Uncertainty hangs over next month’s Berlinale screening of BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions after the film’s backer Participant pulled it from Sundance claiming director Kahlil Joseph made an unauthorised new cut.
In a letter dated January 21, lawyers for now defunct company’s said it was “shocked” to learn several hours before a screening at CAA for critics last Friday (January 17) that Joseph had prepared a new version.
Claiming “breach of trust”, Participant said it learned the filmmaker and video installation artist “secretly” delivered the new cut to CAA, to the New York screening room Participant had paid for, to Sundance, and “possibly” to the Berlinale, directing each to screen the new version.
The story first appeared on Variety, when Sundance issued a statement on Wednesday morning, two days before the mixed media project was scheduled to premiere in NEXT.
“We are deeply disappointed to have been informed on Tuesday evening, January 21, by Participant Media that they have pulled BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions from the 2025 Sundance Film Festival,” the festival said. ”We were looking forward to premiering the film for our audiences and will be in touch with all customers who purchased tickets.”
Participant said Joseph delivered what it believed to be the original version of his film in November 2024 and the company submitted it to Sundance. This came after “costly” delays, Participant said, explaining it had originally requested delivery by June 2022.
There were Covid-related production delays and A24 dropped out last August as co-financier and distributor due to the hold-ups. That, Participant said, forced it to increase its financial commitment, hiring CAA Media Finance as the film’s sales agent and spending more than $40,000 in preparation for the premiere.
At time of writing the film remained scheduled to receive its a designated international premiere in Perspectives next month. The Berlinale press office had not responded to a request for an update. Screen had been unable to reach Joseph’s representatives, although Deadline ran a report in which the filmmaker said he hoped the Sundance screening could proceed.
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