Editor's note: We refer to an American film in the story. We are not identifying the film to avoid giving them any publicity.
We hold up Canada as a beacon of freedom, especially compared to the United States. Like a lot of things about Canada, freedom is a bit complex.
The United States can essentially block films through its film rating system. A NC-17 rating essentially bans a film since theatres can't financially justify a NC-17 film. In the Blockbuster Video days, the conservative movie rental company would not carry NC-17 films. The NC-17 was only a consideration for nudity, sex, or female sexual pleasure. Violence got a R or even a PG-13.
Canada doesn't have that issue but has one area where Americans have a slight advantage: Canadian provinces can ban films from their province.
I stumbled upon this fact when Ontario banned the 2001 Catherine Breillat film A ma soeur | Fat Girl. The ban drew a lot of publicity to a film that might have been ignored. I enjoyed the film. While the content isn't for everyone, adults could watch this in a mature manner.
Nova Scotia banned I Spit on Your Grave (1983) until 1998. Alberta banned Women in Love due to nudity. Ontario banned Pretty Baby (1978) until 1995. New Brunswick banned Blue Velvet. Nova Scotia temporarily banned Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.
Common sense and modern technology (e.g., cable TV, streaming services) have helped reduce the threat of a banned film.
We generally feel that censorship is bad and banning films through direct action or indirect approach, such as ratings systems, diminishes the filmgoing experience.
There is a gigantic difference between banning a film and a movie not finding a distributor. Xavier Dolan is one of the best filmmakers in the world. Dolan's first film in English The Death and Life of John F. Donovan — with well-known names such as Natalie Portman, Susan Sarandon, and Kit Harington — is having trouble getting U.S. distribution.
Only governments can ban a film. An individual private decision to not carry a film is not a ban.
The folks behind a recent anti-abortion propaganda movie are claiming their movie is essentially banned in Canada. There is not a ban; they contacted 3 major distributors. Mongrel Media, Canada’s largest distributor, allegedly turned down the movie for "content." Landmark and Cineplex — other large distributors in Canada — reportedly also said no to the film.
A cursory Internet search shows there are more than 3 Canadian film distributors. There is certainly no right to have a movie with a large distributor in Canada. Otherwise, all the great Canadian films could be shown in U.S. theatres that were otherwise lacking a distributor.
The audacity of rolling into a foreign country and assuming your movie should be carried by a large distributor is the prototype of the ugly American. They also are playing the ban card to make themselves out to be the victim. There are wonderful Canadian films that can't break into the United States because of a lack of distributor.
These folks should also know that Canada is far less accepting of propaganda and hate speech than the United States as a country.
Bohemian Rhapsody played with the truth in its portrayal of real people. There are creative choices within films that may or may not pay off, but the anti-abortion propaganda movie is in a whole different category.
CanadianCrossing.com film coverage
We don't toss out the word "propaganda" lightly. Our Editor's note is there for a reason. The movie is designed to shock and misrepresent the abortion process. You can read these clips from our sibling site, BalanceofFood.com.
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'Fed Up' speaks to limited truth along with whining and exploitation
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Feel free to extend the conversation in the comments section or on Twitter (@canadian_xing).
photo credit: A ma soeur | Fat Girl film
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