Apple TV+ upcoming drama series “Truth Be Told” became the first TV series to ever be celebrated at the 2019 Taormina Film Festival in Sicily, Italy, this weekend. After debuting a first look at the show, which explores America’s obsession with true crime, star and executive producer Octavia Spencer was honored with the prestigious Taormina Arte Award. Creator, Writer and Executive Producer, Nichelle Tramble Spellman was also on-hand to present the series.
Apple’s debut at the Taormina Film Festival included a presentation of its feature film Hala, a universal, coming-of-age story, directed by Minhal Baig and executive produced by Jada Pinkett Smith. The film was an official juried selection at the Festival, where the feature film jury awarded first-time filmmaker Baig with the Cariddi D’Argento Award for Best Direction.
“Truth Be Told” / Octavia Spencer and Taormina Film Festival presenting Award committee | Photo caption: (L – R) Taormina Film Festival Artistic Director, Silvia Bizio, acclaimed Italian Film Director Paolo Genovese, Academy Award® and Golden Globe® winning Actress and Executive Producer Octavia Spencer, Mistress of Ceremony Carolina di Domenico and Co-Artistic Director Gianvito Casadonte at the Taormina Film Festival in Sicily, Italy on July 5, 2019.
Apple’s The Elephant Queen, a genre-redefining documentary film that takes viewers on the journey of Athena, an elephant matriarch, was a featured screening at the festival. Emmy® and Peabody Award-winning wildlife documentarians Victoria Stone and Mark Deeble, presented the film, an official selection of the 2019 Sundance Film Festival and 2018 Toronto International Film Festival.