Recently there has been a lot of attention raised about censorship of films in the U.S. and Canada. With the pending legislation in Canada, Directors David Cronenberg and Uwe Boll are leading the fight against film censorship.
The article below originated in The Canadian Press as well as appeared in the A.P as well and several papers over the U.S. and Canada. I was able to obtain the missing information and have it posted at the end of the article.
Regardless of what you think about Uwe Boll and his work, I think we can all agree that the government has no place deciding what films get made and which films are appropriate.
VANCOUVER – Film director Uwe Boll says he left his native Germany for Canada to
flee the kind of censorship he says the federal government is considering with a new
film tax bill.
Boll says he may pack his bags again if Bill C-10 is passed. Boll is the latest director
to slam a proposed federal amendment that gives the heritage minister the right to cancel the funding for projects that are said to cross the line, even if other government agencies have invested in the production.
“This is, for me, the reason I went away from Germany,” said Boll, whose
latest film, Postal, is slated for release later this month.
Boll said the bill will scare away other foreign filmmakers from working in
Canada as well and added his name to a growing list of directors and actors
opposed to the bill.
The bill would retroactively deny tax credits to films the federal government
deems “contrary to public policy.”
Boll said he isn’t willing to hand over movie scripts for government approval for
tax credits when he supports people in the Canadian industry through his
productions.
“This is unbelievable,” Boll said. “The main point why filmmakers came from
around the world to Canada is you have the automatic support from the
government.”
With the Canadian and U.S. dollars at par, that kind of censorship is
something the Canadian film industry can ill afford, he said.
“The U.S. comes here and films movies here,” he said. “They do it because of
the labour tax.”
“This is, for me, the reason I went away from Germany,” Boll said.
The measure also will scare away other foreign filmmakers from working in Canada, he added.
The bill would allow the government to retroactively deny tax credits that otherwise draw many film projects to Canada.
His accusation of censorship is being dismissed as “completely erroneous” by Heritage Minister Josee Verner.
“Our government is determined to ensure freedom of expression and will continue to support the production of entertaining and high-quality content,” Verner said in a statement.
Boll said he would not submit scripts for approval for tax credits when he supports people in the Canadian industry through his productions.
“This is unbelievable,” Boll said. “The main point why filmmakers came from around the world to Canada is you have the automatic support from the government.”
With the Canadian and U.S. dollars at par, that kind of censorship is something the Canadian film industry can ill afford, he added.
“The U.S. comes here and films movies here,” he said. “They do it because of the labor tax.”
David Cronenberg, perhaps Canada’s most famous and successful movie director with credits that include “The Fly,” “Dead Ringers,” “Naked Lunch,” “Crash” and most recently the Oscar-nominated “Eastern Promises,” warned the Senate Banking Committee in Ottawa last week that the tax measure threatens the industry
north of the border.
“Censorship is always subjective,” Cronenberg said. “You can’t pretend that it’s not.”
Oscar-winning director Ang Lee, known for the gay cowboy movie “Brokeback Mountain,” spoke out earlier, telling a Vancouver film audience the
bill was an attack on freedom of expression.
Canadian actress Sarah Polley and other members of Canada’s entertainment industry also have attacked the bill, and the Canadian Film and Television Production Association has asked that the tax provision be removed from the legislation.
In her statement Verner said the withdrawal provisions contained in Bill C-10 affect the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit, which does not apply to foreign film producers.
She maintained that the legislation would not affect the Film or Video Services Tax Credit, a separate incentive designed to encourage Canadian and foreign producers to employ Canadians.
Here is the deleted information…..
The Canadian Film and Television Production Association has asked that the tax provision be removed from the bill.
Boll, who amused the film world two years ago when he took on his critics in a series of Vancouver boxing matches, has filmed several movies in the Vancouver area.
Among his films are In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale (2007), Bloodrayne (2005) and House of the Dead (2003).
He believes the climate south of the border is partially to blame for the fact he can’t get many theatres for the May 23 opening of Postal. So far he said he has about 10 theatres each in the U.S. and Canada.
He describes the movie as a “ridiculous comedy with kind of Naked Gun humour and Blues Brothers humour.”
In one scene, the Sept. 11 hijackers argue about the number of virgins they will get in paradise after their martyrdom.
While some critics who have seen Postal have liked it, Boll said he still can’t get screens in the U.S. for the release later this month.
“It’s disappointing,” he says. “They try to be politically correct. They are wrong.”
There are those that say that “POSTAL” is not being censored and is simply not likely to make money in a crowed summer market. Here is some data I was given in support of Postal being released theatrically.
Here are the Friday results. The number 4 is SPEEDRACER still showing on 6500 screens in 3600 theaters … but it made only $2 Million.
This breaks down to 30 to 40 people in total in 5 to 6 showings per screen or 5 sold tickets per screening. From position number 5 on it goes even further down. So can anyone tell me why we are not getting screens for POSTAL? Can anyone explain what movies are running next week in 15+ plex theaters?
SPEED RACER in front of 1 person per screening ? Even if you show INDIANA JONES and NARNIA on 4 to 5 screens each there should be space for POSTAL with no PROBLEM
