AFI DOCS 2020: Guggenheim Symposium Conversation with Legendary Lee Grant

 

 

Lee Grant was and is a classic movie star.  More importantly she’s a double badass who transitioned beautifully from movie star to documentary filmmaker.  Film lovers recognize her  distinguished career which includes four Oscar® nominations and two wins for “Shampoo”  an “Down and Out in America.” What most don’t know is that Grant’s filmmaking path began when she enrolled in the inaugural class of AFI’s Directing Workshop for Women. An actress, activist and a documentary master the AFI Docs 2020 Guggenheim Symposium honored Lee Grant. Moderated by Washington Post Chief Film Critic Ann Hornaday, Grant candidly recalls taking up a  secondary career as a filmmaker.

In 1951, Lee Grant was a promising young Hollywood actress who had just earned rave reviews on Broadway in ‘Detective Story’, and an Oscar nomination for her debut screen role in the film version, in which she starred alongside Kirk Douglas. Just when it seemed things couldn’t get any better at 23 years-old…they got a lot worse. Weeks before her nomination, Grant found herself on the Hollywood Blacklist, costing her 12 prime years of her career. “I was black listed from ages 24-36 years-old…which is lifetime for an actor.  I won my first and last Oscar as an actor at 49 years old.”

Behind the camera, she brought real American stories to the screen that are just as powerful and relevant today as they were over thirty years ago – sex discrimination, the homeless, farmers’ rights and the transgender community. She has no problem expressing how disheartening to watch these same issue play out some 20 years later.

An actress, activist and a documentary master the AFI Docs 2020 Guggenheim Symposium honored Lee Grant. Moderated by Washington Post Chief Film Critic Ann Hornaday, Grant candidly recalls taking up a  secondary career as a filmmaker. “I was black listed from ages 24-36 years-old…which is lifetime for an actor.  I won my first and last Oscar as an actor at 49 years old.”

Down and Out in America is currently screening as part of the AFI DOCS festival right now FREE.  Here’s a sneak peak