Over the past several days, we’ve seen a number of big companies respond to the death of George Floyd and the continued protests that have occurred all over the country in response to yet another unarmed Black person being killed by a police officer. And now, Criterion has joined the discussion.
Criterion President Peter Becker and CEO Jonathan Turell recently penned a statement to the film community about the steps the company is taking to help support the Black Lives Matter movement, along with the various other organizations that are fighting against systemic racism. And one of the initiatives means that the company is opening up a portion of its streaming service for free.
“Black Lives Matter. The anguish and fury unleashed all across the country are rooted in centuries of dehumanization and death,” the statement said. “This pattern must stop. 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.”
Criterion said that the company had a meeting to discuss how to “build a better, more equitable, more diverse Criterion” including more education and training for its staff and ownership. And one immediate step the company is taking is the establishment of an employee-guided $25,000 fund, which will add an additional $5,000 each month, going towards a variety of organizations aiming to combat racism.
READ MORE: Spike Lee Talks George Floyd Killing & Says 2020 Is “One Of The Worst Years Ever”
Another step Criterion is taking will affect film fans that have access to The Criterion Channel streaming service. Beginning today, even if you aren’t a subscriber to the platform (which you really should be subscribing to anyway, let’s be real), you’ll have access to a variety of films that “focus on Black Lives” for free, without a paywall. Some of the filmmakers that Criterion is promoting right now include Oscar Micheaux, Maya Angelou, Julie Dash, William Greaves, Kathleen Collins, Cheryl Dunye, Charles Burnett, Khalik Allah, and Leilah Weinraub, among others.
You can access these works on The Criterion Channel streaming service now.