Toronto Film Critics Association Faces Collapse After Allegedly Censoring Indigenous Filmmaker’s Pro-Palestine Speech

The mass exodus at the Toronto Film Critics Association is gathering pace after Indigenous actress and filmmaker Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers returned her award trophy following the alleged censorship of her video acceptance speech, which included remarks in support of Palestine.

Over a third of the association’s 46 members are understood to have resigned so far, with others still considering their position. The TFCA, which is affiliated with the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI), has been thrown into crisis after Tailfeathers wrote to the organization claiming her taped acceptance speech — delivered during Monday night’s awards gala in Toronto — had been cut back in length without her knowledge.

Among those who have departed are Toronto Film Festival programmer Kelly Boutsalis, former Toronto fest film picker Norm Wilner, along with critics Nathalie Atkinson, Sarah-Tai Black, Kathleen Newman-Bremang, Bill Chambers, Alicia Fletcher, Barry Hertz, Peter Knegt, Saffron Maeve, Angelo Murreda, Adam Nayman, Andrew Parker, Jose Teodoro and Winnie Wang. TFCA president Johanna Schneller announced her own resignation on Wednesday.

Radheyan Simonpillai, a film critic for CTV’s Your Morning and a pop culture columnist for CBC Radio, confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter he had resigned his membership. In an email to fellow TFCA members obtained by THR, Simonpillai wrote: “Unfortunately, I can’t in good faith participate in an organization that kicked off the awards ceremony with a land acknowledgement, and then proceeded to minimize the sole acceptance speech delivered by an Indigenous artist. The BAFTA‘s had faced criticism just recently for censoring Akinola Davies Jr’s speech, and I find it surprising that we didn’t learn that lesson.”

Simonpillai also told THR: “I feel for Johanna in this. She’s a terrific leader despite this error in judgement, which she clearly didn’t make on her own.” But he took issue with her explanation that Tailfeathers’ award speech was edited for length. “Timing has never been an issue in the past, and certainly wasn’t when it comes to the speeches, presentations and video montages at the ceremony in question. If it were an issue, it should have been communicated clearly with the artist, whose speech seemed to be the only one that was visibly edited,” Simonpillai argued.

The stakes could not be higher for the organization. “This is killing the TFCA. There may be no choice but to dissolve this organization, which has been incredibly helpful and useful and impactful for the film community,” one member privately told THR.

Tailfeathers picked up the best supporting performance in a Canadian film trophy for her role in Melanie Oates’ Sweet Angel Baby.

Not everyone, however, is calling for a clean break. Thom Ernst, a film critic and a former host and producer of TVO’s Saturday Night at the Movies, urged colleagues in his own letter to members — also obtained by THR — to “pause before considering a mass withdrawal of membership. Leaving certainly makes a strong statement, but it may also silence the very voices that are most needed right now.” Ernst added: “I understand and respect the anger and frustration many members are feeling right now. Those reactions are not only understandable. They come from people who care deeply about this organization and what it represents. My hope is that we can channel this moment, not into departure, but into collective effort, to help shape a stronger, more accountable organization going forward.”

The TFCA, launched in 1977, holds an annual awards season prize-giving; this year’s best Canadian feature prize went to Blue Heron, the coming-of-age drama written and directed by Sophy Romvari.