This undated photo provided by Chain Camera Pictures shows a scene from 'On the Record.' Without Oprah or Apple, the Russell Simmons documentary went ahead with its premiere on Jan. 25, 2020, at the Sundance Film Festival.
“On the Record” is centred on the story of Drew Dixon, a former music executive for Def Jam Recordings, the record label co-founded by Simmons. It chronicles her decision to come forward and go on the record in a 2017 New York Times article, along with numerous other women, in accusing Simmons of harassment and rape.More than a dozen other women, many of whom also appear in “On the Record,” have also come forward with allegations of assault or harassment against Simmons.
“On the Record” also delves into the place black women have in the #MeToo movement and the racial dimensions of sexual assault. One audience member noted that the film, despite being about black women accusing a black man of rape, is directed by two white people. “Some of those people are filmmakers,” she continued. “It’s an entertainment industry story after all, right? But nobody told our story. Because the people who knew our story were subject to the same ecosystem. And to me, this is where allies matter. Allies who are not subject to that same dynamic. They have traction that they can use to pull you forward.”Ziering and Dick have made several documentaries before about sexual assault. Their “The Hunting Ground” focused on rape on college campuses.