Lee Daniels, Cheryl Boone Isaacs Top List of SXSW Keynote Speakers

SXSW

SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE and FESTIVALS, taking place MARCH 10th through 19th in AUSTIN, TX, announced its second wave of Keynotes and Featured Speakers for the 2017 event, including OSCAR-nominated director LEE DANIELS as Film Keynote. DANIELS is best known for directing "Precious: Based on the Novel by Sapphire," the hit TV series "Empire"; and the 2013 critically acclaimed box office smash, "The Butler." His new television series, "Star," will premiere on FOX early next year.

Featured Speakers include ACADEMY OF MOTION PICTURE ARTS AND SCIENCES CHERYL BOONE ISAACS, Artificial Intelligence expert KATE CRAWFORD, FORD MOTOR COMPANY's BILL FORD & C3 GROUP Pres./Founder DOUG NEWCOMB, global strategist PARAG KHANNA, THE KITCHEN co-founder KIMBAL MUSK, best-selling author PEGGY ORENSTEIN, film/TV music supervisor RANDALL POSTER, SACRAMENTO KINGS owner, philanthropist and technology visionary VIVEK RANADIVE and TV host/author RACHAEL RAY. 

The Featured Session “Product Mavericks: Top Tips From Women Who Build” was also announced, with MERCI GRACE, who leads the Growth team at SLACK; STEPHANIE HANNON, Chief Technology Officer, HILLARY FOR AMERICA; TALI RAPAPORT, LYFT VP/Product, and FIDJI SIMO, FACEBOOK Dir./Product.

Commented SXSW Head Of Film JANET PIERSON: "The SXSW CONFERENCE is designed to give creatives the tools they need to achieve their goals, and what better way than bringing together a diverse slate of today’s influencers and making them available to all badge types, fueling the cross-industry creative combustion we’re known for. We are particularly excited about LEE DANIELS as Film Keynote for his unparalleled talent, passion, continued experimentation, and career evolution. He’s been the driving force behind so much extraordinary work in a number of ways. His artistic leaps and risk-taking are exactly what we love to celebrate at SXSW.”

New for 2017, the INTERACTIVE, FILM and MUSIC badges will now include expanded access to more of the SXSW CONFERENCE & FESTIVALS experience. Attendees will still receive primary entry to programming associated with their badge-type, but can now enjoy secondary access to most other SXSW events. SXSW’s first registration deadline is SEPTEMBER 9th at 11:59p (PT). Early registrants benefit from discounted rates.

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