Dozens of top Hollywood creatives and activists have signed an open letter in response to Participant Production Company’s shutdown urging Hollywood industry professionals and audiences alike to continue effecting change through film and TV as it did previously.
George Clooney, Aflonso Cuaron, Ava DuVernay, Jane Fonda, Regina King and Viola Davis as well as groups such as GLAAD and Human Rights Watch all signed this letter coordinated by National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA), in cooperation with Participant/director Cuaron on an Oscar campaign for “Roma.” The letter’s coordination also saw Participant Cuaron collaborate with director Cuaron on visibility campaigns promoting his Oscar winner “Roma.”
As we bid farewell to Participant, it’s imperative that values-driven storytelling is now more essential than ever.” As part of Participant’s 20 years of work, an ecosystem has formed over time that stands ready to assist and collaborate.
Participant, founded in 2004 by Jeff Skoll and established to produce films about humanitarian issues like equity and corruption, made headlines last month when Variety broke the news it would shut down. Winning 21 Academy Awards out of 86 nominations and grossing over $3.3 billion at worldwide box offices worldwide; Participant also featured an innovative business model called double bottom line which created movies about these subjects as part of its mandate to make films about social causes like humanitarian concerns or corruption issues.
“Roma,” with its sensitive depiction of life as a domestic worker in Mexico City, ignited conversations around worker rights resulting in Congress introducing and passing its first National Domestic Workers Bill of Rights bill; which will soon be reintroduced and continue garnering support and momentum – something the group encourages show business players to keep alive amid media’s uncertain times.
“Participant’s filmmaking model and partnership work showed us the transformative power of storytelling to open hearts and galvanize action amid change and uncertainty,” according to Ai-jen Poo, president of NDWA. He concluded with an invitation for others to join their cause by harnessing art’s potential to alter lives around us all.
Read here the list of names to sign the letter:
