On the Record (film)

Last updated
On the Record
On the Record.jpeg
Official poster
Directed by
Written by
  • Kirby Dick
  • Amy Ziering
  • Sara Newens
Produced by
Cinematography
Edited bySara Newens
Music by Terence Blanchard
Production
companies
Distributed by HBO Max
Release dates
  • January 25, 2020 (2020-01-25)(Sundance)
  • May 27, 2020 (2020-05-27)(United States)
Running time
95 minutes [1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

On the Record is a 2020 American documentary film directed by Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering. It centers on allegations of sexual abuse and harassment against hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons. Executive producer Oprah Winfrey publicly withdrew from the film shortly before it was released, citing "creative differences", severing a production deal with Apple TV+. [2] The film premiered at Sundance on January 25, 2020, and was acquired by HBO Max, which released it digitally on May 27, 2020. [3] [4] [5] [6]

Contents

Background

On the Record is the fourth documentary released since the beginning of #MeToo that highlights allegations of sexual abuse against men in power, including Untouchable and the Surviving R. Kelly series. [7] It is the third film directed by Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering about sexual assault, including The Invisible War and The Hunting Ground . [7] [8]

In 2016, Ziering served on the jury for the Sundance Film Festival. [9] During a Women at Sundance dinner, Ziering was seated next to Rose McGowan, who shared with Ziering she had been sexually assaulted by Harvey Weinstein. [9] Ziering asked McGowan if other women would speak. Later, Ziering and Dick flew to meet with Ashley Judd, and an unnamed actress, and began pitching the film around, where it was rejected.

Ziering and Dick put the project on hold, but when the #MeToo movement began, Ziering and Dick received calls from women willing to come forward, which is how they found Drew Dixon, the daughter of former Washington, D.C. mayor Sharon Pratt Kelly and former Chair of the Council of the District of Columbia, Arrington Dixon. Dixon was the first woman to publicly levy allegations of assault against Russell Simmons, which were detailed in a New York Times article published in December 2017. [7]

Synopsis

The film centers on allegations of sexual assault and harassment levied against Def Jam co-founder Russell Simmons, and features interviews with some of the over 20 women who have accused him, including Sil Lai Abrams, Sherri Hines, Jenny Lumet, and Alexia Norton Jones. [10] [5] The documentary spends the bulk of its screen time on the story of Drew Dixon, a former A&R executive at Def Jam Records who claims that Simmons raped her in his apartment. [6] After leaving the company to work for Arista Records, Dixon claims that music executive L.A. Reid sabotaged her career when she rejected his sexual advances. [5] [11] On the Record also highlights the erasure of black women's voices from the #MeToo movement. [8] [12]

Kimberlé Crenshaw, Kierna Mayo, and Tarana Burke offer commentary throughout the film. [7]

Production

In June 2019, Oprah Winfrey joined as an executive producer on the project under her Harpo Productions banner, with Apple TV+ acquiring distribution rights to the film as part of her overall deal with Apple. [13] Ziering and Dick worked closely with Winfrey, sending her cuts, which received her enthusiastic approval. [14]

Following the announcement of the film, Winfrey was targeted by Simmons and his supporters including 50 Cent, and she received phone calls and text messages from Simmons directly asking her to cancel the project. [15] [16] Additionally, the women involved with the film were targeted on social media, which the women viewed as attempts to threaten and intimidate them. [17] [18] [19]

In January 2020, Winfrey announced she would be withdrawing as an executive producer on the project, which resulted in the cancellation of the film's distribution deal with Apple TV+. She stated that she felt the film was being rushed to be shown at the Sundance Film Festival, and after Ava DuVernay critiqued it negatively after a private screening, Winfrey felt the documentary lacked proper "context", and that there were "inconsistencies" in some of the women's stories. [6] Winfrey only informed Ziering and Dick of her departure 20 minutes before making it public. They stated that they were blindsided, as Winfrey had seen a cut similar to the one that would premiere at Sundance, with Apple and Harpo filling out an application for the festival. [20] [21]

Kirby Dick told The Guardian , "These stories were reported by the New York Times, the LA Times and The Hollywood Reporter and very extensively vetted.” According to Dick and Ziering, that process included their own fact-checking team, Harpo Productions, Apple's lawyers, and HBO Max's legal team. [13]

