TORONTO — Several organizations dedicated to advancing Black talent onscreen say comments from documentarian Barry Avrich at the Canadian Screen Awards devalued the importance of Black creators telling Black stories.
The Canadian filmmaker’s brief acceptance speech for best direction, factual, for his documentary "Oscar Peterson: Black + White" closed with the comment: "This is a testament that there are so many Black stories in Canada that need to be told. It doesn’t matter who tells them; we just need to tell them."
The Black Screen Office and Reelworld Film Festival were among the groups to speak out Thursday saying Avrich’s remarks downplayed the importance of Black filmmakers.
Avrich, who is white, responded with his own statement saying that he "misspoke" in his speech and that an awards speech is no place to make "a nuanced statement."
He also walked back his comments saying: "Of course, it matters who tells stories."
"Oscar Peterson: Black + White" explores the acclaimed late pianist’s life, largely through archival interviews with the Black musician while a list of accomplished Canadian jazz artists appear in musical breaks.
Produced by Bell Media and showing on Crave, it premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last September before picking up six CSA nominations.
Avrich told The Canadian Press in an interview on Thursday that he stumbled in his thoughts.
"You have 20 seconds to make an acceptance speech," he said of Monday’s virtual ceremony.
"You’re extraordinarily emotional. I didn’t expect to win. And I am I’m a storyteller. I’ve been so consistent in my career, about half making sure that stories are told in this country."
He also noted that his production company has a track record of supporting people of colour, and that this film had a Black studio production manager, and a BIPOC edxjmtzywitor, cameraperson, crew and cinematographer.
The criticism comes as Canada’s film industry grapples with conversations around how broadcasters and other gatekeepers determine who gets to tell the stories of people of colour.
Avrich is an established white Jewish filmmaker with dozens of Canadian documentaries to his name, including several about entertainers including Howie Mandel and producer David Foster. He’s among the country’s most active filmmakers.
Joan Jenkinson, executive director of the Black Screen Office, said the criticism of Avrich speaks to a larger issue.
"We absolutely agree with Barry when he says there are so many stories to tell, it’s just like, why are you the one that has to tell them?" said Jenkinson, whose organization was among those to challenge Avrich’s speech.
"Why don’t you support somebody who is more appropriate to tell the story?"
Jenkinson urged Canada’s broadcasters and funders to take the reaction to Avrich’s dismissive comments seriously.
"They need to put weight behind the statements that they’re making about equity, diversity and inclusion," she said.
