PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — Marley Matlin, Jeremy O. Harris, and Eliza Hitman exited the premiere of their film Friday night at the Sundance Film Festival after a closed captioning device didn’t work.
Deaf Matlin is on the jury for the film’s debut in the U.S. Theater Competition this week at the festival in Park City, Utah, alongside Harris and Hitman. The jurors walked out together when they realized the situation that happened during the premiere of “Magazine Dream”. Variety was the first to report the news.
In a statement to The Associated Press on Saturday, Sundance Institute CEO Joana Vicente said the Wi-Fi-dependent closed captioning device was tested before the screening and was working, but it still works. I said I hadn’t.
“Our team immediately put the device into operation at the venue and tested it again for our next screening, and the device worked without any glitches,” Vicente said. “Our goal is to make all experiences (both in-person and online) as accessible as possible for all participants. helps move it forward for the community as a whole.”
Accessibility at film festivals has been a major topic for years, and the incident once again drew attention to how organizers are looking to make changes to accommodate all fans. Vicente said her team has been working hard in that area, but admitted there is still more to learn.
“We are committed to improving the experience and belonging of all festival-goers,” the statement said. and this work is being done in collaboration with the film team.”
Matlin did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Vicente said she and her fellow jurors will see “Magazine Dreams” in the coming days.
The Sundance Film Festival runs through January 29th.