Community Partners
TICKETS
- Tuesday, February 17, 2015 | Public Screening
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- Tickets $15 (plus surcharge)
general seating
- Includes film screening and talk back session with the film's director Muta'Ali and producer, Jevon "NJ" Frank.
- BUY TICKETS
- Tickets $15 (plus surcharge)
- Wednesday, February 18, 2015 | 6 pm | Students Only Screening
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- No charge for all high school and college students with school ID presented at the door
Mary Lou and Arthur F. Mahone Fund
- No charge for all high school and college students with school ID presented at the door
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Questions:
- Community Premiere:
Kim Sekas
262-595-2006
- Student Premiere:
Damian Evans
262-595-2540
The Mary Lou and Arthur F. Mahone Fund presents
LIFE'S ESSENTIALS WITH RUBY DEE
Tuesday, February 17, 2015 | 7 pm | UW-Parkside Cinema
The University of Wisconsin-Parkside College of Arts and Humanities is honored to welcome Muta'Ali Muhammad for the Wisconsin premiere of his film Life's Essentials with Ruby Dee (2014, 90 minutes) as part of our campus-wide celebration of Black History Month.
ABOUT THE FILM
For more than a half century, audiences have been mesmerized by the love story between Hollywood legends Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee. Now, their grandson Muta’Ali Muhammad unearths the foundation of this unbreakable bond in the documentary Life’s Essentials with Ruby Dee. Through intimate conversations with the award-winning actor, playwright and activist, Muta’Ali not only discovers intimate details about his grandparents’ relationship, but also questions his ability to carry on the very dynasty that gave him life.
In the film, the director breaks the wall between himself and his subject to ask heartfelt questions of his grandmother. “How do you stay faithful? And if I can’t see myself doing that, how can I honestly get married knowing that I could eventually break the heart of the woman I love?”
“I can’t say I didn’t do anything to make Ossie unhappy…” Ms. Dee states as she carefully reveals the core commitment made between her and Mr. Davis. Her answer only sparked more questions for Muta’Ali, provoking him to dig deeper into the family archives and the history of Davis and Dee’s union. He chronicles their remarkable journey as trailblazers in the arts community and activists in the Civil Rights Movement. Muta’Ali also shares exclusive video footage, family photos and memorabilia. In addition, a host of celebrity friends like Alan Alda, Angela Bassett, Harry Belafonte, Danny Glover, Hill Harper, Samuel Jackson, Spike Lee, S. Epatha Merkerson, Phylicia Rashad, Glynn Turman, Dr. Cornel West, Sonia Sanchez and Malik Yoba share eyewitness accounts of this American legacy.
Muta’Ali brilliantly captures his grandmother’s perspective about life’s essentials: love, marriage, commitment, conscious art and activism. The film preserves the wisdom of Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee for many longing to create a tradition of rich living that impacts today’s society.
Join us for an exclusive screening at the UW-Parkside Student Center Cinema, Tuesday, February 17, 2015, at 7 pm., followed by a Q&A session with director Muta'Ali and producer Jevon "NJ" Frank.
Trailer for Life's Essentials with Ruby Dee documentary
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR AND PRODUCER
 MUTA'ALI MUHAMMAD (director)
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 JEVON "NJ" FRANK (producer)
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TESTIMONIALS
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| Alan Alda Michelle Alexander Angela Bassett Harry Belafonte Akim Black Eduardo Bonilla-Silva Guy Davis Nora Day Ruby Dee Giancarlo Esposito Cliff Frazier |
Danny Glover Hill Harper Samuel L. Jackson Gertrude Jeanette Vernon Jordan Jamal Joseph Woodie King Jr. Curtis King Spike Lee S. Epatha Merkerson Marc H. Morial |
Hasna Muhammad Jihaad Muhammad Muta'Ali Muhammad Juanita Poitier Phylicia Rashad Voza Rivers Sonia Sanchez Glynn Turman Tommy Wallace Jr. Cornel West Malik Yoba |
©UW-Parkside and the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System
900 Wood Road · P.O. Box 2000 · Kenosha, WI 53141-2000 P 262-595-2345