News
x
Louis Staples
1548068400
Netflix and Hulu’s respective Fyre Festival documentaries have been watched by millions across the world.
Most people might know about Fyre Festival because of a tweet of a pretty awful looking cheese sandwich that went viral. But as these documentaries reveal, the mess of Fyre Festival – a festival which was planned for the Bahamas in 2017, was far more disturbing and complex.
The 2017 event promised to be an exclusive party full of Instagram influencers, models, luxury food and music from big stars. But festival goers turned up to find the site was unfinished, with soaking wet tents in a site which was likened to a “refugee camp”.
During the Netflix’s film, Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened, Bahamian restaurant worker Maryann Rolle said that she lost $50,000 of her life savings. Maryann described that her team worked tirelessly to prepare 1,000 meals per day for festival staff. She was never paid after the festival collapsed and therefore had to pay her workers from her savings.
The only thing I care about after watching the #FyreFestival documentary is the Bahamian locals who were overworked… https://t.co/H8JjFtm91D— Kaya Thomas (@Kaya Thomas) 1547888241
Maryann’s story has struck a chord with viewers. So much so that a crowd-funder set up after the documentary’s release has already raised $129,000.
Writing on the GoFundMe page, Rolle said:
As I make this plea it’s hard to believe and embarrassing to admit that I was not paid… I was left in a big hole! My life was changed forever, and my credit was ruined by Fyre Fest.
My only resource today is to appeal for help.
There is an old saying that goes ‘bad publicity is better than no publicity’ and I pray that whoever reads this plea is able to assist.
People on social media were full of love for Rolle and other Bahamian workers who were exploited by Fyre Festival.
What shouldn't get lost in the #Fyre convo, Bahamian laborers are still owed $250K for work. https://t.co/IGoUPoPrfK— Jada Gomez (@Jada Gomez) 1547823734
I have the most sympathy for Bahamian laborers who were underpaid and exploited by the Fyre Festival organizers.— Evette Dionne (@Evette Dionne) 1548043221
That Bahamian lady in the Fyre Netflix doc deserves THE WORLD.— el (:( | Pran Wangji (@el (:( | Pran Wangji) 1548022909
Just watched #FyreFestival and ut’s mad the power of social media . . The rich kids get scammed could be laughable… https://t.co/ZVtuQsS6qO— Sara (@Sara) 1548032240
I want every last one of the Bahamian people who helped set up the Fyre Festival compensated 😔😔 that is so messed up— stinky toe-fu (@stinky toe-fu) 1548051817
H/T: NME
Keep reading...Show less
Top 100
The Conversation (0)