West Side Storytellers: TCM Film Fest 2021 on deck

Curated by Screenmancer Staff
LOS ANGELES, CA: Calling all film fans – Turner Classic Movies (TCM) today released the extensive lineup of talent, films, and exclusive content for the 2021 TCM Classic Film Festival, airing from Thursday, May 6 through Sunday, May 9 at two virtual venues: the TCM network and the Classics Curated by TCM Hub on HBO Max.

Programming and Talent highlights of the Festival include:

• Opening Night on Thursday, May 6 at 8pm ET features the 60th anniversary screening of West Side Story (1961) with stars Rita Moreno, George Chakiris and Russ Tamblyn giving new and exclusive interviews. Opening Night will premiere simultaneously on TCM and HBO Max

• The Masters collection on HBO Max, featuring interviews with directors Barry Levinson (Good Morning, Vietnam) and Barbara Kopple (Harlan County USA)

• Debbie Allen introduces Fame (1980) and sits down for an exclusive interview

• Michael Douglas introduces One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) on HBO Max

• Jacqueline Bisset introduces Bullitt (1968) on TCM and on HBO Max

• The world broadcast premiere of Bill Morrison’s latest short film on TCM, let me come in (2021), featuring decayed film reels from the lost German silent film Pawns of Passion (1928) and co-presented by the Los Angeles Opera

• A tribute to iconic comedian Martin Short with Clifford (1994) and Innerspace (1987) on HBO Max

• SF Sketchfest Presents a table read of Ed Wood’s Plan 9 From Outer Space (1959) on TCM, adapted by comedian Dana Gould and featuring Maria Bamford, Bobcat Goldthwait, Oscar Nuñez, Laraine Newman, Bob Odenkirk, David Koechner, Janet Varney, Jonah Ray, Paul F. Tompkins, Gary Anthony Williams, Baron Vaughn, Deborah Baker Jr. and Kat Aagesen

Fans will also be able to engage with the Festival at live virtual events and experiences throughout the weekend including:

• The return of fan favorite Meet TCM panel where network execs share insight into the network, how programming is scheduled and produced, and a preview of upcoming events and series, will be live on Wednesday, May 5

• Club TCM, a staple at the in-person Festival, is going virtual this year. Fans can join on Zoom to hear from TCM hosts and festival talent, learn something new, and share their love of classic movies with fellow fans

• Live Tweets and Instagram Lives with Festival talent and hosts – follow along with #TCMFF

• The official TCM Classic Film Festival Boutique featuring limited-edition merchandise such as a new host pin set, mugs, t-shirts, popcorn salt, and more

Last year’s Special Home Edition of the TCM Classic Film Festival was one of the first festivals to shift to an all-virtual experience at the onset of the pandemic, and this year, viewers can expect even more stars, movies, and ways to watch.

This is Turner Classic Movies (TCM)

Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is a two-time Peabody Award-winning network that presents great films, uncut and commercial-free, from the largest film libraries in the world highlighting the entire spectrum of film history. TCM features the insights from Primetime host Ben Mankiewicz along with hosts Alicia Malone, Dave Karger, Jacqueline Stewart and Eddie Muller, plus interviews with a wide range of special guests and serves as the ultimate movie lover destination. With more than two decades as a leading authority in classic film, TCM offers critically acclaimed series like The Essentials, along with annual programming events like 31 Days of Oscar® and Summer Under the Stars. TCM also directly connects with movie fans through events such as the annual TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood, the TCM Big Screen Classics series in partnership with Fathom Events, as well as through the TCM Classic Film Tour in New York City and Los Angeles. In addition, TCM produces a wide range of media about classic film, including books and DVDs, and hosts a wealth of material online at tcm.com and through the Watch TCM mobile app. Fans can also enjoy a TCM curated classics experience on HBO Max.

HBO Max is…

HBO Max® is WarnerMedia’s direct-to-consumer platform, offering best in class quality entertainment. HBO Max features the greatest array of storytelling for all audiences from the iconic brands of HBO, Warner Bros., DC, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Turner Classic Movies and much more. The streaming platform initially launched in the United States in May 2020. This year, it will expand into Latin America and the HBO-branded streaming services in Europe (the Nordics, Spain, Central Europe, the Baltics and Portugal) will be upgraded to HBO Max.

For more information, please visit http://filmfestival.tcm.com.

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