Closing Night Gala
Dir. Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady; 2015; 91 min
At 93, an energetic, funny and thoughtful Norman Lear looks back on a career that defined television comedy in the 1970s and beyond, including classics such as ALL IN THE FAMILY, THE JEFFERSONS and MAUDE. His programs became touchstones in American culture, boldly covering hot-button issues of race, class, women's rights and politics (Lear himself founded the organization People for the American Way). Integrating indelible TV moments with comments and insights from Lear's innumerable colleagues and admirers, and from the man himself, filmmakers Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady's portrait reveals an artist whose iconic body of work continues to influence television today. — David L. Blaylock
The panel during the talk were Jeffrey Brown (moderator), Norman Lear, Rachel Grady, and Heidi Ewing.
Film personnel included were Gunnar Bergdahl and Annica Carlsson Bergdahl ("Tracks"), Dana Flor ("Check It"), and Dan Jackson ("In the Shadow of the Hill").
Folks in the audience included James Grady, Kitty Kelley, Dolores Huerta, Grace Guggenheim, Aviva Kempner, and Ann Hornaday.
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