Several folks sent this to me today… it’s a photo from a panel that took place over the weekend at Film Society’s Lincoln Center (FSLC), here in NYC; a panel titled today’s “New Faces of Indie Film” which was moderated by super indie film producer Ted Hope.

If nothing about the above photo and panel title sets off any alarms with you, then maybe reading some of the comments that were posted on the FSLC’s Facebook post about the Saturday panel (HERE), or Melissa Silverstein’s “What’s Wrong With This Picture” post earlier today HERE, will help.

I really don’t have much to add to this; what can I say… I’m still sick with a cold, and just don’t have the will. Besides, these are matters we’ve discussed in a variety of posts on Shadow & Act since the site was created.

What I will do instead is give a shout-out to those folks who did challenge the FSLC panel makeup (especially those who mentioned Shadow And Act in their responses), whether on the Facebook post or on Melissa Silverstein’s indieWIRE site, and everywhere else this was posted. Those folks have pretty much spoken for me.

Here are a couple.

First from Victoria Mahoney:

Dear Ted Hope, Per your response [“I think it has to do w/ what films are coming out theatrically, have NY directors, and Lincoln Ctr relationship. But u r right too!”]. I’m a New York Director. I have a relationship with Lincoln Center. I have an indie film coming out this year called YELLING TO THE SKY, shot completely in NY, 35mm, in 18days; about as Indie as it gets. Played this past Thursday at Gen Art. World Premiered at Berlin, 2nd American Woman in 60yrs invited into Main Competition. Our Gen Art screening (3 days prior to this panel, in the exact same city) sold out in 4 days. Was the 1st in the line up to do so. I have another question, where’s the actual “reflection” of New York? If that’s the aim. Not ONE single [African American] in NEW FACES OF INDIE FILM [In NY?!] If you don’t know an abundance of Indie women filmmakers ask Melissa Silverstein. If you don’t know an abundance or any African American Indie filmmakers, ask Indiewire/ShadowandAct, they can both provide a list the length of your arm, considering their sites are dedicated to reshaping industry imbalance. The title of this panel is offensive on so many levels, to mountains upon mountains, of diverse talent underneath your nose. Here’s a tip, next time go get “a woman/of color”, just one—that way, all of us die on the vine, Indie film lovers, will see you at least—made an effort.

And from Sujewa Ekanayake:

Also, for FSLC’s future use, all of the following sites regularly write about NYC based minority filmmakers, as new works get released: indiewire’s blog Shadow & Act, Filmmaker Magazine’s blog, Ted Hope’s own Hammer to Nail, the main indiewire site itself, as mentioned before diyfilmmaker.blogspot; also 1 Way Community blog, AsianAmericanFilm.com (now knows as APA POP), and probably programmers of many of the local/NYC festivals have contact info for filmmakers of all backgrounds who use diverse casts & crews in their movies, or are from a minority background or are female. Good luck with the next NYC indie filmmakers panel FSLC, looking forward to it. The first one, though it lacked diversity, was entertaining & educational.