Saturday, January 4, 2025

Palm Springs International Film Festival CANCELS Documentary YOU'RE NO INDIAN. Took DAYS to Realize Scheduling ISSUE.

 Was tribal disenrollment too HOT a topic to be seen?   Was it because it only affected TEN THOUSAND LIVING Native Americans?    YOU can ask them with this contact information from their website:

Palm Springs International Film Society

303 North Indian Canyon Drive, 3rd Floor

Palm Springs CA 92262 USA

Telephone: 1.760.322.2930

Toll Free (USA): 1.800.898.7256

info@psfilmfest.org


 WE HAVE QUESTIONS for you PSIFF


On the Decision-Making Process to CANCEL a film.  

Could you clarify the "scheduling error" explanation for pulling the film, especially given that it remained listed for two weeks and tickets were nearly sold out?

Follow-up: Was this explanation consistent with internal communications or festival policies regarding scheduling changes?

Were any external entities, such as sponsoring tribes or donors, involved in the decision to remove the film?

Follow-up: If so, how did their input influence the decision, and is there a policy addressing such situations?


On Your Festival Values and Censorship

The festival prides itself on showcasing diverse voices and addressing important social issues. How does pulling this documentary detailing what happened to TEN THOUSAND NATIVE AMERICANS align with that mission?

Follow-up: Are there specific boundaries on the types of controversies or topics the festival is willing to address?

Do you believe the decision to pull the film constitutes censorship, intentional or otherwise, of an important issue affecting Native American communities?

Follow-up: What steps are in place to protect the integrity of the festival’s programming against external pressures?


On Transparency and Accountability

Were Ryan Flynn and his team given a detailed explanation or an opportunity to respond to the decision before the film was removed?


Follow-up: How does the festival ensure fair treatment of filmmakers in situations like this?

Have other films been pulled under similar circumstances in the festival’s history? If so, how were those situations handled?


Follow-up: How does the festival balance honoring commitments to filmmakers with addressing concerns from sponsors or stakeholders?

On Sponsorship and Influence

How do sponsorship agreements influence the festival’s programming decisions, particularly regarding sensitive or potentially controversial films?


Follow-up: Are there safeguards to ensure that sponsors cannot unilaterally dictate or suppress programming choices?

What assurances can the festival provide to filmmakers and audiences that future selections will be protected from external pressures?


Follow-up: Are there plans to implement or strengthen policies to prevent similar situations in the future?

On Moving Forward

Given the outcry from those affected by tribal disenrollment, would the festival consider revisiting its decision or finding alternative ways to showcase the documentary?

Could the festival host a panel discussion or virtual screening to address the controversy and provide a platform for dialogue?

What message do you think the cancellation sends to marginalized communities seeking to share their stories through the arts?

How does the festival plan to rebuild trust with filmmakers and audiences who may feel disheartened by this decision?

2 comments:

White Buffalo said...

You mentioned sponsorship. I would bet that one or more tribes have donated to this worthy event, or that this worthy event applied and received a grant from one of these tribes.

Anonymous said...

Documentary, values, spoken opinions, statements and tribal by-laws that govern our tribes gives light to unanswered questions to facts that have gone unanswered.