"Captures—several times—that pit in your stomach feeling that occurs when you're watching the votes roll in for an election that has steep ramifications depending on its outcome." - Marya E. Gates, RogerEbert.com
"The perfect illustration of what happens when you dismantle the Fourth and Fifth Estates and wind up putting democracy in peril, and it’s something everyone in America should be worried about right now." - Jordan Mintzer, Hollywood Reporter
Opens November 29 | In 2015, the Muscogee Nation of Oklahoma became one of only five federally recognized tribes to legislate free press protections by transferring oversight of Mvskoke Media from the executive branch to an independent editorial board. But three years after the election of a new principal chief, a small faction of legislators conspired via a secretive “emergency session” to repeal the Free Press Act, turning control back over to the chief and his cabinet. Censorship came swiftly, and tribal citizens erupted with shock and anger. BAD PRESS follows the journey of tenacious Muscogee reporter Angel Ellis as she fights to bring free press back, and provides unparalleled insight into the inner workings of a modern Native American tribe, revealing for the first time a holistic look into the structure of its media, sovereign government, and election process.
Awards & Nominations
Winner - U.S. Documentary, Special Jury Award, Sundance Film Festival
Winner - Jury Prize, Best Documentary Feature, River Run International Film Festival
Winner - Best Indigenous Feature, Bend Film Festival
The Film Center is ADA accessible. This presentation will be projected without open captions. The theater is hearing-loop equipped. For accessibility requests, please email filmcenter@saic.edu