Producers: Conrad Beilharz, Garrett F. Baker, Tyler Graim

Bad Press follows the journey of tenacious Muscogee reporter Angel Ellis as she fights to bring free press back after it was swiftly repealed on the eve of an election year for the Muscogee Nation. The election is full of twists and turns, and she refuses to leave the fate of free press to its outcome. 

This documentary provides unparalleled insight into the inner workings of a modern Native American tribe, revealing a holistic look into the structure of its media, sovereignty, humor and elections that few audiences will have experienced before.

“This first directorial feature for Landsberry-Baker (a Muscogee Creek tribeswoman and the executive director of the Native American Journalists Association) and veteran editor Peeler has the slightly giddy ‘are you seeing what I’m seeing?’ tenor of a classic muckraking narrative like All the President’s Men. That faint retro flavor is nicely amplified by Denisse Ojeda’s vintage-sounding electronic score. There’s an attractively spacious feel to Tyler Graim’s widescreen photography, mirroring local landscapes, while Jean Rheem’s editing balances characterful detail and humor with considerable narrative propulsion…Bad Press tells a tale we’d love never to see played out again— yet watching it is undeniably entertaining.” – Variety