TIFF over Karla
Twitch reports that – having failed to find a place in this year’s Toronto during the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) – the producer of Joel Bender’s Karla (formerly titled Deadly), Michael Sellers, is planning to hold a private screening for the movie in Toronto. Two versions of the film were submitted to the festival but – for reasons not made public – it didn’t select either for its line-up.
Now here’s where it all gets a bit murky…
Jeff Sackman, president and CEO of Toronto-based distributor THINKFilm (Think Film Company Inc.), “sent an email to fellow distributors urging them to pass on Karla. ‘I hope that we remain united in our membership (and community) that no one would pick this up,’ Sackman argued. He describes Sellers as ‘a third-rate so-called producer at best.’” Sackman admits that he hasn’t seen Karla. He himself was one of the executive producers of Mary Harron’s American Psycho, which was based on Bret Easton Ellis’ eponymous novel – reputedly Paul Bernardo’s “bible”. (Apropos, here’s a quote (dated May 23, 1998) from Canadians Concerned About Violence in Entertainment (C-CAVE) chair Rose A. Dyson regarding the decision by Sackman – then president of Lions Gate Films Inc. – et al. to produce Harron’s American Psycho: “Considering that Clifford Olsen tortured and murdered eleven children in this company’s home province, it is callous, cold-hearted and grossly irresponsible for Lions Gate to bring the ‘bible’ of another serial killer, Paul Bernardo, to the big screen.”) Also, according to Knelman, “ThinkFilm spent months trying to acquire DVD rights to Vlad, a low-budget horror film directed by Sellers, after it won prizes at two film festivals.”
The film has also been pulled from the Montreal Film Festival, according to this statement from Sellers:
We learned today that the Montreal Festival, bowing to intense pressure from one and possibly several major sponsors, has decided to cancel its invitation to screen our film “Karla”. The producers wish to thank Serge Losique of the Montreal Festival for his original invitation, and for his many public statements in support of the artistic merit of film. We will continue to work responsibly and diligently to bring the film to theaters, and at the same time will also continue to engage in responsible public debate about the film, its merits, and the role of freedom of speech and artistic expression in North America.
We also take note of the fact that the sponsors who threatened to withdraw their financial support to the festival over the festival selection of “Karla” did so without having seen the film. In recent days we put forward a proposal through the festival to allow the sponsors in question to pre-screen the film, but this proposal was not accepted.
We also take note of the following comments, reported in the Canadian media, by prominent Canadian writers and producers:
Peter Simpson, Producer, Norstar Films: “I was hoping the people lobbying against the movie would see the folly of their way. This is a very dangerous precedent for the film business.”
Stephen Williams, Author, Invisible Darkness: “This is appalling, outrageous.”
Finally, we wish to thank the many Canadians who have written to us via our website since this decision was announced, expressing support for artistic freedom of expression and for our rights as film-makers. Your expressions of support are much appreciated.
The festival’s own press release says:
In light of the reaction to its proposed showing of the film “Karla”, and the discomfort expressed by clients of its sponsors, MWFF organizers have decided against presenting the film at the Festival.
So much for freedom of expression in Canada, then.
Perversely, while Karla is too strong for Canadian sensibilities, Red Mercury – a film about three British-born Muslim fanatics who hold a restaurant to siege with a lethal bomb – is being shown, according to the BBC.
