Criterion Will Stream Notable Titles by Black Filmmakers for FreeIt is one of several steps the company has taken to support the fight for social justice.
This story originally appeared onEngadget
In response to the murders of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Tony McDade and Breonna Taylor, as well as the disproportionate toll COVID-19 has had on communities of color, the Criterion Collection announced a few steps it's taking to fight systemic racism. For starters, Criterion plans to lift the paywall on select titles from black filmmakers and documentary portraits of the black experience.
The titles will stream for free onCriterion's new streamingservice, which is available on several platforms, including Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku, iOS and Android.
Related:10 TV Shows Every Entrepreneur Should Watch on Netflix
Some of the titles includeDaughters of Dust(the first feature film by a black woman to be distributed in theaters in the US),Maya Angelou'sDown in the Delta, Shirley Clarke'sPortrait of Jason, Agnès Varda'sBlack Panthersand Kathleen Collins'Losing Ground,IndieWirereports. Criterion will share work by both early pioneers of African American cinema and contemporary filmmakers.
"We are also committed to examining the role we play in the idea of canon formation, whose voices get elevated, and who gets to decide what stories get told," president Peter Becker and CEO Jonathan Turell wrote in a letter to the Criterion community.
Black Lives Matter.pic.twitter.com/aRwDVjuI0O
— Criterion Collection (@Criterion)June 4, 2020
Criterion has established an employee-guided fund with an initial $25,000 contribution to support organizations fighting racism in America, including bail funds, community groups, legal defense funds and advocacy groups addressing police reform. Criterion has pledged to contribute an additional $5,000 monthly to these causes.
Related:10 Movies All Entrepreneurs Should Watch on Hulu
"We support the protesters who have taken to the streets to demand justice, and we share their hopes. We are committed to fighting systemic racism," Becker and Turell wrote.
