harassment

Fairfax Cinema, Labor Laws, and Workplace Safety

January 02, 2020 in commentary

Fairness for workers is a constant, never-ending struggle. Will Fairfax Cinema engage in the same shady practices Cinefamily allegedly engaged in? These practices may or may not be newly-illegal in California…

New 2019 California Laws Fight Wage Theft, Sexual Harassment

January 06, 2019 in commentary

A new set of laws went into effect on January 1. They probably would have helped workers at Cinefamily. Hopefully at Fairfax Cinema the Harkhams will increase their attentions to wage theft, workplace bullying, and sexual harassment and abuse.

Yet Another Cinefamily Sexual Harassment Lawsuit!

October 28, 2018 in original reporting

In November 2017, months after closing their doors, Cinefamily was named as a defendant in yet another lawsuit. (Hadrian Belove was also named as a defendant.)

California's Pending #MeToo Laws: Call Your Legislators [updated]

August 19, 2018 in commentary

California workers get new legal tools to fight sexual abuse and harassment on the job, and more legislation is pending.

An Open Letter to Cinefamily / Fairfax Cinema

July 27, 2018 in commentary, short feature

After yet another derailed attempt at straightforward communications with the Harkhams about Cinefamily, Fairfax Cinema, and the Silent Movie Theater, we release this letter, marking the one-year anniversary of the Board’s failure.

Renovations, Alcohol Coming to Silent Movie Theater (Maybe)

June 26, 2018 in commentary, original reporting

Recent filings with the L.A. Department of Building and Safety indicate Cinefamily/Fairfax plans to begin renovations on the Silent Movie Theater. According to the city engineer overseeing the permit application, “they are doing some interior and exterior work to the existing theater,” including “proposing a small bar at the rear.”

Personal Attack “Crossed the Line” — Erin Hensley Tries To Silence Cinefamily / Fairfax Cinema Watchdog

April 01, 2018 in commentary, original reporting

Amidst conversations between this site’s author and Cinefamily / Fairfax’s Erin Hensley, Hensley breaks off communication and takes action to silence this site. (Even before it was cool to cc the provost!)

Confirmed: Cinefamily Becomes Fairfax Cinema

January 10, 2018 in original reporting, commentary

In which we contemplate what it means that Dan Harkham, owner of the Silent Movie Theater and controller of Cinefamily, filed papers back in October 2017 for something called Fairfax Cinema.

TL;DR

For the decade of Cinefamily’s existence, and for a certain sort of weirdo, the nonprofit single-screen cinematheque was the best thing about L.A.

In August 2017 we discovered Cinefamily was also a harmful place, especially for workers and for women. Reporting at the time focused on workplace sexual harassment, but when this website investigated we found a deeper rot. Former insiders told us of alleged assault, retaliation, wage theft, and embezzlement—as well as fraud against distributors, taxpayers, and regulators.

Cinefamily’s $2 million annual budget was subsidized by taxpayers and overseen by professionals. If the board of directors had done its job, damage may have been reduced, and Cinefamily might still exist. Instead, evidence indicates some directors were not only aware of problems, but were involved in covering them up.

This website provides original reporting as an ongoing call for institutional responsibility. We seek what the board promised: a credible and comprehensive accounting, victims heard and creditors paid, and a new approach to corporate governance and community accountability.

Please reach out with questions, complaints, tips.