"International Film Festival is looking for a new director" reads the headline in today's B section, reminding that eyeonmiami "outed" the film festival for first inviting, then withdrawing only days before the scheduled viewing, a film documentary on worker exploitation at Miami's super-rich Fanjul sugar operations in the Dominican Republic.
"Sugar Babies" was never shown at the the Miami International Film Festival. I wrote that the Knight Foundation should withdraw its financial support of the festival-- in light of the fact that freedom of expression is central to the foundation's mission. I also noted how the Herald has gone "lite" on Big Sugar for many, many years. I believe that there is a conflict of interest at the board level of the Knight Foundation inhibiting a clear answer to this issue: and represents a black mark on independent journalism right here, in Miami, for a project funded by the Knight Foundation.According to today's Herald report, the current director was "shown the door by Miami Dade College for unspecified reasons."
This is a big deal. Did Herald reporters just reprint the Miami Dade College (sponsoring organization of the film festival) press statement, or-- given the controversy-- did they probe film festival board members? "De Bokay (the fired director) did not respond to repeated interview requests from The Miami Herald." Someone should.
The Miami Herald owes its readers a full explanation, on this story. Nothing else will do.
1 comment:
I totally concur, we need to hear more about this and specifically about the van Hool family and others involved. I have purchased buses from the van Hool family int he past but will never set foot in their company again.
THIS IS DISGUSTING and they should be prosecuted.
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