When the coronavirus descended on the U.S., Firelight Media, like every other organization, quickly shifted its activities online. The Harlem-based nonprofit has been supporting nonfiction filmmakers of color since 2008, helping move hundreds of films forward through its Documentary Lab and other programs, and it functioned as a production company for another decade before that. Thus when the pandemic stopped film production and real-world gatherings the Firelight team responded quickly with a range of new programs, a service made all the more critical by COVID-19’s disproportionate affect on the Black population. Then, of course, came the murder of George Floyd […]
by Randy Astle on Jun 15, 2020Alongside the current Black Lives Matter protests following the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and others has come renewed acknowledgement that in the documentary and media worlds Black and POC voices and points of view have been historically underrepresented — a lack that has resulted often in skewed, racially biased or simply misinformed coverage. So, as media outlets, mainstream and alternative, cover the protests and their political and social impact, it’s critical that these voices are included behind the camera, in the form of directors, cinematographers, producers, reporters and in decision making roles as executives, funders and […]
by Denae Peters on Jun 12, 2020Independent Filmmaker Project, which is Filmmaker‘s publisher, issued yesterday the following statement: IFP stands with Black Lives Matter and we believe Black Lives Matter. As a collective team, we recognize that we can play an even greater role in supporting and amplifying the voices of Black storytellers in film and media arts. We are taking actionable steps towards developing internal leadership, staffing, outreach and programming as part of our commitment. This will be accomplished by strengthening our present partnerships and seeking new partnerships with a focus on collaborations, mentorship and education for Black storytellers. With leadership comes accountability and we […]
by Filmmaker Staff on Jun 4, 2020