Complaint Review: Sundance Film Festival / Sundance Institute - Select State/Province

10,000 filmmakers every year, submit their films totaling over 500,000.00, know that they in fact do not watch the film submissions that are simply mailed in ( mandatory) pay fees ( 55.00 to 75.00) , and the judge and court ruling in the case stated also that Sundance does not have to prove that they watch the films submitted each year. Isn't that cozy?

For over 25 years, 10,000 film submissions each year. ( 10's of millions) And yet the 10,000 films that are mailed in are not even the ones chosen by Sundance, the ones that are screened every single year are "accepted without the mandatory rules and regulations".

When you do your research you will find that all the films at Sundance are pre-chosen, and the "Awarded Winning Films" chosen and honored; are in fact  created by Sundance themselves at their film lab, the Sundance Film Lab series,  and seldom ever is there a film submitted by " mail" of an unknown filmmaker that is accepted. ( Except ....shorts....thats the "bait" (scam)  for filmmakers)  

In this video in fact, the 6 head programmers state ( after correcting themselves) Faith Salie asks; "Swear to God you watch them all"? To which they reply "Absolutely" and 2 seconds later they all say; "Well not exactly by us ".

10,000 films, 6 head programers, how CAN they watch 10,000 films? 25 years of this and not one filmmaker has ever even considered or done the math.

Indie Wire / Filmmaker Magazine / Film Threat all part of the cover=up and scam.

As a journalist, is it not your obligation to

1. Journalism's first obligation is to the truth 2. Its first loyalty is to citizens 3. Its essence is a discipline of verification 4. Its practitioners must maintain an independence from those they cover 5. It must serve as an independent monitor of power 6. It must provide a forum for public criticism and compromise.

I don't need to list all of this, but just a reminder, and also to mention and ask, what is wrong with journalists today? Are they all simply too lazy to do some research or is Sundance so powerful, that it yields authority over your own publication also?

One of the Nations most prestigious businesses and organizations has been stealing millions of dollars for over 20 years.

This is not news. This has been public knowledge for over 2 years, including the lawsuit that was filed last year by a filmmaker against Sundance, yet the press does not write about it, A LAWSUIT? Nor to mention anything regarding the peculiar circumstances, and mounds of evidence, even the video interviews in the programmers own words ADMITTING that they do not in fact watch the over 10,000 film that arrive in the mail every year.

That is over 500,000.00 in entry fees, that is "theft" and that is only a fragment of the deception.

Consider how Sundance Awards its 'own' films such as "Another Earth", "Beast of The Southern Wild" , their own films created at Sundance Lab Film Series and even awards itself 'money'.

Consider how filmmakers like Kevin Smiths "Red State" was not even in production in September yet was pronounced as an official entry, when it is mandatory that all filmmakers are told to send their films in by the 1st week of September, that requires you to send a "late fee", while 99% of these films are pre-chosen the year in advance.

Consider how head programer John Cooper is traveling to other countries and festivals during the period of when the 10,000 film submissions are sent in each year. Consider his own twitter account, copied for proof that he isn't even in town

Consider that this has continued for over 20 years.

Consider how all the film magazines, on-line film news blogs and web-sites will not mention this or any mention of the lawsuit because they all accept money for advertisements from Sundance.

Consider that there are over 7000 film festivals in the United States, many which play the same films as the others.

Consider that filmmakers must join "without a box" an On-Line Submission service that you pay for, that is mandatory

where you submit your film and information on-line to most ALL film festivals INCLUDING Sundance.

Consider that the films that are actually chosen by Sundance, do NOT have to use the paid for subscription "without a box" like everyone else does.

Consider when you submit your films to festivals, you agree to give away all your rights to your film, all mentioned in very fine garbled print.

Consider that the judge ruled that Sundance does not have to prove it watches 30 seconds of any of these films and so Sundance carries on.

Consider that 10,000 filmmakers each year, continue to spend their hard earned money, none of them ever getting a fair chance, because the PRESS AND JOURNALISTS won't make this knowledge known to the public for over 2 years now.

Consider the filmmaker who challenged Sundance and took them to court.

Don't you think it is your obligation to "inform" the public, and the 10's of thousands of filmmakers who are getting ripped off?

This is why we are reporting this.

Trek