Washington, DC (RushPRnews ) 12/11/08 — The Newseum, in partnership with American University’s School of Communication, announced yesterday that actor and director George Clooney will be among the featured discussion panelists for the Reel Journalism With Nick Clooney film series. George Clooney will discuss his role in the 2005 film “Good Night, and Good Luck,” in which legendary newsman Edward R. Murrow stands against Sen. Joseph McCarthy.
The Reel Journalism film series, featuring one film each month, will take place in the Newseum’s state-of-the-art Walter and Leonore Annenberg Theater. Programs will include screenings of the films accompanied by live discussions with prominent filmmakers, award-winning actors and top journalists. The series kicks off on Monday, Dec. 8, with “Broadcast News,” a 1987 romantic comedy revolving around three television news broadcasters.
Veteran journalist Nick Clooney, author of the book “The Movies That Changed Us: Reflections on the Screen,” will host the series. Clooney, who was appointed Distinguished Journalist in Residence at AU’s School of Communication earlier this fall, will teach a course based on his book in spring 2009. The appointment is part of a long-term partnership between the school and the Newseum. Clooney also is a familiar face to viewers of the American Movie Classics cable network.
Tickets to the four films featured at the Reel Journalism film series will be sold as a package. A four-pack of tickets costs $125 per person and includes all-day admission to the Newseum on the day of each film. Tickets are available at the Newseum admission desk or at newseum.org. To see a brief video promoting the series, go to http://www.newseum.org/events_edu/reel_journalism/index.htm.
Film Schedule:
Dec. 8, 2008, 7 p.m. — “Broadcast News” (1987)
Panelists: Susan Zirinsky, CBS News, executive producer of “48 Hours” and adviser for the film; Bob Schieffer, CBS News, moderator of “Face the Nation”
Summary: Three ambitious reporters discover that the world of television news is more than they bargained for in this quirky romantic comedy. CBS executive producer, Susan Zirinsky, the inspiration for the character portrayed by actress Holly Hunter, will join Bob Schieffer, moderator of “Face the Nation,” to discuss the film’s foreshadowing of the changes occurring in the TV news business today.
Jan. 26, 2009, 7 p.m. — “Good Night, and Good Luck” (2005)
Panelists: George Clooney, actor and director
Summary: At the height of Sen. Joseph McCarthy’s anti-Communist campaign in the 1950s, legendary CBS newsman Edward R. Murrow takes on McCarthy against a backdrop of intense political pressure. Academy Award-winning actor George Clooney, who directed, co-wrote and starred in the docudrama, discusses his inspiration for bringing the tale of Murrow’s most memorable moment to the silver screen.
Feb. 23, 2009, 7 p.m. — “Citizen Kane” (1941)
Panelists: Tom Shales, The Washington Post; Frank Mankiewicz, son of Herman Mankiewicz, co-writer of the film
Summary: Loosely based on the life of newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst, Orson Welles’s iconic 1941 classic is hailed as one of the greatest films ever made. Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post television and film critic Tom Shales and Frank Mankiewicz, son of Herman Mankiewicz, winner of an Academy Award for writing the “Citizen Kane” screenplay, share their thoughts on the film’s enduring legacy.
March 16, 2009, 7 p.m. — “All the President’s Men” (1976)
Panelists: Bob Woodward, The Washington Post
Summary: Investigating the 1972 Watergate break-in, Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein follow a trail of deception that leads them all the way to the Nixon White House, and ultimately to the resignation of an American president. Nearly 40 years later, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Bob Woodward discusses what it was like to expose government corruption at its highest level and provides his insights into how the reel experience relates to the reality.
About the Newseum
The Newseum (www.newseum.org), located on historic Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., blends five centuries of news history with up-to-the-second technology and hands-on interactive exhibits. The world’s most interactive museum takes visitors behind the scenes of news and instills an appreciation of the importance of a free press and the First Amendment. The Freedom Forum, a nonpartisan foundation dedicated to free press, free speech and free spirit, is the main funder of the Newseum’s operations. The Newseum, while independent of any media companies, receives additional support from foundations, media organizations and individuals.
About American University’s School of Communication
American University’s School of Communication (www.soc.american.edu) is a laboratory for professional education, communication research and innovative production across the fields of journalism, film and media arts, and public communication. The school’s academic programs emphasize traditional skills and values while anticipating new technologies, new opportunities and new audiences.
