Ep. 19 Current State of Journalism and Controversial Programming

Apr 28

In this episode, host Edward Frumkin (he/him) and contributor Sean Naughton (he/him) analyze the findings of the Center for Media and Social Impact’s Report on the current State of Journalism in Documentaries, SXSW’s hypocritical stance on providing spaces for people with disabilities, and Sundance’s inclusion of Jihad Rehab (32:40). Then, Edward shares his thoughts on Random Acts of Flyness, Jessica Tifase’s recommendation (28:07). Finally, in today’s concluding thought, Edward discusses reelprint’s politics (01:12:13).

Time Codes:

1:05 - Ep. 19 Introduction and the key findings of the Center for Media and Social Impact’s recent report

4:07 - Analyzing how people use documentaries as a source

8:25 - Conflict of Interest in funding documentaries

11:10 - Critiquing the journalistic coverage in documentaries

15:00 - Seeing how the doc industry is becoming more equitable, accountable and accessible through the efforts by Documentary Accountability Working Group, Forward Doc, and Undocumented Filmmakers Collective, along with the solutions for this.

18:45 - Analyzing SXSW’s stance on providing spaces for people with disabilities as mentioned in Reid Davenport’s IDA Op-Ed

22:35 - SXSW’s film history towards stories about people with disabilies

25:30 - Critiquing SXSW’s listed accommodations for people with disabilities

28:08 - Edward’s take on Random Acts of Flyness

32:40 - Critiquing Sundance’s inclusion of Jihad Rehab

35:20 - Recognizing the efforts from a group of Muslim and Middle Eastern, North Africa, and South Asian (MENASA) filmmakers for holding several film organizations accountable for enabling an Islamophobic environment

39:20 - Explaining the reasons and limitations of this conversation

42:20 - The limits in the empathy model and critiquing Meg Smaker

48:45 - Recognizing Sundance’s history in problematic stories

51:05 - Analyzing the data on Sundance films in the documentary competition programs from the last 20 years about Muslims, MENASA-based people, or take place in MENA

55:38 - Assia Boundoui’s challenges in making The Feeling of Being Watched and acknowledging the backlash for speaking out

57:50 - #MyMuslimFilm

1:00:20 - Recognizing some of the co-signatories who are supporting the group

1:05:15 - The suggestions the Muslim and MENASA filmmakers list in their open letter

1:12:13 - Concluding Thought: reelprint’s politics

Episode Notes:

“The State of Journalism on the Documentary Filmmaking Scene” by Center for Media and Social Impact’s Patricia Aufderheide and Marissa Woods

Disability and Film Festivals: The Secret and the Not-So-Secret Complacencies by Reid Davenport

Beyond Empathy by Sonya Childress

Jihad Rehab-releated weblinks:

#MyMuslimFilm - Twiiter Hashtag that shows rich, diverse stories about Muslim experiences by Muslim filmmakers

Open Letter to Sundance Lettership Institue with leading signatories from filmmakers Amber Fares, Assia Boundaoui, Farihah Zaman, Jude Chehab, Khaula Malik, Malika Zouhali-Worrall, Marjan Safinia, Nausheen Dadabhoy, Rabab Haj Yahya, Razi Jafri, Sami Khan, Samia Khan, Senain Kheshgi, Smriti Mundhra, Sura Mallouh, Talal Jabari, and Zeshawn Ali, among other signatories