Diversity in Film Matters

It’s common knowledge that the film industry has long-standing challenges with diversity. Every Oscars season, we see headlines like the one from the Washington Post this past January -- “The Oscars’ long history of getting called out for lack of diversity.” While our favorite callout came from Eddie Murphy in 1988, the message is clear - more diverse stories need to be told. 

Here are three ways we can make that happen.

Support independent film festivals

We already know that mainstream Hollywood can’t be counted on to tell the stories of the full American experience. Independent films are driven by artistic vision and often tell the stories of underrepresented communities. Covid-19 forced most events, including film festivals, to go virtual. Take advantage of this and attend one! These events are guaranteed to tell the stories we need to gain new perspectives and continue to grow as human beings. 

For more information, check out Indie Wire’s constantly updated list of 2020 independent film festivals.

Become a Patreon

Covid 19 has devastated the creative community. According to Americans for the Arts, 62% of artists are now unemployed. With event cancellations and a global pullback on spending, many find themselves without a reliable income stream. To help, consider becoming a Patreon. When you become a supporter, you can give monthly to support the work of your favorite artists.

Follow the money

We know that one of the best ways to make societal change is with your wallet. When you spend consciously and support BIPOC film projects, it makes a statement. The Lagralane Group, co-founded by Yvonne Huff Lee has produced several outstanding projects, and is known for investing  in socially impactful projects. ARRAY, founded by Ava Duvernay in 2010, is an independent film distribution group dedicated to “the amplification of independent films by people of color and women filmmakers globally.” Check out their website to find a complete list of projects and information about their theater, Amanda Cinema, which is located right here in L.A.! 

At Big Land Films we’re committed to telling stories large and small, and we’d love to partner with you! Contact us to learn more!

Our Big Land Needs Help: Ways to Make a Positive Impact in the Climate Crisis

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Our last few blog posts detailed how art can be used to leverage change. One area where change is desperately needed is in our approach to the climate crisis. The headline of a recent Time article proclaimed, 2020 is Our Last, Best Chance to Save the Planet. While Covid-19 may have given Mother Earth a brief respite, the climate crisis continues to grow in severity. 

Here are just a few startling facts:

-800 million people, or 11% of the world’s population is currently vulnerable to climate change impacts such as droughts, floods, heat waves, extreme weather events and sea-level rise. (1)

-A 2015 study showed that vertebrate species—animals with backbones, like fish, birds, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles—are disappearing 114 times faster than they should be, a phenomenon that has been linked to climate change, pollution, and deforestation. (2)

-In 2019- Indonesia announced its plans to move the capital city away from Jakarta. Home to over ten million people, some parts of Jakarta are sinking as much as 25cm per year. In the Pacific, at least eight islands were swallowed by the sea in the last century, with Tuvalu, Kiribati and the Marshall Islands feared to be the next low-lying nations to be wiped off the map.

Keeping these facts in mind, it’s important that we all use our skills and talents to contribute to this critical conversation. We love seeing art in action as a way to grow awareness around climate change. 

One artist we’d like to highlight created a virtual reality app called “Unmoored...that places the phenomenon of rising sea levels within our electronic devices. Users can “experience an incoming flotilla of boats of all kinds...[It’s a work] designed to engender a moment of awe, one that offers a glimpse into the future, witnessed through the technology of the present.” 

If you’re ready to make a tangible difference in this fight, here are three ways you can make a difference right now.

1. Donate to an organization actively involved in the climate fight. NOW, 8 Billion Trees, and Extinction Rebellion are all great options. 

2. Purchase eco-friendly paper products like Who Gives a Crap or invest in a bidet! 

3. Purchase your clothes second-hand from ThredUp or other second hand retailers. 

How are you making a positive impact on sustainability? Share your story, and leave a comment below! 

(1) https://www.conservation.org/stories/11-climate-change-facts-you-need-to-know

(2) https://www.nrdc.org/stories/are-effects-global-warming-really-bad

Film and the Fight For Equality

With Pride recently upon us, we thought we would take the time to honor a few of the many LGBTQ films and filmmakers that helped paved the way for a more just and equitable society.

Rafiki

Rafiki is a cinematically beautiful Kenyan film about two young women in love.  Directed by Wanuri Kahiu, Rafiki dramatically changed the landscape for African LGBTQ cinema while simulataneously challenging many western assumptions about Afrfican life.  A modern-day Romeo and Juliet (or Juliet and Juliet) tale tells the story of two young women who fall in love despite being the daughters of rival politicians. 

For many Kenyans, “viewing Rafiki may be the first step toward building more empathy and acceptance of LGBT people.”

Pedro Almodovar

One of Spain’s premiere filmmakers, Pedro Almodovar directed a long list of critically acclaimed films. Volver, his 2006 film starring Penelope Cruz is an ode to female resilience. Not one to shy away from difficult topics, Almodovar’s 2004 Bad Education delves into sexual abuse within the Catholic Church, and transsexuality. His most recent film, Pain and Glory, is an autobiographical tale that was chosen by Time Magazine as the 2019 film of the year. 

Cinema can fill in the empty spaces of your life and your loneliness.

-Pedro Almodovar

Boys Don’t Cry

Boys Don’t Cry was the first major Hollywood film to tell the story of a transgender man. The film details the life of Brandson Teena, a transgender man from Nebraska who was brutally raped and murdered. Boys Don’t Cry is notable because viewers witnessed Teena’s life from his own perspective, awakening many to the harsh realities of life as a transgendered person. The film was also responsible for launching Hilary Swank’s rise to stardom, winning her the Best Actress award at the 2000 Academy Awards. “While the film has since drawn criticism — representing a marginalized group is a huge burden to bear, after all — it symbolized an important milestone, helping shift the transgender experience into the mainstream.”

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While we may have come a long way in the struggle for LGBTQ rights, actions by the current administration, and rising levels of hate crimes and attacks on LGBTQ people worldwide are a sobering reminder that the fight for equality must continue. If you would like to contribute to the fight for LGBTQ civil rights, we recommend donating to Lambda Legal.

Statement of Solidarity

We are in a much needed moment of reflection. George Floyd’s death was just the latest in a deplorably long list of deaths caused by police violence and a system that supports such brutality. The responsibility to reform this oppressive system that devalues the lives of people of color is a fight that we must all take on in order to actualize the changes that we so desperately need. As more Americans are taking action to fight for a just and equitable society, we here at Big Land Films are working to keep this momentum going and stronger than ever. 

Here’s how we are contributing to bringing about change: 

We acknowledge our privilege, and pledge to be allies for people of color in the film industry, and in our community. 

It’s a well-known fact that black directors, actors, and other creatives in the film industry too often have their work and voices overlooked and underrepresented. We pledge to speak out against this injustice and to highlight these artists in every way we can. 

We commit to creating projects for the organizations, causes, and people that are working to implement progressive change, thus amplifying these important voices.

We want our work to matter.

We pledge to donate our time and skills to telling the stories of marginalized people and their communities.  

It’s a big land with big stories that need to be told. We want to help aspiring creatives use the art of film to tell the narratives that more of us need to hear.

If you are interested in supporting the organizations working to bring about social change, consider engaging and donating to the following organizations: 

• Black Visions Collective

• Reclaim the Block 

• Campaign Zero