It is no secret that the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) is a very divisive entity in the film and TV industry. Some celebrate them, others think they are a joke. No matter what you think, the evasive organization that includes eighty or so members of the international press ranging from the unknown to the really unknown, maintains its power, as we are one week away from the 78th Annual HFPA Golden Globe Award, one of the most outstanding award ceremony in the sector.
HFPA’s choices for nominees this year have always been questionable, as they seem totally disconnected from the Hollywood zeitgeist and the cultural landscape as a whole. This year’s nominees may have been the last straw, as there were blatant omissions that caused more uproar than usual – especially with critically acclaimed series and films like I can destroy you and Da 5 Bloods.
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THE Los Angeles Times I have thoroughly investigated the inner workings of the HFPA not with one, but with two articles, and found that even its own members question the organization’s actions.
Regarding the lack of black members, all the HFPA had to say was that they were aware and “committed to addressing”. It should be noted that the Television Academy and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, as well as the many guilds, have openly addressed the lack of diversity in Hollywood. It may be slow, but it is there.
Regarding criticism of the lack of black-led projects on his list of nominations, an HFPA spokesman told the LA Times: “We do not control the individual votes of our members … we seek to build cultural understanding through films and TV and recognize how the power of creative narrative can educate people around the world on issues of race, representation and orientation.”
In November, a lawsuit by journalist Kjersti Flaa was filed against HFPA. She was denied membership in the organization and accused HFPA of having a “culture of corruption”. She further stated that HFPA operated as a cartel with many ethical conflicts that were hidden behind a “code of silence”.
THE LA Times did his due diligence and talked to. more than 50 people, including advertisers, executives and current and former members, and that has not helped HFPA’s reputation. this includes findings that the HFPA has issued substantial payments to its own members that are questionable and may conflict with the Internal Revenue Service guidelines. According LA Times, HFPA members raised nearly $ 2 million in payments to committees and other tasks in the fiscal year ending June 2020. That’s twice as much as three years ago.
One member told the LA Times: “It’s a nice idea to take NBC’s money and donate it to good causes, like tuition and restoring movies … but now there’s a spirit of milking the organization and taking the money. It’s outrageous. “
An HFPA representative replied, “None of these allegations have been proven in court or in any investigation, [and they] simply repeat old HFPA tropes and reflect the unconscious prejudice against the various members of the HFPA. “
The organization also said, “Our compensation decisions are based on the assessment of similar non-profit organizations’ remuneration practices and market rates for these services.” They added that their compensation is “assessed by a professional non-profit compensation consultant and an outside lawyer, where appropriate.”