On Wednesday, June 8, New York City’s Mayor Bill de Blasio, Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen and the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment Commissioner Julie Menin launched new initiatives to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Mayor Office of Film at the Museum of the Moving Image.
The Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, or MOME, was created in 1966 by former-Mayor John Lindsay and has brought in nearly $9 billion to the city, this past season has presented “shattering records for film and television production,” according to the Mayor’s Office.
The celebration included the announcement of renowned entertainment leaders as MOME Ambassadors including Alicia Keys, Lady Gaga, John Leguizamo, Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal. The Ambassadors will be representatives of the media and entertainment industries in New York City over the next 12 months. They will promote the contributions of artists, entertainers and professionals to the City’s cultural identity and creative economy.
“I grew up in New York. I chose to launch my production company here because there is no better setting than New York for your film, no better city to shoot in than New York. I feel fortunate every time I get to make a movie here,” said actor, producer and Tribeca Film Festival co-founder De Niro. “I want to congratulate Julie Menin and the Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting on continuing a 50 year legacy of supporting storytelling in our great city.”
“I am proud to be among MOME’s 50th Anniversary Ambassadors. I fell in love with New York through the movies. I have had the privilege of producing movies and TV in New York for over 30 years. After 9/11 when the city was in its darkest moment, it was the movies that helped create a new memory through the Tribeca Film Festival which over the last 15 years has generated an economic impact of over 900 million dollars to Lower Manhattan,” said Rosenthal, producer and executive Chair of Tribeca Enterprises and Tribeca Film Festival co-founder.
The initiatives launched as announced by MOME were: 50 for 50, where MOME will present 50 free events throughout the upcoming year. This will provide an inside look at New York’s entertainment industry and all of the events will be open to the public.
Access Broadway is another initiative with over 1,000 free tickets to Broadway shows for New York City Housing Authority residents throughout the year.
MOME Movie Matinees is one of the initiatives, where a wide-ranging partnership will provide low-income families throughout NYC with over 1,000 feature films free of charge in theaters during the month of August.
The next initiative is Broadway in the Boroughs is an effort to bring Broadway to new audiences and MOME will stage free performances in each borough during the summer.
The last two initiatives are the “50 Years of Magic” mobile app and the Industry Retrospective – 50 Years of TV and Film in NYC. The app is a free mobile app will provide up-to-date details on all of the anniversary events throughout the year, there will also be an interactive map featuring highlights from NYC’s expansive film and TV history. The Industry Retrospective is a new report that highlights achievements of the City’s film and TV sectors, as well as their contributions to the economy.
“Growing up in New York City, I was inspired by the energy and creativity of the people and places all around me. Attending public schools provided me a phenomenal foundation for my career in music and gave me an understanding of the diversity there is in the world. I’m excited to be an ambassador for MOME this year and support them as they give back to the City’s diverse communities by presenting free events in the outer boroughs in the coming months. This is a great time to be a part of New York’s rich and multi-cultural entertainment industry, and I’m glad to share this moment with New Yorkers from all backgrounds,” said Keys.
“>What’s amazing about this industry – first of all, it’s something that defines us, we’re so proud of it as New Yorkers, it – it connects perfectly to our artistry, our cultural values as a city, the creativity that’s so natural in this place. It creates the – it connects beautifully to who we are as the ultimate multicultural city. Because one thing you hear from a lot of folks, including in that small backwater place called Hollywood, is the stories – the richness of the stories – from all over the world that are here in New York are just unsurpassed. So, part of our identity, part of who we are, part of our economy, part of what makes a good life possible for so many New Yorkers and their families,” said de Blasio. “We’re proud that this industry is so strong but there’s a lot more to do. And we have worked to reach a lot of the new opportunities that exist as well. So MOME, the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, now focuses as well on advertising, on music, and on digital content – and the sky is the limit in all those areas.”
