U.S. Embassy Shows “In the Heat of the Night” to Honor Black History Month

February 9, 2009

Reception after the film in the lobby of the Orion theater.

The U.S. Embassy in cooperation with the National Audiovisual Archives of Finland invited guests to watch the movie “In the Heat of the Night” starring Sidney Poitier. Over 50 people attended this event in honor of Black History Month. After PAO Nicole Conn opened the evening’s event, Pirkka Kivenheimo, journalist and scholar of African-American history, delivered a short introduction to the movie and described how Hollywood has represented black people in the movies over the years. He pointed out how Hollywood has also paved the way for the election of the first African-American President. The movie was followed by a reception where the guests discussed the movie and the impressions it raised.