Bynum said he wasn’t even aware of the technical issues at the premiere of his film, and is looking forward to resolving the issues once the jury attends another screening.
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For better or worse, Elijah Bynum’s ‘Magazine Dreams’ is one of the most talked about films at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. A dark character study starring Jonathan Majors as an ambitious bodybuilder who battles some serious demons debuted to strong reviews Friday night. We declined the screening due to a technical glitch that prevented the judges from viewing it with captions. The incident sparked a larger debate about accessibility at the festival, with the jury eventually releasing an open letter asking the Sundance Film Festival to step up its efforts to create an inclusive experience.
As other films race to create accommodations for the deaf before their test screenings, speculation is rife about the role filmmakers play in deciding whether to include captions in their films. Some directors may object to showing their films with open his captions, but Bynum does not. In his interview with IndieWire, Bynum clarified that the incident was purely a technical glitch and not an intentional act of his creative team.
When asked if he objected to showing his film in open captions, Bynum replied, “No, of course not.” “We were told that we would have devices that would allow anyone with hearing impairments to see captions. I don’t know if those devices, or a single device, malfunctioned last night. We are told we have a private experience where it unravels.And please open the captions if you can so we never have this problem again.Disappointed to hear that. “
In a Sundance review for Magazine Dreams, IndieWire’s Kate Erbland wrote: body, is an eye-opener. This is true artistry, absolute commitment, the kind of deep self-discipline that Killian himself could only dream of. For the majors, it’s just the next step in their rising career. How lucky are you to be on this particular ride and see the next big swing? ”
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