The AMC Networks-backed Adaptive Studios and EnLight Productions, a media company dedicated to empowering programming, has acquired the exclusive life rights to the Sandra Bundy story. Bundy is the first woman to fight against sexual harassment in the workplace and her powerful and timely experience will be developed into a full-length feature film, Silence Breaker: The Sandra Bundy Story.
The film will highlight Bundy’s historic court case, Bundy v. Jackson, which determined that sexual harassment in the workplace violated the civil rights act of 1964 and categorized sexual harassment as employment discrimination. Her court case set the precedent for all subsequent civil rights and equality cases dealing with sexual misconduct at work.
“Given the spotlight on the #MeToo movement and recent truths about present-day sexual harassment in the workplace, it’s important that stories such as Sandra Bundy’s are told and shared with the world. This case, which is so relevant given the current atmosphere, influences court decisions and proceedings still happening today—it’s a must make” said Adaptive Studios’ VP of Alternative Programming, Courtney Parker.
“Sandra Bundy’s story was introduced to us a year ago through her niece—we knew immediately it would be perfect for our Making History series—a brand that was created to uncover the untold stories of trailblazing women in America. This story could not have come to us at a more relevant time as issues of sexual harassment and inequality in the workplace are being addressed in a meaningful way,” said EnLight Production’s President, Adriane Hopper Williams.
The description of Bundy’s story continues to read: After constantly being questioned and berated about her sexual inclinations by her boss and coworkers, Bundy reached a breaking point and confronted the inappropriate, sexually explicit comments and propositions. She raised this behavior to her supervisor and was met with an even more disturbing response, “any man in his right mind would want to rape you. Following her initial complaint, Bundy’s job performance was called into question by her supervisors. When no action was taken after her formal complaint, Bundy filed a lawsuit in 1977 against the District of Columbia Department of Corrections for sexual harassment, claiming her civil rights had been violated; but she lost the case and soon after was demoted. Determined to seek justice, Sandra filed an appeal on the lower courts’ decision—her perseverance paid off. After five years of court battles, the Supreme Court finally agreed with the appeals verdict, validating her case. The final ruling held that workplace sexual harassment is considered discrimination, and therefore a civil rights violation. Bundy courageously challenged her superiors and what was accepted as “normal” behavior. In doing so, she changed the course of history and improved the conditions for generations of women to come.”
No word on a production timeline.
