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HFPA members were interviewed anonymously by the LA Times ahead of next Sunday’s Golden Globe Awards show.
A new report from the Los Angeles Times reveals that the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the organization that hosts the annual Golden Globe Awards, is in full swing. The story was sparked by the dismissal of an antitrust lawsuit by Norwegian journalist Kjersti Flaa, who accused the organization of a “culture of corruption” and claimed that “the tax-exempt organization was operating as a sort of cartel, excluding qualified candidates – including herself – and monopolizing access to the very important press while unduly subsidizing the incomes of its members. “
Flaa’s costume revealed potential ethical conflicts and instances of self-trafficking among members of the organization, just a week before next Sunday’s Golden Globes.
“The dismissal has been disappointing,” said a current member of the HFPA, who, like most of those cited in the article, has asked to remain anonymous. “I thought it would turn things around…. We are an archaic organization. I still think the HFPA needs outside pressure to change.
As the HFPA has stepped up its philanthropic efforts in recent years (with $ 45 million in donations over the past 28 years), the LA Times story stated that “questions persist around the legitimacy of the island association. , the qualifications of its members and its ethics.
The story includes interviews with more than 50 people, such as studio publicists, entertainment executives, and current and former members. Journalists from The Times reveal that HFPA, while nonprofit, routinely issues payments to its members “in a way that some experts say may go against Internal Revenue Service guidelines.” HFPA members raised nearly $ 2 million in payments from the group in its fiscal year ending June 2020 for serving on various committees and performing other duties – more than double the level three years earlier.
The Golden Globe ceremony continues to be a lucrative business for the HFPA, grossing $ 27.4 million last year alone.
“It’s a great idea to take the money from NBC and donate it to good causes like tuition and movie restoration,” a member told The Times. “But there is now a spirit to milk the organization and take the money. It’s scandalous.
A representative from HFPA told The Times: “Our compensation decisions are based on an assessment of compensation practices by similar nonprofits and market rates for these services,” and that they are “approved. by a professional non-profit compensation consultant and outside lawyer, if applicable. “
According to financial records reviewed by the LA Times, in the fiscal year ending June 2020, the HFPA paid $ 1.929 million for its members on committees and to perform other duties for the organization. This amount is expected to rise to $ 2.15 million in the fiscal year ending June 2021. Its voting body is made up of international journalists, many of whom have been affected by the pandemic.
The story also highlights criticism of the HFPA on its recent nominee slate, which included two names for “Emily in Paris” but zero for the highly acclaimed “I May Destroy You”, plus two nominations for Sia’s first feature film. as director “Music”, including for best film. According to the article, 30 members of the HFPA were flown to a lavish junket in France during the filming of “Emily in Paris”.
“There was a real backlash and rightly so – this show doesn’t make any of the best lists of 2020,” one member said. “This is an example of why many of us say we need change. If we continue to do this, we invite criticism and derision. “
Read the full story at LA Times.
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