Cinema festival under fire over sex film

A film festival that was blocked from showing a controversial sex film was accused in court yesterday of not being a proper festival.

The Incredible Film Festival was originally prevented from screening the movie, Visitor Q, in 2002 following complaints by the Society for the Promotion of Community Standard.

But the society believes the Japanese film may again be listed for screening once proceedings in the Appeal Court in Wellington are completed. Visitor Q was described as a shocking satire on Japanese society. It features drug use, violence, necrophilia, incest and lactation.

The society argued that the festival was little different from a general release of a movie and should therefore not be exempt from normal censorship restrictions.

The Film and Literature Board of Review had ruled Visitor Q objectionable - except when shown to those aged over 18 as part of tertiary studies, the 2002 Incredible Film Festival, or as part of a film society festival. The society did not raise the same objection to film society screenings, prompting Court of Appeal president Justice Noel Anderson to ask if they were "respectable people's film festivals".

Society lawyer Peter McKenzie, QC, said they need not be "respectable" but they did have to be people who had subscribed to festivals for a particular purpose.

"Quality film festivals are okay but smutty film festivals aren't?" the judge asked.

Mr McKenzie said the difference was whether a festival had a particular artistic, cultural or other purpose that made it specific enough to be an exception to the censorship that would otherwise apply.

The three Court of Appeal judges, who reserved their decision, declined an offer to watch Visitor Q.

- NZPA