disinformation | banning <i>romance</i>

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banning romance
by Alex Burns (alex@disinfo.com) - February 26, 2001

At the dawn of a new century, Australia's film classifiers have - by banning feminist French film director Catherine Breillat's Romance - taken a decisive step towards a more conservative, uptight, erotophobic society. Adult rights, minority groups and freedom of expression have been undermined by the decision.

Romance is about the sexual odyssey of Marie, a school-teacher who has several encounters after her narcissistic boyfriend refuses to 'honor' her by having sex. The film depicts actual intercourse, rape, erect penises, bondage and childbirth. Marie undermines traditional portrayals of sex and mysoginistic voyeurism by examining sexual politics from a woman's perspective. The bondage scene is the most intimate; the most terrifying is an alienating medical examination.

Romance has been released uncut in liberal America, the United Kingdom, Western Europe, and was recently given an R18 certificate in New Zealand. Australia is the only country to ban the film outright. Its Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC) has become increasingly more conservative since passing tough regulations which have been frequently used punitively to prevent depictions of sex and nudity. Pier Paolo Pasolini's Salo (1975) was banned in 1998 after an appeal when the board upheld an appeal by the traditionally hardline conservative Queensland government.

The current committe which decided the film's fate features new joint members selected by Federal Cabinet, who joined in September 1999. The OFLC vote was split nine to eight, highlighting that the censors cannot even agree on the standards that they are meant to be enforcing! An Age newspaper editorial (January 19, 2000) stated that the OFLC had made refence to homogenized and amorphous "community concern about sexual violence and depictions of sexual activity." Australia's R rating allows for 'simulated sex', and Romance contains more content than just pornography films covered by the X rating. Ironically, a former OFLC member now makes pornography films in Australia's capital city, Canberra.

The banning has unleashed vigorous debate and was widely criticized by Film Critics Circle of Australia president John Hanrahan and high-profile critic Adrian Martin. The film was shown at the 1999 Melbourne Film Festival to critics and arthouse film-viewers, before the ban, suggesting that the OFLC does not trust the general public's intelligence to consider the film's issues. Romance contains ambiguities and complexities which reflect post-millennial sexual politics (including 'safe sex' messages), yet the OFLC did not ban more derisive films such as Lolita (1997) or Happiness (1998).

Is Australia ready for the flowering of a SexPositive culture as outlined by exponents Annie Sprinkle, Carol Queen, and Susie Bright? The film's distributors appealed against the ban, and Romance was finally released with an Australian R rating.

Index on Censorship
Index on Censorship is the leading international watchdog for monitoring censorship issues. Well researched, incisive reading!

Re: Catherine Breillat
This Feed Magazine article examines Romance, and includes an interview with director Catherine Breillat. Check out the message forums for grassroots reactions from mainly US viewers.

Scandalous!
This GettingIt article (September 16, 1999), by Peter Braunstein, covers the controversy surrounding Romance director Catherine Breillat, including an examination of her earlier films. Highly recommended!

Urban Cinefile: Romance
Andrew L. Urban is one of Australia's most authoritative film critics. This article presents his reaction to the brief banning of Romance in Australia.

Inside Out Film: Romance
A Romance film review from Inside Out (United Kingdom magazine) confronts the depictions of sex and required discourse for understanding the issues raised. The film, although controversial, emerges free from charges of obscenity.

The Naked Truth?
Why Romance may in fact represent the new mainstream: "Post-puritanism, post-revolution, post-liberation, post-fear. What's the culture's latest position on sex? As with everything else, it's all about realism. Warts and all."

Romance: Nitrate Online Review
Cynthia Fuchs explores the complexity and ambiguity in the film Romance that Australian censors overlooked.

Nude Awakenings
This Tucson Weekly article (November 1, 1999) by James DiGiovanna offers insights that the Australian censors should have taken note of: "Romance has generated a lot of fake controversy since its release in France earlier this year. Many film pundits have indicated that it is too sexy for American audiences, and that the explicit depiction of sexuality and nakedness would shock parochial American tastes. Plus, according to the hubbub, there's a great deal of sex in the movie. And also nudity and people doing naked things together in a highly sexual manner. Thus goes the buzz."

Romance: A Review
A brief review that conveys how viewing the film Romance will provoke a more unusual response in the audience than the usual portrayals of sex in films.

A New Era of Liberalism or Just a Romantic Notion?
Coverage of the June 1999 United Kingdom release of the film Romance, which suggested a move towards a more liberal society.

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