The filmmakers behind "Bama Rush" Doc had to hire security details after "violent" threats
A rumor on the film and the general backlash led the crew to fear for their safety.
In the summer of 2021, #Bamarush became viral on Tiktok with sorority hopes at the University of Alabama using the social media platform to show their outfits for various recruitment events and discuss the strict rules of the Greek life process. For those outside, these rituals were intriguing abroad, but for those who participated - or had participated - the reduction of a sorority was a liaison experience. The viral explosion has led to the new documentary film Bama Rush , which was recently presented on Max (formerly HBO Max). And the director said that he was far from being easy to infiltrate the fiercely secret world of the sorority of the University of Alabama in order to make the film.
Director Rachel Fit said it was difficult first of all to make subjects agree to be filmed. She also said that production had received threats, to the point where they had security with them on campus. Read the rest to see what the director said others about his surprisingly painful experience.
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Fleit wanted to make a documentary on young women.
Fleit said that she had the initial idea of Documentary on sororities Following the #MeToo movement, but it was put aside while working on another project. When she returned to the idea, he was roughly at the same time as #bamarush became popular on Tiktok.
"I had always had the feeling that I was going to learn a lot about young femininity by diving deep into the sorority system, and Alabama felt like the right place to do it," said the filmmaker.
She also wanted to explore what it means to be part of a community. "I really went out with this spirit of, I want to talk to these young women and I want to see how we are similar," she continued. "I felt that we really want to belong, and that is how some people do."
The documentary also examines the internal functioning of these sorrees, in particular The powerful "machine", That Al.com describes as "a secret and selected coalition of traditionally white fraternities and sororities designed to influence campus policy at university".
A rumor ran around the university.
The first Fleit roadblock was that it was difficult to find students to participate in the film due to the sorority rules. She and her team contacted hundreds and finally found their four stars - two students and two high school seniors. Nor could she film inside sorority houses.
Things have not become more hairy from there. A rumor spread to Tiktok according to which Fluire secretly recorded images inside sororities, including having people wearing hidden microphones. Students warned each other not to participate in the film.
Then, in August 2022, The New York Times published An article on Alabama Rush This mentioned the documentary and confirmed the fleet as a director. The article noted that members of the sorority and potential members were concerned about what the documentary could show. A student said that she had been rejected to precipitate all sorority after being accused of having worn a hidden microphone. She believes that what was really spotted was a headband she had used to tie her t-shirt.
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A subject abandoned the documentary.
The decline has an impact on the process of producing Fleit and made him fear the security of herself, her participants and her colleagues. AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB
"It was the biggest flame return. To win the confidence of my subjects, then have this rumor swirling during the ultimate in our shooting," Flower says Entertainment tonight . The rumor was part of the film itself, and one of his subjects, Shelby , abandoned before the end of the shooting.
"Fortunately for me, most of the young women I went through, understood that we did not do what this rumor Tiktok said that we were doing", "," Flower says Al.com. "They understood and believed that I was always the same filmmaker for nine months and I was not doing something like secretly micr girls and recording precipitated conversations or penetrating in houses or doing this kind of thing that rumors have alleged that we were doing. "
Yet the marrow AND that the threats had been made. "It was violent," she said. "The system was very angry that this film was made."
She needed security.
The production company of the film, vice studios, hired security in light of the negative response.
"It was intense," said Fleit to PrimeTimer. "But again, it goes back to this institution so strong and powerful, then under all this, that is why I feel so proud of the film that we have made, are these issues to belong." She added: "My filming team was on alert because we were a little, or a lot, afraid for our physical security because the backlash felt so hard."
She also tried to hide her identity. Flowers has alopecia and decided to wear a wig , what she does not normally do, to be less recognizable. "The most difficult thing I had to do in my life was to withdraw my wig," she said television guide . "And to continue filming in Alabama after this rumor, I had to put a wig. It was a lot."
The director also explained to Al.com that another precaution had been taken with regard to the way the documentary had been announced. "It seemed that things could become violent, to be honest, and they sent a security detail to be with me at any time while I spun Rush ... and we did not announce the film until this That the trailer kept security in mind, "she said.
She is proud of the film.
Fleurit, which also directed the 2021 Presentation, Selma Blair , is satisfied with the way the documentary has proven, even if everything did not go as planned.
"I feel so proud of this film," she said AND . "I am a documentary filmmaker, engaged in the truth, and I had to tell the complete story of the Sorority System of the University of Alabama, which understands certain things which, I think, may need a improvement or simply a more in -depth look. "
Speaking of the positive impact of sororities, she said: "The right thing about the system is fraternity. They take care of each other, even outside the fraternity. Friends help each other and support each other Mutually, and we looked at some friendships fail at the end, and some people move on, but everyone has found their place, no matter what it was. "
