President Obama to Screen ‘Selma’ at White House Friday

Although Ava Duvernay’s civil rights era drama Selma garnered only two Oscar nominations Thursday, President Obama will screen it Friday night at the White House for a special event.

Invitations for the event have reportedly been extended to a “very small group” of people, which includes David Oyelowo, who portrays Martin Luther King, Jr. in the biopic, alongside other members of Selma’s cast and crew. Alabama Representative Terri Sewell and artist Common will also be present.

The President has been known to screen films in a similar fashion. Steven Spielberg’s 2012 film Lincoln was shown at the White House, as well as Justin Chadwick’s Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom the following year.

While Selma was snubbed from most categories by the Academy, it has been nominated for Best Picture, as well as Best Song for Common’s collaboration with R&B singer John Legend for the track “Glory” on the film’s soundtrack.

Ava DuVernay was absent from the Best Director category, as was leading man David Oyelowo for Best Actor.