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Imagine you lived in a world where your only reliable news source became government propaganda overnight. That’s exactly what happened to the citizens of the Muscogee Nation, the fourth largest Native American tribe, in 2018. Out of 574 federally-recognized tribes, the Muscogee Nation was one of only five to establish a free and independent press – until the tribe’s legislative branch abruptly repealed the landmark Free Press Act in advance of an election. The tribe’s hard-hitting news outlet, Mvskoke Media, would now be subject to direct editorial oversight by the tribal government.
One defiant journalist refuses to accept this flagrant act of oppression. As brave as she is blunt, veracious muckraker Angel Ellis charges headfirst into battle against the corrupt faction of the Muscogee National Council. Angel and her allies rally for press freedoms by inciting a voter-supported constitutional amendment, just in time for the start of a new election cycle.
An enthralling, edge-of-your-seat nail biter that unfurls with the energy and suspense of a political thriller, BAD PRESS is a timely and unprecedented story about the battle for freedom of the press and against state-censored media.
| Fire Starters Film Festival Macon, GA |
September 14-17 |
| The Atlantic Festival Washington, DC |
September 29 |
| Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival Hot Springs, AR |
October 6-14 |
| BendFilm Festival Bend, OR |
October 12-15 |
| Festival des Libertés Brussels, Belgium |
October 15 |
| Philadelphia Film Festival Philadelphia, PA |
October 19-29 |
| Indie Memphis Film Festival Memphis, TN |
October 24-29 |
| Friday Harbor Film Festival Friday Harbor, WA |
October 26-29 |
| New Orleans Film Festival New Orleans, LA |
November 2-7 |
| National Association of Science Writers Conference Boulder, CO |
October 6 |
| UpState Films Rhinebeck, NY |
October 9 |
| Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema Toronto, ON |
September 22 – October 5 |
| Nightlight Cinema Akron, OH |
October 8-9 |
| Circle Cinema Tulsa, OK |
October 6-12 |
| 14 Pews Houston, TX |
October 9 |
| Dairy Arts Center Boulder, CO |
October 9 |
| a/perture Cinema Winston-Salem, NC |
October 9-10 |
| Indiana University Cinema Bloomington, IN |
October 10 |
| Olympia Film Society Olympia, WA |
October 11-20 |
| Violet Crown Charlottesville Charlottesville, VA |
October 11 |
| Violet Crown Austin Austin, TX |
October 11 |
| Avalon Theatre Washington, DC |
October 11 |
| Mary D. Fischer Theatre Sedona, AZ |
October 11 |
| Laemmle Glendale Los Angeles, CA |
October 27 – November 2 |
| Northwest Film Forum Seattle, WA |
November 15-19 |
| Salina Art Center Cinema Salina, KS |
November 21 |
| Grand Cinema Tacoma, WA |
November 21 |
| PAM CUT Portland, OR |
November 26 |
| Gene Siskel Film Center Chicago, IL |
November 29 – December 3 |
| DCTV Firehouse Cinema New York, NY |
December 1-7 |
Rebecca Landsberry-Baker is an enrolled citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and the executive director of the Native American Journalists Association. She is a recipient of the 2018 NCAIED “Native American 40 Under 40” award and was selected to the Harvard Shorenstein News Leaders Fall 2022 cohort. Landsberry-Baker made her directorial debut with the documentary feature film, BAD PRESS, which was supported by the Sundance Institute, Ford Foundation JustFilms, NBC, and the Gotham. BAD PRESS premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and received the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Freedom of Expression.
Joe Peeler is a Sundance award-winning director and editor whose work has appeared on NETFLIX, HBO, FX, ESPN, Hulu and CBS. Joe began his career apprenticing under legendary director Peter Bogdanovich, and from there edited Lucy Walker’s Academy Awards Shortlist documentary short The Lion’s Mouth Opens; multiple episodes of the Netflix original series Flint Town; and Margaret Brown’s SXSW premiere documentary short The Black Belt. Most recently, Joe co-directed Bad Press, which premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and won the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Freedom of Expression.