Release

Premiere and release

On the Record premiered at Sundance on January 25, 2020. [5] Shortly after, HBO Max acquired distribution rights to the film [22] and released it digitally on May 27, 2020. [23]

Critical reception

The film has received positive reception. The directors received a standing ovation after the premiere at Sundance. [8] On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 99% based on 73 reviews, with an average rating of 8.2/10. The site's critics consensus reads: "On the Record uses harrowing first-person accounts to powerfully and persuasively confront the entrenched sexism of an industry and its culture." [24] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 84 out of 100, based on 22 critic reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". [25]

Writing for Vanity Fair , Jordan Hoffman called it, "a thorough and self-aware film." [11] Ann Hornaday, The Washington Post 's chief film critic, called it "not just a riveting piece of investigative filmmaking, but a comprehensive and crucially important historical text". [26] The New York Times critic, Devika Girish, observed, "What the film does is bring these accounts to living, breathing and moving life, taking us beyond the media cycles of allegation and denial to a survivor’s intimate confrontations with cultural pressures and trauma." [27] Leah Greenblatt of EW gave the film an A− and referred to the film as "brutal, heartbreaking, and—with or without Oprah’s co-sign—utterly necessary." [8]

In a review for Variety , Owen Gleiberman stated, "If 'On the Record' were simply a record of sexual harassment and violence, it would end there. But the movie plunges deeper than perhaps any #MeToo narrative we’ve seen into the tortured ambivalence that women who’ve been victimized feel about calling out their accusers." [7] Writing for The A.V. Club , Noel Murray gave the film a B+. [28]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Russell Simmons</span> American entrepreneur and record executive

Russell Wendell Simmons is an American entrepreneur, writer and record executive. He co-founded the hip-hop label Def Jam Recordings, and created the clothing fashion lines Phat Farm, Argyleculture, and Tantris. He has promoted veganism and a yoga lifestyle, and published books on lifestyle, health, and entrepreneurship. Simmons' net worth was estimated at $340 million in 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mo'Nique</span> American comedian and actress (born 1967)

Monique Angela Hicks, known mononymously as Mo'Nique, is an American stand-up comedian and actress. She has received various accolades, including an Academy Award, BAFTA Award, Golden Globe Award, and Screen Actors Guild Award, as well as nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award and a Grammy Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harpo Productions</span> American multimedia production company

Harpo Productions is an American multimedia production company founded by Oprah Winfrey and based in West Hollywood, California. The name "Harpo" is "Oprah" spelled backwards and it was also the name of her on-screen husband in the film The Color Purple (1985).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Toback</span> American screenwriter and film director

James Lee Toback is an American screenwriter and film director. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay in 1991 for Bugsy. He has directed films including The Pick-up Artist, Two Girls and a Guy and Black and White.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kirby Dick</span> American film director, producer, and screenwriter

Kirby Bryan Dick is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and editor best known for directing documentary films. He received Academy Award nominations for Best Documentary Feature for directing Twist of Faith (2005) and The Invisible War (2012). He has also received numerous awards from film festivals, including the Sundance Film Festival and Los Angeles Film Festival.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls</span> School in South Africa

The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls – South Africa (OWLAG) is a boarding school for girls, grades 8–12, in Henley on Klip, Gauteng Province, South Africa. The school is a project begun by the American entrepreneur and philanthropist Oprah Winfrey in 2002, born out of a discussion she had with South African president Nelson Mandela in 2000. OWLAG opened in 2007 and its inaugural class of 72 girls graduated in 2011.

<i>The Invisible War</i> 2012 American film

The Invisible War is a 2012 American documentary film written and directed by Kirby Dick and produced by Amy Ziering and Tanner King Barklow about sexual assault in the United States military. It premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, where it received the U.S. Documentary Audience Award. The film has been lauded by advocates, lawmakers, and journalists for its influence on government policies to reduce the prevalence of rape in the armed forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amy Ziering</span> American filmmaker

Amy Ziering is an American film producer and director. Mostly known for her work in documentary films, she is a regular collaborator of director Kirby Dick; they co-directed 2002's Derrida and 2020's On the Record, with Ziering also producing several of Dick's films.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dawn Porter (filmmaker)</span> American film director

Dawn Porter is an American documentary filmmaker and founder of production company Trilogy Films. Her documentaries have screened at The Sundance Film Festival and other festivals as well as on HBO, CNN, Netflix, Hulu, PBS and elsewhere. She has made biographical documentaries about a number of historical figures including Bobby Kennedy, Vernon Jordan, and John Lewis and has collaborated with Oprah and Prince Harry.

