This Charity Group Will Help Underprivileged Children See A Wrinkle in Time for Free

Here’s a question we didn’t think we’d have to ask today: If your organization “partners” with a charity doing good work, without apparently putting up any actual monetary support, are you supposed to get credit for doing the right thing?

That’s what we find ourselves asking about AMC Theatres, which today announced a partnership with Color of Change, an online racial justice organization, to launch an initiative called “Give a Child the Universe.” According to EW, said initiative does the following:

“Give a Child the Universe” encourages individual and group benefactors to purchase and donate tickets to A Wrinkle in Time, allowing underprivileged children to see the film at a matinée showing at their local AMC location the day the movie opens, March 9. Via the donations, Color of Change will put tickets in the hands of children in need through a network of local partners, schools, and community-based organizations.

Which to us begs the question: Just what is AMC Theatres doing here that means they deserve credit for the initiative? Nowhere in the EW piece is it ever implied or suggested that AMC is donating any tickets out of the kindness of the theater giant’s heart—all of the donations are coming from “individual and group benefactors” who are buying tickets. Rather, AMC simply has the magnanimousness to allow underprivileged children into its theaters for a day, provided someone else pays for their tickets and they still get the money owed to them. Naturally, Entertainment Weekly sees nothing amiss with this kind of attitude. The good people from Color of Change, meanwhile, who appear to be doing all the work in this arrangement, simply discussed the hopefully inspirational nature of director Ava DuVernay’s film, rather than the fact that AMC appears to be stealing their good press.

“Color of Change believes in the power of images and supports those working to change the rules in Hollywood so that inclusive, empathetic and human portrayals of Black people and people of color are prominent on the screen,” said Rashad Robinson, executive director of Color Of Change. “From Selma to now A Wrinkle In Time, Ava DuVernay has set out to change the rules in Hollywood for people of color and women. By casting a black teenage actress Storm Reid as the heroine at the center of this story, the filmmakers and the studio send a powerful message to millions of young people who will see someone like them embracing their individuality and strength to save the world. We are pleased to partner with AMC to ensure that as many young people as possible, regardless of economic and financial hardships, can see this groundbreaking film.”

Alright then. The initiative echoes recent pushes from Hollywood actors and actresses who have used their personal wealth and influence to give kids a chance to see various films. Octavia Spencer, for instance, bought out screenings of both Hidden Figures and Black Panther for low-income families and young people of color.

Would that AMC could be bothered to do the same, right? But hey, if they can just “partner” in name only and still get praised for it in the media, why bother?

You can donate a ticket yourself by visiting the web page of the initiative.