The chief executive of the British Film Institute has apologised to a prominent film-maker of colour for mishandling his complaint about racial discrimination.
What did they do, refuse him entry to a premiere? Call him something unmentionable?
Qureshi had complained to the BFI that he was given incorrect information about accessing National Lottery funding and inappropriately discouraged from bidding for it, and that his subsequent complaint was handled inappropriately.
Oh.
The BFI commissioned an independent report from Verita, the complaints reviewer for National Lottery-funded organisations. The report concluded there was not enough evidence to draw conclusions on Qureshi’s view that there was “systemic racism within the BFI”, but it said the organisation’s response to the complaint “fell well short of constituting a formal response”.
Roberts said: “The report clearly indicates that our handling of your complaint fell well short of both your expectations and ours, and we let you down. I would like to reassure you that we take the findings of the Verita report seriously.” He said that the BFI had made several improvements to its complaints procedure, including meetings and phone calls with complainants and stronger training for team members.
Typical reflexive cringing when ever the RaceCard™ gets pulled and waved around.
Qureshi said it was “helpful” to get an apology, though it’s “not for what I wanted”. He has not yet decided whether to meet with Roberts. He said: “There is only so many times organisations can say they have learned from their mistakes, usually by inflicting trauma on ethnic minorities. That it took five years to get this far only for them to go ‘trust us again’ is not a reasonable reassurance. Maybe a more significant one is change in their leadership.”
Not getting free money isn't a 'trauma' for most people and I'd stick with the leadership that's grovelled before you if I were you, chum. The next one might just tell you to take a hike!
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