Oscar hope wins NZ censorship appeal
A rarely used certificate will enable parents and guardians to decide whether under 16s can see a film.
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Rupert Murdoch’s Hollywood movie studio, 20th Century Fox, has won a rare appeal against the New Zealand film censor over an age restriction of an Oscar nominated film.
Fox appealed the censor’s 16 and over limit on 127 Hours, which has been nominated for six Academy Awards.
The film tells the survival story of Aron Ralston, a climber who amputated his own arm after it was trapped under a boulder for five days when he was canyoneering in Utah.
The appeal was made on the grounds that 127 Hours was a quality film, telling an inspirational true story, which also contains a powerful public service message about risk and consequences.
The Film Board of Review agreed, saying the scene in which Aron amputates his own arm has “plainly not been included simply to shock viewers without context or connection to the storyline or theme of the film.”
The board also noted “the duration of the objectionable scene is only three minutes which ought to be considered in the context of a total running time of 93 minutes.”
It ruled: “The choice as to which young persons ought to see the film should be made by a parent or guardian,” giving the film a rarely used RP16 certificate and with the warning that “graphic content may disturb.”
The film, directed by Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire) and starring James Franco, opens in New Zealand cinemas on Thursday, February 10. Its Oscar nominations include Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Nevil Gibson
Wed, 09 Feb 2011
Wed, 09 Feb 2011
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Oscar hope wins NZ censorship appeal
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