[Tribeca 2023] BREAKING THE NEWS -- An Inspiring Portrait of Trailblazing Journalism

Review by Sean Boelman

Movies about journalism tend to be a double whammy because they generally focus on some of the most important topics our society faces at the time. Although Breaking the News is hardly breaking news in and of itself, its commitment to telling the story of its inspiring subjects is nothing short of admirable.

The film tells the story of the group of female and non-binary journalists behind The 19th, a revolutionary media startup which, in the past few years, has made a significant difference in the media industry by giving a platform to voices who are historically underrepresented in journalism.

Something that sets Breaking the News apart from other documentaries about trailblazers is its relative sense of humility. Although directors Heather Courtney, Princess A. Hairston, and Chelsea Hernandez clearly understand the importance of these journalists and their story, they don’t make the mistake of adulation.

Although the filmmakers had extraordinary access to their subjects, the footage they collect is admittedly not the most cinematic. Most of the movie is either recordings of Zoom meetings or shots of people working on their computers in home offices. While the things they are saying are interesting, the presentation is somewhat disengaging.

The film succeeds in being both a criticism of the journalistic process and the topics that these journalists are reporting on. The 19th makes an effort to report on politically contentious topics from a unique but informed perspective, thus this documentary evaluates some of the most important issues that our society has faced in recent years from womens’ rights to racism and everything in between.

One of the unfortunate things about a movie that is about breaking news is that it is, by nature, automatically going to feel dated. Although the issues the film talks about maintain their importance, the examples used no longer feel as urgent, and thus feel less effective. For instance, the movie spends a great deal of time discussing the killing of Breonna Taylor, and it feels like there are much more recent events they should have talked about.

Still, the film excels in the fact that it pulls no punches in its examination of the journalism industry that has caused institutions like The 19th to become an integral part of our society. For example, one non-binary journalist working for the publication frequently questions in the film the idea of “gender diversity” and how the organization’s focus primarily on women leaves those with other gender expressions unrepresented.

Breaking the News is limited by the always-evolving nature of the news cycle, but the story remains inspiring and mostly impactful. Unfortunately, as is the case with many documentaries like this, chances are that this movie will be preaching to the choir, reinforcing the opinions of the people who see it rather than changing the minds of the people who truly need to hear this perspective.

Breaking the News screens at the 2023 Tribeca Festival, which runs June 7-18 in NYC and June 19 through July 2 online.

​Rating: 3.5/5