There are few filmmakers on the planet who have benefited more from their relationship with Harvey Weinstein than Kevin Smith. His career basically kicked off when Miramax bought the distribution rights to Clerks, the movie which solidified his credentials as an indie filmmaker.
Miramax also distributed Smith’s other films, including Chasing Amy, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Jersey Girl and Zack & Miri make a porno – so he’s pretty indebted to Harvey Weinstein. Speaking on his Hollywood Babble-On podcast, he expressed his anguish about that:
I just wanted to make some fucking movies, that’s it…And no fucking movie is worth all this. Like, my entire career, fuck it, take it. It’s wrapped up in something really fucking horrible […] I know it’s not my fault, but I didn’t fucking help. Because I sat out there talking about this man like he was a hero, like he was my friend. I didn’t know the man that they keep talking about in the press. Clearly he exists, but that man never showed himself to me.
This echoes comments he made on Twitter after the initial New York Times report dropped.
He financed the first 14 years of my career – and now I know while I was profiting, others were in terrible pain. It makes me feel ashamed. https://t.co/T0hInW7EqJ
— KevinSmith (@ThatKevinSmith) October 9, 2017
Vulture has revealed that Smith plans to put his money where his mouth is here. Apparently, Smith plans to donate all future residuals from his Weinstein-backed films to Women in Film, a nonprofit organisation that supports women filmmakers.
If The Weinstein Company folds and the films become worthless, he has pledged to donate $2,000 a month for the rest of his life to Women in Film.
That’s the way you do it. Let’s see how the rest of the directors who have profited immensely from their connection to Harvey Weinstein deal with it – here’s looking at you, Quentin Tarantino.
