Media Release

HBO Max’s Charm City Kings Virtual Premiere Supports B360, Color of Change and the REFORM Alliance

Charm City Kings Premiere

Winner of Sundance Film Festival’s U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Prize, 

Charm City Kings Premiered on HBO Max on October 8

 

WHAT: 

HBO MAX introduced Charm City Kings with an exclusive three-day virtual premiere from Oct. 7-9, in support of B360, Color of Change and the REFORM Alliance. 

In addition to viewing Charm City Kingswhich premiered on HBO Max today, Oct. 8—guests at the virtual premiere had the opportunity to watch curated panel discussions with the film’s cast from this year’s Urbanworld Film Festival and the NY Latino Film Festival. The curated VIP guest list of celebrities and social media influencers, a cornerstone of the virtual event model, included Aldis Hodge, DeRay McKesson, Billy Porter, Amanda Seales, Danielle Brooks, Larry Wilmore, Naturi Naughton, Brittany Packnett Cunningham, Crystal Moselle, Dexter Darden, Bevy Smith, Ty Hunter, Sarunas Jackson, Allen Maldonado, Lea DeLaria, Macy Gray, Alan Cumming, King Vader and many more.

Prior to the virtual event, VIP guests and press received a motorbike themed package giving a nod to the city of Baltimore, where Charm City Kings takes place. Each wooden box was adorned with a one-of-a-kind art design showcasing well-known images reflecting “Charm City.” Inside the container, which was curated by Baltimore Artist and Filmmaker Akio Evans, were two custom hand-blown glasses with a bike chain link fused into the side. In keeping with the theme, a model bike made out of nuts and bolts and a bottle opener made out of a decommissioned spark plug rounded out the custom cocktail kit. The glasses were encased in a box wrapped with silver twine attached to a VIN tag reflecting the HBO MAX debut date.

Baltimore mural artist Ernest Shaw was commissioned to create a painting, inspired by the feature,  using mixed media. The art piece, titled “CROSSING GODS,” has been made available for auction through Charitybuzz. To bid on this original painting visit: charitybuzz.com/charmcitykings. Proceeds will benefit the REFORM Alliance. The online auction will run through Oct. 20.

Charm City Kings won the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Prize for Ensemble Acting at this year’s Sundance Film Festival for its cast that includes Jahi Di’Allo Winston, Meek Mill, Will Catlett, Donielle Hansley, Kezii Curtis, Chino, Lakeyria “Wheelie Queen” Doughty and Teyonah Parris. In the film, Mouse (Di’Allo Winston) desperately wants to join The Midnight Clique, an infamous group of Baltimore dirt bike riders who rule the summertime streets. When Midnight’s leader, Blax (Meek Mill), takes 14-year-old Mouse under his wing, Mouse soon finds himself torn between the straight-and-narrow and a road filled with fast money and violence.

 

WHEN: 
CHARM CITY KINGS Virtual Event, Oct. 7-9

Link to photos: 

NOTABLE ATTENDEES:
Guests (in alpha order)
– Dr. Melina Abdullah, Shedrack Anderson, Nicholas Ashe, Wayman Bannerman, Candice Benbow, Doug Benson, Mayim Bialik, Ashley Blaine Featherson, Brandon Boyer, Bianca Brewton, Isa Briones, Danielle Brooks, Jeremy Cohen, Affion Crockett, Liris Crosse, Cameron Cuffe, Alan Cumming, Lucy Dacus, Dexter Darden, A’keria Chanel Davenport, Bryan Dechart, Dr. Joy DeGruy, Meg DeLacy, Lea DeLaria, CJ Fly, Deesha Dyer, Courtney Eaton, Gabrielle Elyse, Jonathan Fernandez, Dominique Fishback, Alexander Flores, Colin Ford, LaMonica Garrett, Joe Gatto, Jason Genao, Giullian Yao Gioiello, Jeante Godlock, Amanda Gorman, Macy Gray, Noah Grossman, Malynda Hale, Aldis Hodge, Brianne Howey, Carly Hughes, Ty Hunter, Camille Hyde, Adam Irigoyen, Sarunas Jackson, Josh Johnson, Penny Johnson Jerald, Feminista Jones, Ashley Jordyn, Kendall Keith, Romina Laino, Twin Shadow, Glenn Ligon, Caity Lotz, Denny Love, Demetria Lucas, Amira Lumbly, Danielle Macdonald, Allen Maldonado, Asad J. Malik, Amari Marshall, Stacy Martin, Isabelle McCalla, Micah McDonald, Jane McGonigal, DeRay McKesson, Patrick Monahan, Darnell Moore, Crystal Moselle, Jawn Murray, Naturi Naughton, Ian Nelson, Nyambi Nyambi, Britne Oldford, Brittany Packnett Cunningham, Dewayne Perkins, Numa Perrier, Adina Porter, Billy Porter, Cch Pounder, TK Quann, Cipriana Quann, Lisa Ramey, Alysia Reiner, Taja Riley, Thomas Roberts, Angela Robinson, Marquis Rodriguez, Kara Mae Royster, Amanda Seales, Saycon Sengbloh, Tamra Simmons, Bevy Smith, Tiffany Smith, Kia Stevens, Mystique Summers, Courtenay Taylor, George Tillman, Jr., Tiffany Tynes, King Vader, Sofia Vassilieva, Kamasi Washington, Larry Willmore. 

 

Media Contacts:
HBO Max

Pat Shin, Patrick.Shin@turner.com

42 West
Stacey Tesser Stacey.Tesser@42west.net
Kate Lowell Kate.Lowell@42West.net 

Pfeiffer Consulting
Michelle Rodriguez, Press@darinp.net