Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Marlee Matlin Walks Out Of Sundance Premiere After Closed Captioning Device Malfunctions

Marlee Matlin
Amy Sussman/FilmMagic/Getty Images

The Oscar winner, who is deaf, walked out of a screening of 'Magazine Dreams' along with fellow jurors Jeremy O. Harris and Eliza Hittman.

Sundance's Dramatic Competition jurors walked out of the premiere for Magazine Dreams on Friday night after the closed captioning device used for the film malfunctioned.

Among those jurors were Oscar-winning actor Marlee Matlin, who is deaf, Jeremy O. Harris and Eliza Hittman.


Though the device was repaired a few hours later, the incident reprised discussions of accessibility at film festivals. While having the closed captioning device was a move toward a more equitable viewing experience for all, there remains a great deal of progress to be made.

In response to the incident, the jury distributed letters to filmmakers urging them to allow "open caption DCP" prints to screen.

The letter obtained by Varietyreads:

"We have all travelled to Utah to celebrate independent film and those who devote their lives to making them."
"There's a thrill to sit in a room with others who love films and cheer for them together and Sundance has been an important place for each of us to do that over our varied careers."
"The U.S. independent cinema movement began as a way to make film accessible to everyone, not just those with the most privileges among us."
"As a jury our ability to celebrate the work that all of you have put into making these films has been disrupted by the fact that they are not accessible to all three of us."

Many on social media applauded the jurors for collectively exiting the premiere due to its failure to provide adequate access for all viewers.



Several also pointed out Matlin has been fighting this very issue for years.


Sundance CEO Joana Vincente issued the following statement:

"Our goal is to make all experiences (in person and online) as accessible as possible for all participants."
"Our accessibility efforts are, admittedly, always evolving and feedback helps drive it forward for the community as a whole."

Vincent also shared the jurors will be viewing Magazine Dreams in the near future.

More from Trending

Lynda Carter; Screenshot of Donald Trump
Stephane Cardinale/Corbis via Getty Images; Newsmax

Lynda Carter Hilariously Channels Wonder Woman In Response To Trump's Claim About 'Undetectable' Planes

After President Donald Trump touted the U.S. military's "stealth" planes that he described as "undetectable," Wonder Woman star Lynda Carter responded to his claim with a funny quip sure to delight fans of her iconic character.

Earlier, Trump boasted about the military's capabilities in remarks to reporters in the Oval Office amid heightened concerns about the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict that is sending shockwaves throughout the Middle East and around the world:

Keep ReadingShow less
red flag with pole on seashore
Seoyeon Choi on Unsplash

People Break Down The 'Silent Red Flags' Folks Tend To Ignore In Relationships

A red flag has come to mean any warning sign in life, in addition to the literal red flags that are placed on beaches or industrial sites to warn people of danger.

People will respond to situations by saying, "That’s a red flag." But before that language evolved, they'd just call them "warning signs."

Keep ReadingShow less
Ted Cruz; Tucker Carlson
The Tucker Carlson Show

Tucker Carlson And Ted Cruz Get Into Shouting Match Over Iran In Bonkers Interview Clip

Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz—a harsh Donald Trump critic-turned-MAGA minion—sat down with fired Fox News personality Tucker Carlson for the conservative influencer's self-produced online content,The Tucker Carlson Show, for the Tucker Carlson Network.

On Tuesday, Carlson shared a 1.5-minute clip revealing that things got contentious when the pair touched on the Trump administration's escalating tensions with Iran.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump; Barack Obama
Suzanne Plunkett-Pool/Getty Images; Scott Olson/Getty Images

Resurfaced Trump Tweet Criticizing Obama Over Iran Comes Back To Bite Him

Amid tensions with Iran, President Donald Trump was criticized for hypocrisy after social media users resurfaced a 2013 tweet in which he accused former President Barack Obama of planning an attack on Iran because of his "inability to negotiate properly."

Trump has declined to clarify whether the U.S. is edging closer to launching strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, following a warning from Iran’s supreme leader against any attack and a rejection of Trump’s demand for surrender.

Keep ReadingShow less
​​Elon Musk
Allison Robbert/AFP via Getty Images

Anti-Elon Banner at Stanford

Stanford University graduates were given creative advice from above as an airplane flew over the graduation ceremony with a banner reading, “CONGRATS! DON’T WORK FOR ELON.”

The moment was captured last Sunday during the university’s 134th Commencement ceremony, where the Class of 2025 received their degrees at Stanford Stadium.

Keep ReadingShow less