Inside Sundance’s Controversial Doc on Russell Simmons Rape Claims: ‘I Was Reduced to Nothing. I Was Trash.’
There’s been a deafening two weeks of controversy surrounding the documentary On the Record, which chronicles allegations of sexual misconduct, abuse, and rape by hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons. The film, which premiered Saturday evening at the Sundance Film Festival, made headlines when Oprah Winfrey, who was on board as an executive producer, removed her name from it, taking the distributor she had secured, Apple, with her.
The media circus surrounding Winfrey’s decision to back out has been cacophonous, compounded by concerns about the fact that the accusers’ stories were being told by white filmmakers. But one thing was clear after On the Record’s powerful debut screening in Park City: Whatever background noise there may be, the brave and convincing accounts of these women is what breaks through.
The film earned a standing ovation both before and after the showing, as the accusers who relayed their stories in the film joined directors Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering for a tearful Q&A.