Neil Young sang that although Participant may no longer exist as a functioning business, its legacy will endure and continue on into future years.
Tinseltown stars including Regina King, George Clooney, Ava DuVernay Daniel Dae Kim Martin Sheen Regina King Alfonso Cuaron Matt Damon Diego Luna have come together with the National Domestic Workers Alliance in an expression of appreciation and pride at its two decades of work under Jeff Skoll’s shingle – while at the same time encouraging it to keep focussing on its social impact goal.
As we take part in a heartfelt goodbye for Participant, it is critical that values-based storytelling is acknowledged for its power in expanding dialogue and opening our hearts to different experiences from our own; immersing us in humanity’s complexity.” The letter also stresses the necessity of partnerships among great storytellers, advocates and movements for change now more than ever to remind us all about our agency in shaping our collective future and reminding us all about its power to effect change – our future culture and democracy depend upon more participants spreading hope, humanity. Democracy lives on through us giving life!
“Participant has established an ecosystem of people over its 20-year work that are ready and willing to assist,” according to their correspondence with the town.
Read Below the Letter on Participant Legacy.
Regina King noted, individually: “Hollywood stories impact and shape so many lives across our nation,” and elaborated further, saying she wanted Shirley Chisolm’s tale for over 10 years since Shirley represented Black women who do important, unappreciated work behind-the-scenes but are often neglected or underestimated – something Participant did with its release on Netflix on March 22. Participant gave Shirley’s journey – as well as my own – space to be heard and seen by an audience.”
However, I feel it necessary to explain that although in recent times there has been some progress made regarding improving access and infrastructure relating to housing for example; at present there remains significant potential to bring change for better.
Regina King as Shirley Chisholm in 2024; photo by Glen Wilson for Netflix/Everett Collection ph: Glen Wilson/Netflix
On April 16, Ebay billionaire Jeff Skoll informed Participant employees that it would close down and nearly all its employees would be let go, effectively ending its 20-year run and producing two Academy Award Best Picture winners, Spotlight from Open Road and Universal’s Green Book; along with contributing material to DreamWorks Oscar winner Lincoln; Participant has produced 135 films, five series, 21 Oscars (two Best Pictures wins plus four documentaries wins, two Best International Features wins) 18 Primetime Emmy awards as well as over $3.3 billion global box office revenue since it began in 1996!
Cuaron’s Roma and Al Gore-led An Inconvenient Truth; Contagion; Clooney’s Good Night, and Good Luck; Clooney-directed Good Luck with that; Waiting for Superman; Food Inc 2 and 3 as well as Judas and Black Messiah were amongst more than 10 dozen films produced by Participant Media Company during that time frame; RBG Just Mercy American Factory Flee Shirley were just some examples from these cinematic endeavors; on television/streaming platform Participant featured heavily within DuVernay’s Emmy Award winning limited series called When They See Us depicting teenage boys wrongfully accused for having committed Central Park rape during 1989 which resulted in two convictions over wrongly accused teenage male convicted teenage men being falsely accused for Central Park rape convictions due to Participant being used extensively throughout that limited series as an integral component.
According to the head of NDWA, their commitment had tangible results on and off screen.
“NDWA worked alongside Participant and Alfonso Cuaron on Roma to increase visibility and value of domestic work while raising their voices,” according to National Domestic Workers Alliance President Ai-jen Poo. She noted how Roma helped open up conversations around care work that were long overdue while creating real world change: including supporting legislation such as Sen. Kamala Harris’ (D-CA) sponsored bill of Rights as well as social security for domestic workers in Mexico.
“Participant has done it many times since our founding,” Poo noted, “with numerous films and movements.” Our hope is that such partnerships continue to flourish; when discussing it with entertainment and advocacy partners we decided to use this letter as an invitation for anyone to join in this endeavor.
Since Skoll’s announcement over two weeks ago, Participant may be under less of a spotlight; but its lights remain relatively bright. Alongside its stellar library, Participant still boasts projects featuring Gillian Anderson and Helen Mirren’s White Bird (Lionsgate in Fall) which is set to follow up its 2017 hit Wonder; Disney+ streaming Out of My Mind by Sundance producer Gabriela Cowperthwaite as well as Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s The Grab documentary which first debuted at TIFF last year and will premiere cinematic theatrically this June.
Read the complete letter by clicking here:
Two decades ago, before social impact had even entered Hollywood films or stories were produced specifically to change our culture, Participant began creating stories with this goal in mind. Participant encouraged bold storytelling by believing in filmmakers’ vision, trusting advocates and social movements to utilize those narratives for effective campaigns, and never underestimating public appetite for thought provoking subject matter that might power new narratives and provide fresh perspectives. We have experienced first-hand what an essential role Participant played in encouraging filmmakers to experiment, innovate and ultimately grow as artists inspired by social movements. As advocates, we have witnessed firsthand how the power of filmmaking and campaigning can lead to real world change. Participant, through its innovative model of impact filmmaking combined with forging authentic partnerships between advocates, storytellers, and distributors has revolutionized public discourse and pop culture. And for that we feel immense pride and appreciation of our partnership with this pioneering entertainment institution. Participant has proven audiences desire movies with meaning – earning 21 Academy Awards out of 86 nominations as well as 18 Emmy nominations across five television series. Critical acclaim aside, its films such as Spotlight,”Roma,”An Inconvenient Truth”,A Fantastic Woman”,and”When They See Us”, grossed more than $3.3 billion worldwide at the box office. Participant was created with one goal in mind – creating world-class content while driving social change, which it accomplished admirably. We must remember to emphasize values-driven storytelling’s vital importance today – for opening dialogue on differing experiences from our own lives as well as immersing us all into humanity’s diversity. As we say goodbye, let us recognize values-based storytelling’s vital place within humanity today – by expanding debate spaces, widening minds to viewpoints far removed from our own, revealing its beauty through storytelling’s power in exploring its many complexities complexities! As we bid farewell to Participant we must emphasize its vital significance today more than ever – for expanding debate as it offers insight into humanity’s complexity by unveiling its beauty! As our world undergoes unprecedented change and uncertainty, now more than ever we need deep partnerships between brilliant storytellers, activists, and movements for change to remind us that our actions matter in shaping the future and reminding us to seize control. Future and health of culture and democracy require more of us to get involved, share hope and humanity with each other and contribute positively. Democracy is alive and breathing; as participants we bring life to it. With Participant having completed its remarkable body of work, we look forward to championing a new generation of producers that will build upon these accomplishments while applying what was learned, forging partnerships, and innovating within this new media environment – we urge Hollywood to rise up to meet this momentous moment!
