SAG-AFTRA Foundation Presents Game Changers Outdoor Film Screening Series June 27-30 As Part of Ford Theatres 2019 Season

May 13, 2019

Inaugural Screening Series Celebrates Groundbreaking
Films & Television That Changed the Conversation–

June 27: Boyz N the Hood
June 28: Toy Story
June 29: Stranger Things 3
June 30: Thelma & Louise

Moderated talks with special guests kick off each screening

Tickets on Sale Today!

May 13, 2019 (Los Angeles, CA)— In a celebration of the power of film and television to influence cultural understanding and broaden the human experience, the SAG-AFTRA Foundation presents Game Changers, a four-night outdoor screening series June 27-30 featuring groundbreaking films and television that significantly impacted diversity and representation in media, reimagined traditional narratives, and achieved major advances in storytelling. Taking place at the Ford Theatres in Hollywood, the SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s inaugural outdoor screening series is part of the Ford’s 2019 season.

Game Changers opens on Thursday, June 27 with Boyz N the Hood (1991), followed by a screening of the original Toy Story (1995) on Friday, June 28. On Saturday, June 29, the premiere episode of Stranger Things 3 (2019) will be shown ahead of its streaming premiere Thursday, July 4 on Netflix. The screening will include the final episode of season 2 and the first episode of season 3. The outdoor film series concludes on Sunday, June 30 with Thelma & Louise (1991). Before each screening, special guests will participate in a moderated conversation to provide their insights on the cultural impact and artistic influence these innovative projects brought to the world. Announcement of special guests will come in June.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with the Ford Theatres for the first time to present Game Changers, celebrating three trailblazing films and an iconic television show that completely changed the conversation. Boyz N the Hood, Toy Story, Stranger Things and Thelma & Louise all broke new narrative ground, and advanced the stories we tell and the way we tell them,” says JoBeth Williams, SAG-AFTRA Foundation President. “We, like the rest of the world, were devastated upon hearing the news of the sudden and tragic passing of director John Singleton. We had hoped that John would have joined us on stage to discuss his debut film that earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Director, making him the youngest and first African-American director to be nominated. Our aim is to make the opening night a spirited celebration of John’s seminal work. The Friday night screening of the original Toy Story will be a terrific family night out, with discounted tickets available for children under 12. We’re honored to have Netflix present a sneak screening of the first episode of Stranger Things 3. And, personally, I cannot wait to see Thelma & Louise again on the big screen.”

Gates open at 6:00 p.m. Programs begin at 8:00 p.m. Pre-show picnicking is allowed and encouraged. Alcohol and dining options are also available onsite. Tickets can be purchased at FordTheatres.org or by calling (323) 461-3673.

The SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s Game Changers screening series is made possible through the generous support of its founding sponsor SAG-AFTRA with additional support from Netflix, Disney, Metro Goldwyn Mayer, and media sponsors Los Angeles magazine and KCRW. Additional sponsorship opportunities are available. Contact Kevin Connell at kconnell@sagaftra.foundation.

Proceeds from Game Changers go toward the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, which provides vital assistance and educational programming to performing artists, and serves the public with its free children’s literacy program Storyline Online® where actors read to over 100 million children every year.

WHEN: June 27 – June 30, 2019
See below for full schedule.

WHERE: 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, Hollywood, CA 90068
Just off the 101 Hollywood Freeway between Hollywood and Universal Studios in the Cahuenga Pass

PARKING: Onsite parking at the Ford is limited and stacked. $12 per vehicle, cash only. Carpool and save: three or more people per vehicle pay only $7 for parking for evening shows. A FREE shuttle to the Ford services the Universal City/Studio City Metro Station at Lankershim Blvd. and Campo de Cahuenga. The Ford shuttle stops in the “kiss and ride” area and cycles every 20 minutes. Non-stacked parking is available off-site for only $8, with free shuttle service to the Ford, please check the website for details.

TICKETS:
Ticket prices start at $20 (half price for children 12 and under for Toy Story only). Reserved seating. Tickets are available at FordTheatres.org or 323-461-3673 (for non-visual media 323-GO-1-FORD). To learn about discounts for groups of 10 or more, please visit FordTheatres.org.

