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'Hunting Ground' Filmmakers Invite FSU President to Discuss Film After Screening in Tallahassee

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Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering have invited Florida State University (FSU) President John Thrasher to discuss their documentary, "The Hunting Ground," with them in a public forum.

The Huffington Post reported obtaining an email sent from the filmmakers to Thrasher calling for his administration to back up their criticisms of the film. The AMC movie theatre in Tallahassee will be screening "The Hunting Ground" Thursday, March 26.

"Following the screening, we would welcome your joining us for a panel discussion with the filmmakers and local experts to discuss campus sexual assault and explore ways that institutions of higher learning can address this national problem," the filmmakers said in their email. "We know that as President of FSU, the safety of your students is of utmost concern. The Florida State community and the country would view your acceptance of this invitation as a sign of courage, vision, and leadership."

"The Hunting Ground" details the stories of certain college students who reported being sexually assaulted and raped on campus and found no help from the school. One of the film's subjects is Erica Kinsman, who accused FSU's former star quarterback Jameis Winston of raping her in Dec. 2012. The film is reportedly critical of the way FSU and the Tallahassee Police Department responded to Kinsman's complaint, as Winston was a highly touted football recruit at the time.

After the film debuted earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival, FSU released a statement criticizing Dick and Ziering for not including enough of their side in the matter. They called the film "incomplete and erroneous" with a "distorted presentation" for not featuring an FSU official in the film.

The HP learned FSU is "considering" Dick and Ziering's invitation to discuss the film in a forum after the screening.

Following a limited release in select Los Angeles and New York City theaters, "The Hunting Ground" will be making the rounds at many U.S. colleges and universities in the coming month. CNN is also set to eventually air it on television, though an exact date has not been released.

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