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Sundance Film Festival neglects to stipend several of their approved minority media journalists
Minority media professionals took to Twitter to express their frustrations.
It was the thought that counts, right?
Most film and TV critics are white. The majority of the time there is a need for an entertainment writer or pop culture/film critic the person presented is usually white and male. If you don’t believe me, just take a gander at most awards shows. Journalists of diverse backgrounds are needed as critics to examine and critique various forms of media and art because without marginalized representation, you don’t evolve and you don’t get the opportunity to grow. Hell, that was just me being nice. Do you know what I really mean? White men can’t be the only ones taking lead and critiquing what is good and bad in pop culture. What white men like, I generally have no interest in. And, if creatives are only listening to white men, they will continue to make art and entertainment based on their feedback, which is usually boring as hell.
Earlier this month, Sundance Film Festival released a press release that laid out their plan to include more freelance minority and underrepresented writers as part of their confirmed media. The press released also stated not only were they attempting to embrace more underrepresented writers it also claimed they will be offering stipends to accepted media professionals. For those that are unaware, Sundance Film Festival is approximately a week so you would need housing, transportation and food to sustain you while you are working. Ideally, this would be great for emerging and established bloggers and journalists who want an opportunity to cover press for such a notable entertainment event. It’s like Comic-Con for film and TV critics.
Per Sundance, “Recognizing that quantitative matters alone aren’t a complete solution, Sundance Institute is deepening the qualitative experience for press at Festival, ensuring that new applicants, who may be covering the Festival for the first time, can best navigate accreditation, attendance and reporting. The Institute is providing grants to defray travel and lodging costs for freelance critics and journalists, with support from Critical Minded, Netflix, Open Society Foundations, and Rotten Tomatoes.”
Many freelancers applying and some were approved. When the critics got approved, they started making plans to travel to Park City, Utah. Traveling to cover festivals can be extremely expensive. Unless a mainstream media was covering your expenses and you receive a steady check, putting up a couple of grand during the holiday season is a sacrifice for a lot of folks.
Hello loves. If you are a BLACK person—especially a BW—who was denied the #Sundance ~diversity~ stipend, please post links to your GoFundMe, Cash App, or whatever else under this tweet so we can get you funded. I opted out of festivals yrs ago but that doesn’t mean I can’t help. pic.twitter.com/SjvL4BKgjv
— Uncut Yams (Formerly Clarkisha Kent) (@IWriteAllDay_) December 21, 2019
Black critics took to Twitter to explain that they’ve been denied their stipend as promised. Many created GoFund Me’s because of the urgency of this setback. Fortunately, several were able to get funded via retweets and signal boosting.
I was denied the #Sundance inclusion initiative. While I'm still considering my options for attendance, it's startling to see so many poc like myself given Express Passes under the initiative, then denied funding under the same initiative (esp. woc). It's a cruel bait and switch.
— Robert Daniels (@812filmreviews) December 21, 2019
Twitter users were trying to determine what Black approved press-member received their stipend. At this current time, no one has spoken up.
Since the Sundance Press Inclusion didn't include me this year, I made a GoFundMe to fund my trip to #Sundance next month. Any donations, RTs, or help in anyway shape or form is greatly appreciated. Thank you!
— Rendy (@Rendy_Jones) December 22, 2019
Some users believe that only white women received stipends. Sundance Film Festival has yet to respond to any of the tweets or complaints.
I have started a GoFundMe to see if I can raise enough funds to go to #Sundance any help or even RT is greatly appreciated. https://t.co/VT4347C61R
— PayOrWait (@payorwait) December 21, 2019
Update: This Sundance Film Festival is not in New York City, but Park City, Utah.
