The Sundance documentary from 'The Hunting Ground' and 'Invisible War' team of Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering features accusers Drew Dixon, Sil Lai Abrams and Sheri Sher.
HBO Max on Tuesday unveiled the first trailer for On the Record, the new streamer's documentary detailing the sexual assault allegations made against music mogul Russell Simmons.
Drew Dixon, one of Simmons' accusers, speaks about her experience in the first look. "I didn't tell that many people about what happened with Russell. He just grabbed me. He just grabbed me. And I'm saying no," she recounts. "I was reduced to nothing in that moment, nothing about anything that makes me who I am mattered."
Directed and produced by Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering (The Hunting Ground, The Invisible War), On the Record centers on Dixon and her decision to become one of the first women of color to come forward with allegations against Simmons during the height of the #MeToo movement.
"He's the king of hip-hop. The black community will hate my guts," explains Dixon, who first shared her story to The New York Times and is featured in the doc along with fellow accusers Sil Lai Abrams and Sheri Sher. "I didn't want to let the culture down. I love the culture."
All three women have accused Simmons of raping them in the 1990s, though he denies all allegations of nonconsensual sex.
Oprah Winfrey in December was announced as an executive producer of On the Record. At the time, Simmons publicly questioned Winfrey's involvement, writing on Instagram, "I have never been violent or forced myself on anyone."
Just before its January premiere at this year's Sundance Film Festival, Winfrey and distributor Apple TV+ left the project, with Winfrey citing creative differences with the filmmakers. "There is more work to be done on the film to illuminate the full scope of what the victims endured," Winfrey said in part in a statement. "I want it to be known that I unequivocally believe and support the women."
HBO Max picked up the doc in February following its Sundance debut.
On the Record is set to premiere on HBO Max on May 27. Watch the trailer below.
