The banning of acclaimed film Ken Park is totally out of step with community values. Last night's police intervention to prevent a planned screening in Balmain, and confiscation of the film demonstrates the stupidity of this decision.
NSWCCL President, Mr Cameron Murphy, said: --
"This film has been screened across the world yet our Classification Board has decided that we are not mature enough to view it."
"I think that adults should be entitled to go and see a film of their choice. After all they are the ones paying their twelve to fifteen dollars and they should be allowed to choose the films that they think are appropriate for them, not some bureaucrats in Canberra."
"This decision is totally out of step with community values, and makes Australia an international joke."
"A number of recent decisions by the Office of Film & Literature Classification (OFLC), to refuse classification for films including Romance, Baise Moi, and nowKen Park show that this is clearly a censorship regime."
"Nothing is forcing people to go out, spend money and sit through this film. If some people are offended by certain films then they shouldn't go and see them."
"The decision to ban this film is nothing more than sycophantic pandering to ultra conservatives - at the expense of the rest of us."
"Last night we saw more than a dozen police reluctantly halting a screening of the film in Balmain because of a single written complaint. The audience of over 300 adults knew what to expect in the film and were exercising their right to choose to see it."
"There is no justification for the waste of valuable policing resources to arrest innocent film enthusiasts while real crime goes unsolved."
"We now have a situation resembling that of three decades ago, where censors are adopting the views of the extreme minority of ultra conservatives and forcing them on the rest of Australia's cinema going public."
For further information contact:
Cameron Murphy, NSWCCL President: 0411 769 769
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