An Open Letter to the Tribeca Film Festival Regarding Occupy Wall Street

Alternet.org
,
 Tribeca 2012 Film Coalition
and
 Tribeca2012.com
April 30, 2012

 We are filmmakers, programmers, craftspeople, film critics, and film lovers who applaud the work you’ve done making the Tribeca Film Festival an artistically important destination.

However, we are troubled to learn that the festival has allowed Brookfield Properties to be one of its major sponsors this year and that multiple advertising trailers for Brookfield play in preshow programs.

Given Brookfield’s role in evicting the Occupy movement from Zuccotti Park, Brookfield hardly seems an appropriate sponsor for any festival that aspires to support new creative and cultural ideas.  The company should not be given such a high-profile platform to help re-brand themselves as supporters of artistic expression and free speech.

We ask that in planning future festivals you are conscious of the larger message your choice of sponsors sends to the public and hope that such sponsorship does not prevent the festival from taking a strong stance on the freedom of speech issues that are so critical to our lives as artists and the films we love.

With hope this leads to greater discussion and greater art,

(in alphabetical order)

Alicia Van Couvering, Producer

Albert Ruben, Writer

Annie Nocenti, Screenwriter & Filmmaker

Astra Taylor, Filmmaker, Examined Life

Christian Parenti, Writer, Tropic of Chaos

Dan Georgakas, Cineaste

Dorian Batycka, Performance Artist

Gary L. Aguilar, MD

Jacques Servin (Andy Bichlbaum), Filmmaker, Yes Men Fix The World

James Ponsoldt, Filmmaker

Jay Arthur Sterrenberg, Filmmaker

Jem Cohen, Filmmaker

Jennifer Baichwal, Filmmaker

Jeremy Pikser, Writer

Laura Poitras, Filmmaker, The Oath

Laura Hanna, Filmmaker

Michael Tully, Filmmaker & Writer

Nick Shimkin, Programmer

Raviv Ullman, Actor

Robert Iskhakov, Film lover

Ron Mann, Filmmaker & Distributor

Richard Porton, Cineaste Magazine

Sam Green, Filmmaker, The Weather Underground

Sarah Goodman, Filmmaker

Sean Flynn, Filmmaker & Programmer

Sarah Plant, Composer, Film Scorer

Stewart Nusbaumer, Writer

Todd Chandler, Filmmaker

Vic Losick, Filmmaker

Williams Cole, Producer

Zachary Levy, Filmmaker

Zachary Sklar, Writer

JOIN US!  TO ADD YOUR NAME TO THIS LIST– Please email us with your name and how you would like to be identified (“Filmmaker” “Writer”, etc..)

Report typos and corrections to: feedback@alternet.org.

Enjoy this piece?

… then let us make a small request. AlterNet’s journalists work tirelessly to counter the traditional corporate media narrative. We’re here seven days a week, 365 days a year. And we’re proud to say that we’ve been bringing you the real, unfiltered news for 20 years—longer than any other progressive news site on the Internet.

It’s through the generosity of our supporters that we’re able to share with you all the underreported news you need to know. Independent journalism is increasingly imperiled; ads alone can’t pay our bills. AlterNet counts on readers like you to support our coverage. Did you enjoy content from David Cay Johnston, Common Dreams, Raw Story and Robert Reich? Opinion from Salon and Jim Hightower? Analysis by The Conversation? Then join the hundreds of readers who have supported AlterNet this year.

Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Help ensure AlterNet remains independent long into the future. Support progressive journalism with a one-time contribution to AlterNet, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you. Click here to donate by check.

Close
Copy link
@2021 - AlterNet Media Inc. All Rights Reserved.