Petition asks Bingbing Fan to read prison screenplay
More than 2000 women sign petition demanding a firm commitment from Bingbing Fan (film producer) to read screenplay addressing Texas judicial system
Bingbing Fan – Talent Agents
– Actress, Music Department, Producer – X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), The Empress of China (2014), I Am Not Madame Bovary (2016), Cell Phone (2003) – Creative Artists Agency (CAA), Anabel Young – Artist International Group, Chris Prapha
Bingbing Fan & Adam Sandler’s film company targeted by Texas petition
Will Hollywood just rollover and let prisoner’s suffer?
EXCLUSIVE
The signatories, including state senators, professors of criminal justice, social workers, family, and inmates, call for a “firm commitment” to tackle the unjust prisons in Texas. The petition has also been signed by Beto O’Rourke, and Matthew McConaughey. These two signatories might face each other in the 2022 Texas governors election. Both have expressed interest in the job. The petitions arrived for Bingbing Fan at Creative Artists Agency (CAA), Anabel Young last week.
In the open letter to Bingbing Fan, the 2080 women write that they are “heartbroken for first-time drug offenders many times addicts who have received extremely harsh sentences in Texas when rehabilitation has proven a cheaper and more effective solution.” The petition goes on to say their family and friends are often heartbroken for and looking for redemption and rehabilitation for the victimless drug crimes.”
The signatories, including attorneys, professors, politicians, family members, and inmates, call on Bingbing Fan for a ‘firm film commitment’ to tackle the issue of operating the Texas prison system for profit.
The petition came to light when women discovered the screenplay, a copy which was dontated to all 580 of the state’s prison and jail libraries. The existence of the petition surfaced on International Women’s Day. Women in Texas face extreme prejudice in Texas and often receive extremely harsh penalties for even a small amount of drugs, including marijuana. Marijuana is legal now in 21 states.
Inside prisons, the women are faced with such horrendous conditions… the petition demands that “filmmakers begin to take the issue seriously.” Also, the petition reminds that “even here in the USA in the 21st century citizens are not safe from government oppression.”
Actress, Music Department, Producer, Bingbing Fan, has not responded to the petition. Nor has Creative Artists Agency (CAA), Anabel Young responded with a comment.
The screenplay “Dumbass” was penned by writer and retired professor of political science Alan Nafzger.
The premise of the story is that, “Adam Sandler writes letters and saves numerous women from the monotony of prison life, and later when he gets into trouble with a drug cartel they return the favor by rescuing him.”
The film would be set in contemporary, Gatesville Texas. There are four women’s prisons located in Gatesville. And of course, Texas is famous for putting everyone in prison for a long sentences for little or no reason. The number of women in Texas prisons has tripled in the last ten years, as mass incarcerations have proven profitable to not only the state but also profitable for an array of business interests.
Writer Alan Nafzger has called on Governor Greg Abbott to, “end the prison industry.”
Recently, “Wheel of Fortune” host Pat Sajak spoke out against the Texas system and put a good word in for mercy and forgiveness out on social media. “How nice for those who have lived such exemplary lives that they can express glee when others have their lives ruined by a mistake, real or perceived,” Sajak tweeted last month.
The petition states, “Why don’t we have the ‘Adam Sandler’ character… sending letters to women in prison and being their friend and trying to help them adjust, giving them hope… and when they get out of prison he picks them up so they don’t have to ride the smelly bus back home… but his pickup truck is a junker, smoking and sputtering … worse than the bus. But his heart is in the right place… He’s the last “chivalrous” man on earth.”
Bingbing Fan has not commented on the script, thusfar. A statement is expected soon.
Professor Nafzger has made a short treatment of the project available online.
He has made the finished script available at for select filmmakers.
Jana Sandler of Happy Madison Productions has also expressed interest in the screenplay.
Bingbing Fan is a Actress, Music Department, Producer known for X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), The Empress of China (2014), I Am Not Madame Bovary (2016), Cell Phone (2003) and is represented by Creative Artists Agency (CAA), Anabel Young.
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I read hundreds of screenplay.biz/top-screenplays/" 786 target="_blank">screenplays a year for production companies and aspiring screenwriters. Many of the aspiring screenwriters have good scripts. Yet 99% of these scripts, like my coming of age story, fail on a commercial level for one reason.
Commercial simply means presenting a concept that’ll draw a large audience. As an artist, don’t I want others to see my work up on the big screen? Of course I do and I’m betting you do too.
One day the Disney producer and I were discussing what it takes to make a first sale and what he said profoundly changed my view of what “commercial” means. Up until then commercial was a dirty word that meant compromising my art, selling out or conforming to a formula. This was a huge miscalculation.
The biggest mistake I’d made was assuming the contest placement put my script in the running for the big screen. What it did was the following: 1) helped me gain industry attention 2) gave my writing skills credibility. But both the producers were right; the script wasn’t commercial.
Before we begin, I’d just like to say a quick word about process.
A WORD ON PROCESS
When the work is play, you’ve got the best of all possible worlds.
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