''Influence'' is a 2020 Canadian, South African

documentary film A documentary film (often described simply as a documentary) is a nonfiction Film, motion picture intended to "document reality, primarily for instruction, education or maintaining a Recorded history, historical record". The American author and ...

written and directed by Diana Neille and

Richard Poplak Richard Poplak is a Johannesburg-based South African author, journalist and film maker who focuses on corporate criminality, race and equity issues. He is the author of the 2011 graphic journalistic novel '' Kenk: A Graphic Portrait'' about not ...

. The film follows Lord Tim Bell and his associates, known for their controversial geopolitical spin-doctoring. It had its world premiere at the

2020 Sundance Film Festival The 2020 Sundance Film Festival took place from January 23 to February 2, 2020. The first lineup of competition films was announced on December 4, 2019. The opening night film was '' Miss Americana'' directed by Lana Wilson and produced by Morg ...

on January 27, 2020. It was also entered in the

Moscow International Film Festival The Moscow International Film Festival (, Transliteration, translit. ''Moskóvskiy myezhdunaródniy kinofyestivál''; abbreviated as MIFF) is a film festival first held in Moscow in 1935 and became regular since 1959. From its inception to ...

and the Amplify Film Festival in the UK. It is in English and Spanish with English subtitles. It runs for 90 minutes. The production companies are StoryScope and EyeSteelFilm.

Synopsis

This film focuses on the infamous Lord Tim Bell and his associates, known for their controversial geopolitical spin-doctoring. Bell, who started his career in advertising, had an affinity for difficult briefs and “people with problems,” as he liked to call them. He designed campaigns for unpopular politicians, dictators, disgraced companies, and celebrities the same way he put together product branding—by being concise and brutal. In 1987 he cofounded

Bell Pottinger BPP Communications Ltd., which did business as Bell Pottinger Private, was a British multinational public relations, reputation management and marketing company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. On 12 September 2017 it went into admini ...

, which quickly became one of the most influential reputation-management companies in the world—until one of those campaigns incited racial division in South Africa and ruined BP’s reputation to a degree beyond spinning. Its cause of death was shrewdly described by ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' as “acute embarrassment.”

Critical reception

''Influence'' has a 78% rating on online review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. Reviewers have described ''Influence'' as a hugely detailed, unnerving expose. It is also considered hard to follow. Other critics generally liked the film.

References

External links

* * {{IMDb title, tt10290160 Canadian documentary films South African documentary films 2020 documentary films 2020 films English-language Canadian films 2020s Canadian films 2020s South African films