History Celebrates “The People Speak” in Lincoln Center with Matt Damon and Josh Brolin

 NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 19: Harris Yulin, Rich Robinson, Viggo Mortensen, Q'orianka Kilcher, Danny Glover, StaceyAnn Chin, Lupe Fiasco, Michael Ealy, Christina Kirk, Kathleen Chalfant, Matt Damon, Jasmine Guy, Allison Moorer, Josh Brolin and Darryl McDaniels of Run DMC on stage at History's NYC Premiere Of "The People Speak" at Jazz at Lincoln Center on November 19, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage for A&E)

 

Last night was a very busy in New York City.  The Victoria Secret Fashion Show, tons of Charities, and P. Diddy’s birthday.  However there was only one that  totally star-studded.

Last night at the Rose Theater in Lincoln Center, the History Channel celebrated the film “The People Speak” together Executive Producers Matt Damon and Josh Brolin.  The film was dedicated to featuring celebrity performances of game changing moments in democracy and will premiere on Sunday December 13 at 8pm on the History Channel.

The event was hosted by the History Channel which rolled out the carpet for some of my favorites actors and intellectuals including Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, Howard Zinn, Chris Moore and Anthony Arnove, who executive produced the film, attended the event, along with cinematic heavyweights who also perform in the film: Marisa Tomei, Kerry Washington, Viggo Mortensen, Michael Ealy, Rich Robinson, Danny Glover, Lupe Fiasco, Q'orianka Kilcher, Allison Moorer, Mike O'Malley and more.

  (1st row L-R) Allison Moorer, Matt Damon, Harry Zinn, Abbe Raven, StaceyAnn Chin, Viggo Mortensen, (2nd row L-R) Danny Glover, Chris Moore, Lupe Fiasco, Josh Brolin, Q'orianka Kilcher, Jasmine Guy, Harris Yulin, (3rd row L-R) Michael Ealy, Anthony Arnove, Darryl McDaniels, Nancy Dubuc, Rich Robinson, Christina Kirk and Kathleen Chalfant pose for a portrait backstage at History's NYC Premiere Of "The People Speak" backstage at Jazz at Lincoln Center on November 19, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images for A&E)

Like Zinn's definitive book, A People's History of the United States, the film gives audiences a "bottom-up" view of the country's formation.  In the film, celebrities read from game-changing documents, such as the Declaration of Independence (Matt Damon) and Sojourner Truth's Aint I a Woman speech (Kerry Washington). Songs such as "No More Auction Block" (John Legend) and "Do Re Mi" (Bob Dylan) are part of the rich performances in the film. The film unearths and exhibits the country's unspoken history -- the letters, lives, and experiences of everyday Americans.

While the The People Speak has been a lifelong project of Zinn's, for Josh Brolin and Matt Damon the film and its ideas have become something of a passion (in fact, Damon grew up next door to Zinn). Damon and Brolin have worked tirelessly to render the ideas of Zinn's historical scholarship into the sounds and images of the big screen. To do this, they tapped into a deep well of Hollywood talent, with Morgan Freeman reading of Frederick Douglas and Eddie Vedder, Bruce Springstein, and John Legend performing on the soundtrack, among many others.

Don’t forget to watch this incredible film on the History Channel on Sunday at December 13 at 8pm.  I know, I already said this, but it’s worth repeating.

Here are some red carpet  and after-party images:

    

1st Row: Josh Brolin, Matt Damon, Abe Raven, John Krasinski ; 2nd Row: Lupe Fiasco, Q'orianka Kilcher, Darryl McDaniels ; 3rd Row: Rich Robinson, Nancy Dubuc ; 4th Row: Matt Damon, Viggo Mortensen, Darryl McDaniels, Lupe Fiasco ; 5th Row: Jasmine Guy, Josh Brolin, StaceyAnn Chin, Michael Ealy and Jasmine Guy