Bad Press
Guests Expected
Rebecca Landsberry-Baker, Joe Peeler, Angel Ellis
Description
Assaults on press freedom and independence make reporting challenging worldwide but for First Nations journalists, reporting the news is wildly complicated. Transparency and fact finding are not protected on sovereign tribal lands where the First Amendment does not apply and where local politics are intertwined with newspaper funding. The result is editorial oversight that makes it almost impossible to report on malfeasance. Enter Angel Ellis, a Mvskoke Media journalist in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, fighting for access and accountability in her community while her scrappy colleagues valiantly try to keep the newspaper afloat when press protections are repealed by the National Council. With humor and pathos, these brave muckrakers risk it all to hold those in power accountable in this Sundance Special Jury Award-winning documentary.
PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
Rebecca Landsberry-Baker is an enrolled citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and the executive director of the Native American Journalists Association. She is a recipient of the 2018 NCAIED “Native American 40 Under 40” award and was selected to the Harvard Shorenstein News Leaders Fall 2022 cohort. Landsberry-Baker made her directorial debut with the documentary feature Bad Press, which was supported by the Sundance Institute, Ford Foundation JustFilms, NBC, and the Gotham. Bad Press premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and received the US Documentary Special Jury Award for Freedom of Expression.
Joe Peeler is a Sundance award-winning director and editor whose work has appeared on Netflix, HBO, FX, ESPN, Hulu and CBS. Joe began his career apprenticing under legendary director Peter Bogdanovich, and from there edited Lucy Walker’s Academy Awards Shortlist documentary short The Lion’s Mouth Opens; multiple episodes of the Netflix original series Flint Town; and Margaret Brown’s SXSW premiere documentary short The Black Belt. Most recently, Joe co-directed Bad Press, which premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and won the US Documentary Special Jury Award for Freedom of Expression.
Film Details
Language American Sign Language, English, Mvskoke
Year 2023
Premiere California
Runtime 98
Country USA
Director Rebecca Landsberry-Baker, Joe Peeler
Executive Producer David Doran, Mary Garis, Will Hugon, Will Potter, Brenda Robinson, Justin Nearing
Producer Conrad Beilharz, Garrett Baker, Tyler Graim, Rebecca Landsberry-Baker, Joe Peeler
Editor Jean Rheem
Cinematographer Tyler Graim
Music Denisse Ojeda
Print Source Oklafilm LLCconrad.beilharz@gmail.com
Closed Captions Yes, closed captions are available for this screening. Please let us know if you would like a device when purchasing your ticket or by emailing ADA@SFFilm.org.
Audio Description Yes, audio description is available for this screening. Please let us know if you would like a device when purchasing your ticket or by emailing ADA@SFFilm.org.
American Sign Language (ASL) Interpretation American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation will be provided at this event. Please let us know if you would like to reserve a seat with optimal visibility when purchasing your ticket or by emailing ADA@sffilm.org.
