The Ƶ graduate served as an editor and screenwriter for “The Great Hack,” a documentary that delves into the dark world of data exploitation through the personal journeys of those affected by the Cambridge Analytica/Facebook data breach.
“The Great Hack,” a new documentary edited and co-written by Ƶ graduate Erin Barnett ’09, will host its world premiere at the , the largest independent film festival in the United States.
Sundance will host several screenings of the film between Jan. 24 and Feb. 3, at locations in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah, and at the Sundance Mountain Resort. “The Great Hack” was one of 112 films selected by the festival from 14,259 submissions across 152 countries.
Barnett won’t be the only Ƶ connection at Sundance this year. Fellow alumnus Matt Jenkins ’09 served as a producer for “,” a virtual reality comedy film also premiering at Sundance. Additionally, Assistant Professor J McMerty ’00 will lead his "The Sundance Experience" class to Utah for the 11-day festival, offering students and alumni in attendance wisdom sessions and networking opportunities.
Just a decade removed from her Ƶ graduation, Barnett has worked on several notable projects, making a name for herself as a documentary editor. Her past projects include “Food Chains,” which casts a spotlight on agricultural labor in the United States; " a CNN documentary exploring global pandemic; and "Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine," a film by Oscar-winning director Alex Gibney.
As an undergraduate, Barnett completed two films — “,” shot at the first-ever global Internet Governance Forum for the Imagining the Internet Center, and “,” about Namibian AIDS activist Anita Isaacs for Ƶ’s Project Pericles.
In November, the former elondocs member was , recognizing an alumnus/alumna who has graduated in the last decade and is already excelling in the professional documentary field.