Documentary Critical of Disney, from the Disney family (to be published in 2022)
Three years ago, Abigail E. Disney began publicly berating the Walt Disney Company for its “obscene” wage inequality, with Robert A. Iger, who was then CEO, on one side, and hourly theme park employees on the other. . The company founded by her grandfather and great-uncle repeatedly fired back, at one point calling her claims a “gross and unfair exaggeration of the facts.”
But Ms. Disney has refused to back down, even though the company recently agreed to a 16 percent raise for certain theme park employees. In fact, she’s escalating her campaign — and for the first time, she’s taking two of her three siblings with her.
“The American Dream and Other Fairy Tales”, an activist documentary about the pay gap between poor and poor companies will premiere Monday as part of the Sundance Film Festival, which is being held digitally due to the pandemic. Mrs. Disney and Kathleen Hughes directed the film; Ms. Disney’s sister, Susan Disney Lord, and a brother, Tim, are among the executive producers. The film positions the entertainment company that bears their name as “ground zero of America’s rising inequality.”
To paint that hard picture, Ms. Disney and Ms. Hughes profile four Disneyland administrators, who were making (prepandemic) $15 an hour at the time of filming. They are all struggling immensely with the rising cost of housing in Southern California. One of them says he knows Disneyland employees who “had to make a decision between medication or food”.
Intermittently, the filmmakers snapped to shots of Mr. Iger, who served as Disney’s CEO from 2005 to 2020, a period of staggering shareholder gains (including Ms. Disney and other members of her family). Viewers are reminded that Disney awarded him a $65.6 million pay package in 2018. Equity awards tied to the acquisition of 21st Century Fox assets made up 40 percent.
Mrs. Disney and her sister then reminisce about their grandfather, Roy O. Disney, who founded the company in 1923 with his brother Walt. “I can’t imagine him taking home $66 million for a year’s work in the same year, when people at the same company can’t afford food,” said an outraged Ms. Disney. Her sister replies, “That never would have happened — it would.” never has happened.”
The Disney family has not been involved in managing Disney since their father, Roy E. Disney, stepped down from the board in 2003 and led a shareholder revolt that resulted in Mr. Iger’s ascension. Roy E. Disney passed away in 2009.
The New York Times was allowed to view the film prior to its premiere. Disney, which was denied early access, responded to questions about the film’s content and tone with the following statement:
“The wellbeing and aspirations of our staff and cast will always be our top priority. We provide an industry leading and holistic employment package with competitive pay and comprehensive benefits for our cast members to grow their careers and provide for their families. That starts with fair wages and industry-leading entry-level wages, but also includes affordable medical coverage, tuition-free access to higher education, subsidized childcare for eligible employees, as well as personal and professional development pathways.”
The statement added: “We are committed to building on our significant efforts to date.”
Recent developments at Disneyland went against the film’s narrative. In December, unions represented 9,500 property managers, ride operators and parking attendants signed a new contract that raises the minimum starting wage to $18 an hour by 2023 — up from $15.45 last year, up 16 percent — and includes seniority-based bonuses. Disneyland is almost fully staffed again after being closed for more than a year due to the pandemic, a spokeswoman said. The Anaheim resort employs approximately 30,000 people.
Mr. Iger has also left the company. Ms. Disney tells viewers she decided to make the film because she was frustrated and angry at his “curt” response to an email she sent him in 2018 about theme park employee compensation. He declined to comment on this article.
Ms. Disney has faced claims of discrimination and unfair treatment of former employees at one of her companies, Level ahead, which helps fund and produce entertainment projects with a focus on social justice. (“There’s fair criticism in there,” Ms. Disney told The Hollywood Reporter last year.)
In an interview via Zoom, Ms. Disney and Ms. Hughes, an Emmy award-winning TV news producer, said they were “encouraged” by the Disneyland pay raise, but said it wasn’t enough — that about $24 an hour was needed. living wage.”
“If everything else is, why did the new CEO walk away with $32.5 million for a not very profitable year?” said Mrs. Disney. She was referring to Bob Chapek. reported Disney $2 billion profit for 2021, compared to a $2.8 billion loss in 2020. Before the pandemic, Disney generated $10 billion in profits annually.
The filmmakers are still looking for a distributor. They hope to use Sundance to spark interest from Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+ or another Disney competitor. In addition to Disney’s condemnation, “The American Dream and Other Fairy Tales” deals with a host of complicated topics, including the evolution of capitalism, shifting government economic policies, and racial injustice.
“I want system-wide changes — from CEOs in general and Wall Street in particular — that result in the recognition of the dignity and humanity of every employee,” Ms. Disney said.
Ms. Disney is a prominent member of the Patriotic millionaires, a group pushing for higher taxes on corporations and wealthy individuals like themselves. As she’s said over the years, it’s a position some of her own family members have a hard time understanding. (That seems to include a brother, Roy P. Disney, who has supported Mr. Iger and is not involved in “The American Dream and Other Fairy Tales”.)
In case anyone thinks the film is her last word on the subject of wage inequality at Disney and other companies, she ends her documentary with these words: “To be continued.”