Apple, Oprah's Sundance doc is about Russell Simmons rape accuser
LA TimesYesterday, AppleTV+ announced the acquisition of a documentary about a former music executive’s #MeToo journey. Executive produced by Oprah Winfrey and directed by Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering, the logline simply notes the film follows “a brilliant former music executive who grapples with whether to go public with her story of assault and abuse by a notable figure in the music industry. The film is a profound examination of race, gender, class and intersectionality, and the toll assaults take on their victims and society at large.” Today it was announced that the documentary will debut at the Sundance Film Festival early next year, and while the official Sundance description is the same as Apple’s logline, the identity of the “former music executive” was confirmed. The film’s primary subject is Drew Dixon, who alleged multiple instances of misconduct initiated by Russell Simmons in a bombshell interview with the New York Times. Documentarians Dick and Ziering of Jane Doe Films previously scored an Oscar nomination for “The Invisible War,” another film exploring life after sexual assault, centering on rape survivors in the U.S. military.
History of this topic
Russell Simmons sued for defamation by former Def Jam executive who accused him of sexual assault
LA Times
Russell Simmons sued in alleged rape of Def Jam executive in the ’90s
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After Oprah’s exit, Russell Simmons doc acquired by HBO Max
Associated Press
Why did Oprah Winfrey drop her Russell Simmons documentary?
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Oprah Winfrey claims Russell Simmons 'pressured' her to drop sexual abuse exposé, defends decision to withdraw
Firstpost
A timeline of Oprah Winfrey’s involvement with the Russell Simmons documentary
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Russell Simmons confronts Oprah Winfrey over documentary featuring one of his accusers
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