Netflix gives public screening access to Ava DuVernay’s 13th
David Farnor | On 15, Feb 2017
Ava DuVernay’s powerful documentary 13th can now be watched for free in a public setting, following a change in Netflix’s terms and conditions.
The streaming giant’s original documentary, which is currently nominated for the Oscar for Best Documentary, charts the historical and social ties between slavery in the USA and the modern prison system.
“This is a superbly made and vital documentary that demands to be seen,” we wrote in our review of the film.
Now, Netflix is opening up the film to amplify its educational value. The film can be streamed for free in educational settings such as classrooms and community groups, with out students having to be a Netflix subscriber.
“We have been overwhelmed and inspired by the response to 13th from people of all ages,” Lisa Nishimura, Netflix vp original documentary programming, said in a statement. “Communities across the country are feeling the full weight of this particularly divisive moment in time. And, when some are capitalizing on this fear, we are especially inspired by the next generation, who are able to acknowledge the complex system they have inherited while simultaneously vowing to change it. Like DuVernay, they understand that we must come face to face with our past before we can fix our future.”
The Hollywood Reporter notes that Netflix’s educational public access and community screening program also includes documentary shorts Extremis and The White Helmets, as well as feature docs The Ivory Game, Winter on Fire, Audrie and Daisy and Into the Inferno.