What would you like to watch?

Mix and match the filters below to explore our films.

FILTER

Back to list

Bad Press

Rebecca Landsberry-Baker (Director), Joe Peeler (Director)

Filmmakers: Rebecca Landsberry-Baker (Director), Joe Peeler (Director)
Envoys: Rebecca Landsberry-Baker (Director), Joe Peeler (Director), Angel Ellis (Subject)

Synopsis:When the Muscogee Nation suddenly begins censoring its free press, a rogue reporter fights to expose her government’s corruption in a historic battle that will have ramifications for all of Indian country.

About the Envoys:

Rebecca Landsberry-Baker is a citizen of the Muscogee Nation and executive director of the Indigenous Journalists Association. She is a recipient of the 2018 NCAIED “Native American 40 Under 40” award, the 2023 Local Champion Award from the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and the 2023 Gerald Sass Distinguished Service Award from AEJMC. Landsberry-Baker made her directorial debut with the documentary feature film, BAD PRESS, which was supported by the Sundance Institute, Ford Foundation, and NBC. The film premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and received the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Freedom of Expression.

Joe Peeler is a Sundance award-winning director and editor whose work has appeared on NETFLIX, HBO, FX, ESPN, Hulu and CBS. Joe began his career editing Lucy Walker’s short documentary The Lion’s Mouth Opens, which was shortlisted for the Academy Awards. He also edited multiple episodes of the Netflix original series Flint Town; and Margaret Brown’s short documentary The Black Belt, which premiered at SXSW. Most recently, Joe co-directed Bad Press, which premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and won the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Freedom of Expression.

Angel Ellis is a Citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. Growing up, her heroes had press passes rather than capes. Ellis became Director of Mvskoke Media in 2020 and an Elias Boudinot Free Press award winner. In 2022, the Local Media Association (LMA) recognized Ellis during Native American Heritage Month as one of the Indigenous people “who positively influenced and enriched the United States.” In January 2023, the film “Bad Press” premiered at Sundance. The film follow’s Ellis’s advocacy work and was selected as the Sundance Special Jury Freedom of Expression Award.