On Los Angeles’s Fairfax Avenue, the Silent Movie Theatre will reportedly soon have a new tenant: Fairfax Theater, LLC. Cinefamily — a pulse point in the Southern California film community that showcased arthouse fare — operated the space for 10 years prior to August 2017, when its activities were suspended after sexual harassment allegations prompted resignations from executive director Hadrian Belove (a co-founder) and board member Shadie Elnashai.
According to Cinefamily Accountability — a website founded by longtime Cinefamily patron Jon Zerolnick — the fledgling Fairfax Theater was established in October by Cinefamily co-founder and former treasurer Dan Harkham, who had the foresight then to know that Cinefamily would permanently close, a fact locals learned the following month. Pre-scandal, Cinefamily’s Board of Directors included well-known industry personalities like Amazon Original Movies head of production Ted Hope, and “The Lego Movie” co-writer/director Phil Lord. Oscar-winning actress Brie Larson was a member of its advisory board,...
According to Cinefamily Accountability — a website founded by longtime Cinefamily patron Jon Zerolnick — the fledgling Fairfax Theater was established in October by Cinefamily co-founder and former treasurer Dan Harkham, who had the foresight then to know that Cinefamily would permanently close, a fact locals learned the following month. Pre-scandal, Cinefamily’s Board of Directors included well-known industry personalities like Amazon Original Movies head of production Ted Hope, and “The Lego Movie” co-writer/director Phil Lord. Oscar-winning actress Brie Larson was a member of its advisory board,...
- 1/9/2018
- by Jenna Marotta
- Indiewire
Cinefamily’s temporary closure is now permanent. Following the August resignations of executive director Hadrian Belove and board member Shadie Elnashai amid sexual harassment allegations, the nonprofit West Hollywood theater will not reopen, concluding a 10-year run.
A statement posted November 14 on its website states that the decision was the result of a months-long independent investigation. “While no victims emerged to corroborate the allegation of rape widely circulated in an anonymous email, the investigation identified serious concerns, including breaches of acceptable behavior alleged to have happened at Cinefamily offices and events; a climate that discouraged employees and volunteers from reporting distressing workplace incidents and/or made them feel unheard if they did so; and critical lapses in communication from the executive management and the board,” the statement reads. “We feel strongly that we have made the right decision.”
Read More:Before Weinstein: The Times’ Sexual Harassment Timeline Should Include Austin and...
A statement posted November 14 on its website states that the decision was the result of a months-long independent investigation. “While no victims emerged to corroborate the allegation of rape widely circulated in an anonymous email, the investigation identified serious concerns, including breaches of acceptable behavior alleged to have happened at Cinefamily offices and events; a climate that discouraged employees and volunteers from reporting distressing workplace incidents and/or made them feel unheard if they did so; and critical lapses in communication from the executive management and the board,” the statement reads. “We feel strongly that we have made the right decision.”
Read More:Before Weinstein: The Times’ Sexual Harassment Timeline Should Include Austin and...
- 11/15/2017
- by Jenna Marotta
- Indiewire
Following the resignations of executive director Hadrian Belove and board member and Shadie Elnashai, Cinefamily has closed, temporarily suspending “all Cinefamily activities in order to allow for the investigation and necessary restructure of management and the board.”
The Cinefamily board asked for the resignations last week after an anonymous email circulated claiming that Belove “has been accused of sexual harassment, assault, and abuse by former employees and volunteers” and accused Elnashai of “raping multiple women, all verbally threatened and scared into silence after the assaults.”
Read More:Hadrian Belove Resigns From Cinefamily After Anonymous Email Alleges Sexual Harassment
The Cinefamily announcement, which is posted prominently on its site and social media, also said it has “engaged an independent third party, Giles Miller at Lynx Insights & Investigations, to conduct a thorough investigation into any alleged impropriety.”
The letter, which is signed by “The Board of The Cinefamily,“ added: “We want to...
The Cinefamily board asked for the resignations last week after an anonymous email circulated claiming that Belove “has been accused of sexual harassment, assault, and abuse by former employees and volunteers” and accused Elnashai of “raping multiple women, all verbally threatened and scared into silence after the assaults.”
Read More:Hadrian Belove Resigns From Cinefamily After Anonymous Email Alleges Sexual Harassment
The Cinefamily announcement, which is posted prominently on its site and social media, also said it has “engaged an independent third party, Giles Miller at Lynx Insights & Investigations, to conduct a thorough investigation into any alleged impropriety.”