<i>The Hunting Ground</i> 2015 American film

The Hunting Ground is a 2015 American documentary film about the incidence of sexual assault on college campuses in the United States and the reported failure of college administrations to deal with it adequately. Written and directed by Kirby Dick and produced by Amy Ziering, it premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. The film was released on February 27, 2015, an edited version aired on CNN on November 22, 2015, and was released on DVD the week of December 1, 2015. It was released on Netflix in March 2016. Lady Gaga recorded an original song, "Til It Happens to You," for the film, which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song.

Sil Lai Abrams is a domestic violence awareness activist and National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) award-winning writer. Abrams is a sought after speaker on sexual assault, domestic violence, race, and depictions of women of color in the media and has spoken at over 300 organizations and universities around the United States. She regularly provides television commentary on gender violence and has been profiled in numerous magazines, including The Hollywood Reporter, EBONY, Redbook, Modern Woman, and ESSENCE. The Root praised Abrams for her use of “social media to protest the narrative that Black women’s realities can be defined by dysfunctional entertainment”, and she has served on the Board of Directors for two of the nation’s largest victim services nonprofit organizations, Safe Horizon and the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MeToo movement</span> Social movement against sexual abuse and harassment

#MeToo is a social movement and awareness campaign against sexual abuse, sexual harassment and rape culture, in which people publicize their experiences of sexual abuse or sexual harassment. The phrase "Me Too" was initially used in this context on social media in 2006, on Myspace, by sexual assault survivor and activist Tarana Burke. The hashtag #MeToo was used starting in 2017 as a way to draw attention to the magnitude of the problem. "Me Too" is meant to empower those who have been sexually assaulted through empathy, solidarity and strength in numbers, by visibly demonstrating how many have experienced sexual assault and harassment, especially in the workplace.

The Weinstein effect is a phenomenon in which sexual harassment allegations of powerful figures get disclosed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Time's Up (organization)</span> Advocacy group against sexual harassment

Time's Up was a non-profit organization that raised money to support victims of sexual harassment. The organization was founded on January 1, 2018, by Hollywood celebrities in response to the Weinstein effect and the Me Too movement. As of January 2020, the organization had raised $24 million in donations.

There have been many reported cases and accusations of sexual abuse in the American film industry reported against people related to the medium of cinema of the United States.

<i>Leaving Neverland</i> 2019 documentary film

Leaving Neverland is a 2019 made-for-television documentary film directed and produced by Dan Reed. It focuses on two men, Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who allege they were sexually abused as children by the American singer Michael Jackson.

Not So Pretty is an American documentary television miniseries directed by Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering that explores the beauty industry and hidden chemicals in products. It consists of 4-episodes and premiered on April 14, 2022, on HBO Max.

<i>Allen v. Farrow</i> American documentary television miniseries

Allen v. Farrow is an American documentary television miniseries directed by Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering that explores an allegation of sexual abuse made against Woody Allen in 1992. It consists of four episodes and premiered on February 21, 2021, on HBO.

<i>The Me You Cant See</i> 2021 documentary series by Oprah Winfrey and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex

The Me You Can't See is an American documentary series on mental health streaming on Apple TV+, and hosted by Oprah Winfrey and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex. The series has five parts and involves notable figures such as performer Lady Gaga, actress Glenn Close and basketball player DeMar DeRozan. The Me You Can't See was released in full on May 21, 2021. A follow-up town hall-style conversation special, titled "A Path Forward", was released on the same platform on May 28, featuring participants and advisers from the main episodes.

<i>Phoenix Rising</i> (American TV series) 2022 American TV series or program

Phoenix Rising is an American documentary miniseries directed and produced by Amy J. Berg. It follows Evan Rachel Wood as she tells her story of domestic violence and her campaign for justice. It aired on March 15–16, 2022, on HBO.

