honors given to Ruby since his passing.I felt that they shared so much of their lives together that these honors should have taken place long long ago.They gave us such a legacy together. Happy belated birthday Ruby Dee. I keep your beautiful photo in my living room.”keep sending out beauty,you have much to give.” Thanks, Rosa Bogar