Box Office Hours: Now – June 7: Tuesday – Friday, noon – 5:00 p.m. for phone and window sales; June 8 – October 20: Tuesday – Saturday, noon – 5:00 p.m. for phone and window sales. On show days, including Sundays, the box office opens two hours before the start of the show. Visit the website for more info.

TICKETS CAN BE PURCHASED AT FORDTHEATRES.ORG OR (323) 461-3673.

ABOUT THE FORD
The John Anson Ford Theatres are owned by the County of Los Angeles and operated in partnership with the Department of Parks & Recreation and the Ford Theatre Foundation. Situated in a 32-acre regional park in the Cahuenga Pass, the Ford Theatres complex is one of the oldest performing arts venues in Los Angeles still in use. This event is part of the Ford Theatres 2019 Season, an eclectic series of music, dance, theatre, film and family events that represent the diversity of the region. Ford programs nurture artists, arts organizations and audiences through initiatives designed to encourage participation in the arts.

A complete season schedule, onsite dining options, directions, and parking information can be found at FordTheatres.org.

ABOUT THE SAG-AFTRA FOUNDATION
The SAG-AFTRA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides vital assistance and educational programming to SAG-AFTRA professionals while serving the public at large through its award-winning children’s literacy program Storyline Online®. The SAG-AFTRA Foundation relies entirely on grants, sponsorships and individual contributions to maintain its free programs and resources, and is the benefiting charity of the annual SAG Awards. For more information, visit sagaftra.foundation.

SAG-AFTRA FOUNDATION PRESENTS GAME CHANGERS
AN OUTDOOR SCREENING SERIES AT THE FORD THEATRES
JUNE 27-30, 2019

JUNE 27 at 8PM
Boyz N the Hood (1991)
Pre-screening moderated conversation with special guests.

The tale of three teens growing up in an L.A. neighborhood: one lives for sports; another for crime; and the last learns about strength of character and being responsible.

JUNE 28 at 8PM
Toy Story (1995)
Pre-screening moderated conversation with special guests.

Set in a world where toys come to life when people aren’t around, two rival toys—Woody, a pull-string cowboy sheriff, and Buzz Lightyear, an ace space ranger—must put aside their differences when they get separated from their owner, Andy, and find themselves on an adventure-filled mission where the only way they can survive is to form an uneasy alliance. “Toy Story” was the first feature-length film to be entirely computer animated, the first feature from Pixar Animation Studios and the highest grossing film of 1995. The film was nominated for three Oscars and received a Special Achievement Academy Award.

JUNE 29 at 8PM
Stranger Things 3 (2019)
presented by Netflix
Pre-screening moderated conversation with special guests. The screening will include the final episode of season 2 and the first episode of season 3.

It’s 1985 in Hawkins, Indiana, and summer’s heating up. School’s out, there’s a brand new mall in town, and the Hawkins crew are on the cusp of adulthood. Romance blossoms and complicates the group’s dynamic, and they’ll have to figure out how to grow up without growing apart. Meanwhile, danger looms. When the town’s threatened by enemies old and new, Eleven and her friends are reminded that evil never ends; it evolves. Now they’ll have to band together to survive, and remember that friendship is always stronger than fear.

JUNE 30 at 8PM
Thelma & Louise (1991)
Pre-screening moderated conversation with special guests.

Somebody said get a life…so they did. In Ridley Scott’s adventurous road picture, two friends–unhappy housewife Thelma (Geena Davis) and strong-willed waitress Louise (Susan Sarandon)–leave responsibilities behind to take a weekend fishing trip in the mountains in their 1966 T-bird convertible. But…at a roadside honky-tonk, where they stop to “blow off steam,” a man tries to rape Thelma. Louise reacts by shooting the creep with a .38, and this action turns them into dazed and confused fugitives. Now the subject of a nationwide hunt, they regain their determination and recklessness. The film concludes at the Grand Canyon with an indelible image of their final declaration of freedom.

Tickets can be purchased at FordTheatres.org or by calling (323) 461-3673.

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