Cinemark CEO’s ‘Yes on 8′ Contribution Adds Heat to Sundance Protest

Though many “No on 8″ protesters have been talking about a Utah-penalising boycott of the Sundance Film Festival, we initially wrote the idea off as unrealistic (though it provides a great face-saving manoeuvre for rejected indie filmmakers!). Now, though, David Poland has brought to light a direct impact that one “Yes on Prop 8″ donor — the CEO of the Cinemark theatre chain — could potentially have on the festival:

And with that, Sundance (and the media, in particular) will face its first real and direct challenge… as Cinemark owns the Holiday Village Cinemas, where many of the press screenings are during Sundance. In fact, it is the only real theatre – the rest are built in ballrooms for the purpose – used for press screenings during the festival.

So now we have something real on the table. Are those of us in the media who are supportive of the constitutional rights of gays in Americsa [sic] obliged to pass on any screening in the Holiday Village Cinemas (where, ironically, I once saw liberals enraged because the great neo-Nazi doc, Blood in the Face, was not clear enough about being anti-Nazi). What about the indie publicists, most of the male species of which are gay? Do they work that cinema? Do their cliients [sic] just say “no?”

Yes, those poor gay publicists — whatever will they do?! The idea of boycotting the Holiday Village gives protesters (and the festival itself) a tangible objective, even if the HV is typically seen as the “afterthought theatre” where movies not big enough to play at the Yarrow 1 and 2 typically end up. Still, think of the plush stadium seating that will be lost! Can the Sundance press corps afford that sacrifice?
[Photo Credit: AP]

• Cinemark CEO gave $9,999 to anti-gay Prop 8 bigots [Americablog]

• And Now, Prop 8’s Direct Challenge To Sundance [HotBlog]