Fulks alleges that Beyoncé's team were aware of his 2014 short film Palinoia prior to filming Lemonade. The filmmaker reportedly stated in the complaint that he was approached to work with Columbia artists MS MR in 2015 and sent his short film to Columbia Records' Bryan Younce for reference. With his work allegedly known to the label, Fulks cites specific elements from Palinoia that he recognises in Lemonade including “graffiti and persons with heads down,” “red persons with eyes obscured,” and “the grass scene.” Fulks is seeking profits “attributed to exploitation of his work” plus a percentage of Lemonade sales.
The FADER has reached out to Beyoncé's representatives for comment. A trailer for Lemonade can be seen alongside the full Palinoia film below.