The letter, which is signed by “The Board of The Cinefamily,“ added: “We want to...
- 8/27/2017
- by Dana Harris
- Indiewire
Brie Larson, Women of Cinefamily Co-Founder, Calls for ‘Further Action’ on Sexual Harassment Charges
In the wake of sexual harassment allegations against staffers at Los Angeles independent theater Cinefamily, actress Brie Larson has commented on the dramatic events at the institution where she co-founded the Women of Cinefamily collective.
Larson and Tina Poppy co-founded the Women of Cinefamily group in 2014. After Poppy left Cinefamily, Alia Penner took the role of co-founder. A source close to both Larson and Penner said that they were planning to step back from involvement with the organization for the foreseeable future.
“The allegations at Cinefamily are upsetting to me personally, both as an advocate for sexual assault survivors and a member of the community,” Larson said, in a statement posted to her Twitter feed. “Firstly, I would like to thank the brave survivors who spoke up — I believe you. The responsibility of handling allegations of this nature should never fall on the assaulted. Cinefamily prides itself on being a...
Larson and Tina Poppy co-founded the Women of Cinefamily group in 2014. After Poppy left Cinefamily, Alia Penner took the role of co-founder. A source close to both Larson and Penner said that they were planning to step back from involvement with the organization for the foreseeable future.
“The allegations at Cinefamily are upsetting to me personally, both as an advocate for sexual assault survivors and a member of the community,” Larson said, in a statement posted to her Twitter feed. “Firstly, I would like to thank the brave survivors who spoke up — I believe you. The responsibility of handling allegations of this nature should never fall on the assaulted. Cinefamily prides itself on being a...
- 8/23/2017
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
As stories of sexual abuse and assault by well-known men grow more commonplace, a refrain has emerged, one that might sound like a plea: Listen to women. Believe women. Even when they speak out against someone that might be considered a genius or hero, don’t ignore their stories.
This week, “listen to women” became a roar. “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” creator Joss Whedon’s ex-wife Kai Cole wrote frankly from her perspective about Whedon being a “fake feminist” and the years he allegedly spent cheating on her. Tig Notaro, in promoting the new season of her Amazon series “One Mississippi,” spoke out regarding sexual harrassment allegations made against Louis C.K.,who also serves as the show’s executive producer.
And after an anonymous letter went to hundreds of people in the indie film industry, accusing those who run Los Angeles-based nonprofit film society Cinefamily of enabling an atmosphere of...
This week, “listen to women” became a roar. “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” creator Joss Whedon’s ex-wife Kai Cole wrote frankly from her perspective about Whedon being a “fake feminist” and the years he allegedly spent cheating on her. Tig Notaro, in promoting the new season of her Amazon series “One Mississippi,” spoke out regarding sexual harrassment allegations made against Louis C.K.,who also serves as the show’s executive producer.
And after an anonymous letter went to hundreds of people in the indie film industry, accusing those who run Los Angeles-based nonprofit film society Cinefamily of enabling an atmosphere of...
- 8/23/2017
- by Liz Shannon Miller
- Indiewire
Hadrian Belove has resigned as executive director of Cinefamily, the independent Los Angeles-based theater he co-founded in 2007, after an anonymous email circulated this week detailing sexual harassment allegations against him and the Cinefamily board.
The anonymous email, which went to hundreds of members of the independent film community and the media, said Belove “has been accused of sexual harassment, assault, and abuse by former employees and volunteers. It is a deep seated behavior pattern that many in the community are already aware of.”
The email included excerpts from a 2014 lawsuit filed against Belove and Cinefamily by a former employee that cited sexual harassment as well as work-rule violations. That case was settled out of court.
In addition to Belove, the Cinefamily board accepted the resignation of board vice president Shadie Elnashai, whom the email accused of “raping multiple women, all verbally threatened and scared into silence after the assaults.”
Cinefamily...
The anonymous email, which went to hundreds of members of the independent film community and the media, said Belove “has been accused of sexual harassment, assault, and abuse by former employees and volunteers. It is a deep seated behavior pattern that many in the community are already aware of.”
The email included excerpts from a 2014 lawsuit filed against Belove and Cinefamily by a former employee that cited sexual harassment as well as work-rule violations. That case was settled out of court.
In addition to Belove, the Cinefamily board accepted the resignation of board vice president Shadie Elnashai, whom the email accused of “raping multiple women, all verbally threatened and scared into silence after the assaults.”
Cinefamily...
- 8/23/2017
- by Dana Harris and Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
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