Sara Morrison vs Belfast Film Festival

[NorthernIrishFeminist]

Employers seem to be slow learners when it comes to women's rights! There’s another employment tribunal case being brought by a woman who attended and took the microphone at a Let Women Speak event in Belfast last year and has been treated very badly by her employer Belfast Film Festival as a result.

Looks like we’re going to have to keep gardening until they get the message.

disclaimer. I don’t know Sara and have no connection to BFF I’m just a woman who likes donating to causes that make a difference

And here comes the "oh so reasonable, with sorrow not anger" statement that means they might have to let poor SM go because she said some hurty words.

From NW

NC This wasn't something about past few days - this happened yesterday - 4 July.
MD well yesterday and today - that's two days. I just wanted to make sure they knew
NC well it was on 28 June that you got together to work out what to do to "accelerate the process"
MD "no it's just a turn of phrase... the last two days.. the last day or two..."

She said WORDS in a PLACE where PEOPLE we did not PREAPPROVE were. BURN HER!

This might be just me, but MD is sounding very flippant, which is not a wise approach when giving evidence at tribunal. Judges like it when you sound sober and factual. Judges don't like it when you seem to be taking the hand.

MD I've got loads I can give you
NC you've had your chance
MD [laughs - gives long list of women's groups BFF has worked with in the past]
[we move on]
Laughing at NC. Inadvisable😏

I keep thinking it can't get any worse.

And then it does...

This is genuinely shocking.

From NW

This is an email on 4 July sent to MTM and LBD to her co-chairs "Hi Marie-Therese and Louise
Yesterday we sent this email to all LGBTQ groups on our database, I worked with Sara to draw up the
list and we jointly wrote this email. Sara was concerned about sending it from her email address,
because of an issue she had with Alliance forChoice-ltoldheritwasherjobasinclusion officer that
it should come from her, but if it would help I would send it from my email address and cc her in.
We have had a few positive emails back. And we have had 2 others which I will forward to you
separately. We have also had some tweets from Queerspace - which I will send to you FYI.
Michele

Dear LGBTQI+ Friends
"We are looking forward to Pride 2023 and are currently planning a PRIDE ON THE BIG SCREEN chillout
day at the new Belfast Stories site - opposite the Sunflower (Union St / Kent St). Following the
success of the Shellshock Sessions event at this exciting new site during our Doc Festival in June (see
below). Unfortunately, in June we were choc-a-block so didn’t get time to submit to the pride
brochure.
We want the film day to be a relaxing affair for those who want to nurse their hangover on one of our
beanbags ... or get out of the house with the kids - we are thinking of starting with x2 family films ...
maybe the Wizard of Oz / Encanto??. And of including some short films made by local LGBTQI+
filmmakers (Conan McIver's brilliant Dam?). Pedro has put his oar in for PRIDE the film. Maybe
nothing with subtitles, coz we all might be feeling a bit delicate on the Sunday. We would love the
opportunity to co-design this day with you, time is tight... we would be happy to meet / chat with you
this week ... it would be great it if you could give us a ring/drop us a note with your thoughts /
ideas. Please share to groups/individuals we may have missed. In Solidarity and with Pride
Michele Devlin
Director
Belfast Film Festival
& Docs Ireland

Not often you see them build the pyre and light the match in plain sight.

But this was definitely being planned in February.

Honest.

From NW

NC where are the positive emails of support
MD mentions a few off the top of her head
NC they haven't been disclosed
MD that's correct
NC all we know about those emails is that R has chosen not to disclose it
MD I haven't. I just told you
NC all we've seen is a few complaints

... not from women's sector.
MD yes
NC there might be dozens of emails saying well done for not bowing to the mob
MD there are two or three
NC saying that
MD not saying that - just saying how much they support the event
NC but not important enough to put in your WS

'Iworked with Sara to draw up the
list and we jointly wrote this email. Sara was concerned about sending it from her email address,
because of an issue she had with Alliance forChoice-ltoldheritwasherjobasinclusion officer that
it should come from her, but if it would help I would send it from my email address and cc her in.'

Why on earth is this bit in the email?

The Lady doth protest too much...

I mean this is Scooby Doo level plotting

NC but not important enough to put in your WS🔥😁

Providing too much explanation is one way to spot a lie.

MC there's a lot in my WS. [x] pages. "It could put you to sleep'
Inappropriate again.

Would be interesting to see how similar the structure and phrasing of the various withdrawal letters are.

Would tell us a lot if similar phrases, talking points or structure was used for letters from allegedly different sources

From NW

MC there's a lot in my WS. [x] pages. "It could put you to sleep"
NC the 3 July email went to two orgs mentioned in SM's speech and they did not complain
MD i didn't get any complaints
NC so there is no evidence whatsoever that SM's crit of womens' orgs in a private capacity has generated complaints and there is no evidence it damaged BFF's reputation at all
MD based on that analysis, no
NC so the decision to investigate SM came from the 3 emails sent from two orgs
MD there was tonnes on SM
NC before 5 July?
MD more after
NC but that's when the investigation was launched
MD there was loads of stuff before - we new we had to investigate fro 16 April
NC so are you saying that the investigation was sparked by what happened on 16 April
MD yes
NC why not get Think People investigation on 4 May board meeting, or 25 May email from MC?
MD I didn't want to disrupt the team
NC what about 25 June when MC wanted to "accelerate the process"
MD I was already in contact with Think People
NC and you knew you didn't have what you need to get rid of SM until it flared up again on 3 July.

And I would have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for that meddling Naomi Cunningham....

MD I was already in contact with Think People
NC and you knew you didn't have what you need to get rid of SM until it flared up again on 3 July.

Boom!

WTF are Think People [sorry if it was explained before and I missed it] and do they have a Director of Better?

MD twisting and turning, but NCs all over it. 🔥

I'm pretty sure they have a Redundancy Department of Redundancy.

'Oh my god, he's gone trans critical'

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