References

  1. ↑ "On the Record". Sundance Film Festival . Retrieved February 3, 2020.
  2. ↑ Kaufman, Amy (January 26, 2020). "Russell Simmons assault doc stuns at Sundance, but survivors brace for 'fight' ahead". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
  3. ↑ Sperling, Nicole (February 3, 2020). "After Oprah's Departure, Film About Simmons Accusers Finds New Home". The New York Times . Retrieved May 28, 2020.
  4. ↑ Sisario, Ben; Sperling, Nicole (January 17, 2020). "Pressured by Simmons Over Exposé, Oprah Winfrey Faced a Big Decision". The New York Times . ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Fear, David (January 26, 2020). "Sundance 2020: 'On the Record' Gives Russell Simmons' Accusers the Spotlight". Rolling Stone . Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  6. 1 2 3 Adams, Sam (January 26, 2020). "The Russell Simmons Documentary Takes on the Racial Dimensions of #MeToo". Slate Magazine. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Gleiberman, Owen (January 26, 2020). "'On the Record': Film Review". Variety . Retrieved February 2, 2020.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Russell Simmons sexual assault documentary 'On the Record' is powerful, necessary viewing". EW.com. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  9. 1 2 Willmore, Alison (May 28, 2020). "On the Record Directors Discuss Allegations, Oprah and What Me Too Didn't Change". Vulture. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Three women detail how Russell Simmons allegedly raped them" . Retrieved May 28, 2020– via www.cbsnews.com.
  11. 1 2 Hoffman, Jordan (28 January 2020). "In On the Record, Accusers Make the Case Against Russell Simmons". Vanity Fair. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  12. ↑ "No Oprah? No problem: 'On the Record' Doc Gets Standing Ovations at Sundance". Billboard. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  13. 1 2 Horton, Adrian (May 26, 2020). "'People continue to turn a blind eye': behind a shocking film about music industry abuse". The Guardian. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
  14. ↑ Masters, Kim (June 1, 2020). "'On the Record' directors get dumped by Oprah days before Sundance. Then what happened?". KCRW.com . Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  15. ↑ Lattanzio, Ryan (January 17, 2020). "Oprah Says Russell Simmons Tried to Pressure Her to Drop Sex-Abuse Doc Headed for Sundance". IndieWire . Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  16. ↑ Carras, Christi (December 13, 2019). "50 Cent accuses Oprah of only 'going after black men' in #MeToo cases". The Chicago Tribune . Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  17. ↑ Kaufman, Amy (January 16, 2020). "Oprah Winfrey backed out of the Russell Simmons sexual assault documentary. Why the fallout was 'horrible'". The Los Angeles Times . Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  18. ↑ "Oprah's Russell Simmons Doc Withdrawal Rattles Accusers and Angers Activists: "It Feels Like Us Against the World"". The Hollywood Reporter . 22 January 2020. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
  19. ↑ "Oprah explains why she stepped away from Russell Simmons exposé". CBS This Morning. January 21, 2020. Retrieved May 28, 2020– via YouTube.
  20. ↑ Kaufman, Amy (January 16, 2020). "Oprah Winfrey backed out of the Russell Simmons sexual assault documentary. Why the fallout was 'horrible'". The Los Angeles Times . Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  21. ↑ "Behind Oprah's Russell Simmons Doc Defection: Filmmakers Blindsided, Accusers Vow to Move Forward". The Hollywood Reporter . 17 January 2020. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
  22. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (February 3, 2020). "Russell Simmons Accusers Documentary 'On The Record' Acquired By HBO Max – Sundance". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved February 3, 2020.
  23. ↑ White, Peter (April 21, 2020). "WarnerMedia Sets HBO Max Launch Date & Opening Slate". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  24. ↑ "On the Record (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango . Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  25. ↑ "On the Record Review". Metacritic. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
  26. ↑ Hornaday, Ann (May 27, 2020). "Review | Russell Simmons sex assault documentary is an anguishing and essential film". The Washington Post . Retrieved May 28, 2020.
  27. ↑ Girish, Devika (May 27, 2020). "'On the Record' Review: A Black Woman Says '#MeToo'". The New York Times . Retrieved May 28, 2020.
  28. ↑ Murray, Noel (May 25, 2020). "The Controversial On the Record Finds a Larger Story in the Russell Simmons Scandal". The A.V. Club . Retrieved May 25, 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.