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USC Just Named a New President. Here’s What She Said About the Admissions Scandal — TIME

As the University of Southern California (USC) grapples with the fallout from a sweeping college admissions scandal, officials announced the appointment of a new president who vowed to bring lasting change to a campus that has been plagued by controversy. Carol Folt, who stepped down in January as chancellor of the University of North Carolina…

via USC Just Named a New President. Here’s What She Said About the Admissions Scandal — TIME

Best Actor Oscar and SAG Award Winner Rami Malek reads The Empty Pot for SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s Storyline Online®

Article by Jayjay Epega : http://epegamedia.pressfolios.com/

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WHAT RAMI DID NEXT….

LOS ANGELES (March 4, 2019) – The 2019 Best Actor Oscar and SAG Award winner Rami Malek is the newest reader for the SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s children’s literacy program Storyline Online®(storylineonline.net). Malek reads The Empty Pot (storylineonline.net/books/the-empty-pot/), written and illustrated by Demi, and published by Henry Holt Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group.

A beloved Chinese folk tale about honesty rewarded, The Empty Pot is the story of a young Chinese boy named Ping who loves flowers and can make anything grow. When the Emperor needs a successor, he announces a contest among the children to grow the best flower. He gives each child a seed to plant, except unknown to the children the seeds are cooked and are unable to grow. When Ping arrives at the competition as the only child with an empty pot, he is crowned Emperor for his honesty and courage.

Following his nearly 7-minute reading, Malek shares what he loves about The Empty Pot, “It does allow me to look inside and realize just how much truth means,” says Malek. “Because ultimately the only consequences are feeling like you’re courageous and honorable and a bigger person. And I guarantee you the truth always wins.” He concludes by encouraging his young viewers to “keep telling the truth.”

“We are so excited to have this year’s Oscar and SAG Award winner Rami Malek read The Empty Pot for Storyline Online. Rami’s powerful read aloud of this beautiful book is one that we think children will enjoy all over the world,” says Cyd Wilson, Executive Director of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation. “And the story’s valuable message of telling the truth and having the courage to be honest is a timely and important lesson for everyone.

Malek joins Oprah Winfrey, Viola Davis, Allison Janney, Chris Pine, Kristen Bell, Justin Theroux, Michelle Yeoh, Marc Maron and dozens more beloved actors who have volunteered their time and talent to read for Storyline Online and inspire a love of reading in children.

An Emmy®-nominated program of the non-profit SAG-AFTRA Foundation, Storyline Online® streams 55 videos at no cost to children, parents, and educators worldwide. The site receives over 10 million views every month and is endorsed by the American Federation of Teachers, representing 1.7 million teachers and education professionals.

As with all Storyline Online videos,The Empty Pot comes with a complimentary supplemental activity guide aligned with Common Core Standards that strengthens verbal, written and comprehension skills. Aimed at 1st-2nd grade students, these activities encourage children to engage in critical thinking activities and ponder the themes of the book including honesty, telling the truth and triumph through failure.

In addition to the website, Storyline Online offers a free app for iPhone and Chrome devices.

To watch The Empty Pot and all Storyline Online videos, visit storylineonline.net, and subscribe to youtube.com/storylineonline. Keep up with new videos in 2019 by following @StorylineOnline on Twitterand Storyline Online on Facebook.
Rami Malek reads for the SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s children’s literacy program Storyline Online® (storylineonline.net).
Photo credit: SAG-AFTRA Foundation

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

Connect with the SAG-AFTRA Foundation
Twitter: @sagaftraFOUND
Instagram: @sagaftraFOUND
Facebook: facebook.com/sagaftrafoundation
YouTube: youtube.com/sagaftrafoundation
Hashtag: #SAGAFTRAfound

 

Spielberg to Voice Concerns Over Netflix Oscar Competition at Academy Meeting — Variety

Steven Spielberg, who has been a familiar voice in the outcry against Netflix films receiving equal treatment at the Oscars as theatrical releases, will speak about the issue at the next Academy meeting. Spielberg, as the Academy Governor of the directors branch, will be supporting changes to the awards rules at the annual post-Oscars meeting.…

via Spielberg to Voice Concerns Over Netflix Oscar Competition at Academy Meeting — Variety

Fresh and Funny when…”Rain Stops Play”

By Jayjay Epega – http://epegamedia.pressfolios.com/

Image result for images rain stops play mika simmons

Rain never stopped his play!

Rain stops play is a fresh, funny, emotionally engaging new short film written and directed by Mika Simmons, with a strong well known supporting cast that includes Joe McGann, Immy Waterhouse and Tara Fitzgerald .  It raises issues of gender equality, female empowerment and age appropriateness.

Image result for images rain stops play mika simmons

A modern day comedy of errors, this short film addresses the key issues of mistaken identity, modern technology and female ageism. Although we see the world from a male perspective through our protagonist Adam, it is a story for a female audience with searingly current themes.

The basic action is a portrayal of a man in mid-life who falls into an extreme fantasy about a younger woman, Alice. The story exposes a husband in crisis whose desperate quest for something ‘Other’ hilariously backfires. While this film has a serious undertone it also exposes how deeply funny life can be in its most humiliating moments.

Mika Simmons, Writer/Director of ‘Rain Stops Play’ says …..“In Rain Stops Play I have used comedy to expose Man’s fallibility in the face of female beauty. It is a reflection of romantic conflicts and sex in Western society today, so in that way a film with a very big theme, here told through a very small intimate story. It is definitely a film for a female audience, but hopefully it is an invitation for us all to laugh at our own humanity and compulsive behaviours. I feel very strongly that, in the current climate of divisiveness, we can also maintain a lightheartedness and sense of humour about sex and the sexes.”

Rain Stops Play is a fabulous first outing feature for Director Mika Simmons and  certainly not one to be missed!

Follow at https://twitter.com/RainStopsPlayUK