Sundance Film Festival Panel Highlights Mounting Government Censorship and Creative Freedom Issues in America.
Filmmakers and industry professionals gathered for a panel discussion at the Sundance Film Festival, moderated by ITVS President and CEO Carrie Lozano. The panel focused on the growing pressure from government censorship, corporate gatekeeping, and self-censorship that is affecting their ability to tell challenging stories.
Julie Christeas, an indie producer with Tandem Pictures, shared her experience of securing a location for an upcoming narrative project in Ohio only to have it become unavailable due to backlash from conservative groups. The university had threatened to take away funding from the paper that had been reporting on corruption, citing the queer protagonist in the film as a reason.
Sharon Liese, director of "Seized," spoke about the difficulties she faced while making her documentary about a small newspaper in Kansas raided by police for reporting on corruption. She struggled to gain access to subjects outside of the newspaper staff due to rumors and fake news circulating in the town.
The ACLU's Abby Cook pointed out that while filmmakers have the power to create "wonderful stories" through film, lawyers like her have to deal with complaints and lawsuits to protect creative freedom. She cited a recent lawsuit against Utah's book-banning policies, which currently has 22 books on its list of banned titles, including works by Toni Morrison.
Despite government attempts to silence them, Lozano noted that ITVS remains alive despite being defunded. The PBS platform has continued to support political documentaries tackling current events, despite pressure from government leaders. She emphasized the importance of not self-censoring, which is a First Amendment violation.
Filmmakers and industry professionals gathered for a panel discussion at the Sundance Film Festival, moderated by ITVS President and CEO Carrie Lozano. The panel focused on the growing pressure from government censorship, corporate gatekeeping, and self-censorship that is affecting their ability to tell challenging stories.
Julie Christeas, an indie producer with Tandem Pictures, shared her experience of securing a location for an upcoming narrative project in Ohio only to have it become unavailable due to backlash from conservative groups. The university had threatened to take away funding from the paper that had been reporting on corruption, citing the queer protagonist in the film as a reason.
Sharon Liese, director of "Seized," spoke about the difficulties she faced while making her documentary about a small newspaper in Kansas raided by police for reporting on corruption. She struggled to gain access to subjects outside of the newspaper staff due to rumors and fake news circulating in the town.
The ACLU's Abby Cook pointed out that while filmmakers have the power to create "wonderful stories" through film, lawyers like her have to deal with complaints and lawsuits to protect creative freedom. She cited a recent lawsuit against Utah's book-banning policies, which currently has 22 books on its list of banned titles, including works by Toni Morrison.
Despite government attempts to silence them, Lozano noted that ITVS remains alive despite being defunded. The PBS platform has continued to support political documentaries tackling current events, despite pressure from government leaders. She emphasized the importance of not self-censoring, which is a First Amendment violation.
They're talkin' about how hard it is for creators to tell their stories without gettin' shut down by govt censorship and corporate gatekeepers 
. I mean, Julie Christeas's story 'bout her location gettin' cancelled in Ohio due to some crazy conservative groups... that's just messed up 
.
That sounds like total BS. And the ACLU's Abby Cook talkin' about how lawyers have to deal with all this too? 
It's like, we gotta protect our creative freedom, fam! 
. And it's cool to hear that ITVS is still bringin' the heat with their documentaries 
. We need more of those stories, especially about current events! 
.
I think what's really concerning here is how these incidents are creating a ripple effect where artists and creators feel like they're walking on eggshells when making work that pushes boundaries or tackles tough subjects. It's not just about government censorship, it's also about the pressure from corporations and social media to keep things "safe" for mass consumption. 
As a result, we're seeing a lot of self-censorship, which is not only stifling creativity but also undermining our ability as a society to have open and honest discussions about important issues.
We need to find a way to support creators who are willing to take risks and tell stories that challenge the status quo, rather than punishing them for it. 
we gotta stand up against these pressures and keep telling the stories that need to be told 
. i mean, come on, you can't just silence ppl cuz their storys touch on sensitive topics its like the gov is saying "we don't want you to see this" but that's kinda what art is all about, right? exposing us to new ideas and perspectives 
. 22 books banned already and its just a bunch of old stuff thats not even relevant anymore. why can't ppl just learn from the past instead of trying to erase it? and whats the point of having freedom if you cant use it to create and express yourself?
]
]
]
]
. It's like, artists and filmmakers are supposed to be speaking truth to power but now they're being bullied into shutting up. Those stories that are challenging the status quo, they need to be told, you know? But it's getting harder and harder to get them out there because of all these external pressures.
. It's like, what even is the point of having a platform if we're not going to use it to tell the stories that need to be told? We need more people standing up for this kind of censorship and supporting artists who are willing to take risks.
. I mean, if they want to silence certain voices, that's their prerogative, but we need to be vocal about it too. We need to support those platforms like ITVS and PBS that are still pushing the boundaries.
. We need to protect it at all costs.
It's terrifying! But I have faith in ppl like Abby Cook from the ACLU who's fighting for our right to free speech. And I'm so inspired by Sharon Liese's determination to tell her story despite all the obstacles she faced.
. The university in Ohio was basically bullied into censoring a story because it didn't align with their values. And don't even get me started on the fake news and rumors that spread like wildfire in Kansas. It's crazy that filmmakers have to deal with all this BS to just do their job 
Just think of all those amazing movies and TV shows that got made despite being banned or censored in other countries – we're basically living in a Hollywood paradise 
! On a more serious note though, it's awesome to see organizations like ITVS standing strong against censorship. Let's keep telling those stories and fighting for our creative freedom! 
anyways, I'm not surprised the ACLU is stepping up though - they need to protect those creative voices from being silenced. gotta keep pushing boundaries and having tough conversations, even if it means facing some backlash... don't wanna live in a society where we can't openly discuss important stuff without fear of repercussions