In celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the filmmakers and cast of the Academy Award®-nominated film “Selma” invite the local residents of Selma, Alabama to join them in a commemorative march on Sunday, January 18th to pay tribute to Dr. King’s contributions to the city and its role in the civil rights movement.
Director Ava DuVernay, stars David Oyelowo and Common and the film’s producers Oprah Winfrey, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner will participate in the day-long event. The celebration will begin with a Q&A with select filmmakers and cast moderated by Congresswoman Terri Sewell at Selma High School for local high school students and teachers.
At 4:20 p.m., Selma mayor George Evans will address the community at Selma City Hall. Rev. Dion Culliver of Tabernacle Baptist Church and Rev. Leodis Strong of Brown AME Chapel will welcome attendees with a prayer. Immediately following at 4:45 p.m., the filmmakers and cast will proceed with a commemorative march to the Edmund Pettus Bridge.
The day’s events will culminate with a special screening at the Selma Walton Theater for Alabama state officials and the film’s local cast and crew.
“I’m honored that Paramount Pictures and the cast has put Selma to the forefront of the nation again during MLK weekend. The dream marches on,” said Mayor Evans.
On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Monday, January 19th, Paramount Pictures will host two free screenings of “Selma” for the general public at 12:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. at the Selma Walton Theater. These showings are added to the free screenings in Selma throughout the month of January. Tickets are available at the box office on a first come, first served basis.
Directed by DuVernay and starring David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King Jr., “Selma” is nominated for Academy Awards® for Best Picture and Best Original Song for “Glory” by Common & John Legend. The film earned a Golden Globe Award for Best Song for “Glory” and was nominated for Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Director.
The film also stars Tom Wilkinson, Cuba Gooding Jr., Alessandro Nivola, Giovanni Ribisi, Common, Carmen Ejogo, Lorraine Toussaint, with Tim Roth and Oprah Winfrey.
