Freedom of Speech?
Even -in a country with a protected right to free speech, religious groups still wield enormous power over what citizens can watch. Creation, a new movie about Charles Darwin, will not be distributed in the US. According to the Telegraph, the film was chosen to open the Toronto film festival and opens in Britain this week. It has been sold in almost every territory around the world, but not in the US. Why? It’s unlikely the boycott has anything to do with the movie’s quality. The producer, Jeremy Thomas, is an Oscar winner whose films include The Last Emperor and Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence. The film is getting rave reviews. The Hollywood Reporter said, “”It would be a great shame if those with religious convictions spurned the film out of hand as they will find it even-handed and wise.”
The real reason the film won’t be distributed to American viewers is the controversy it has already stirred up on Christian websites, including Movieguide.org, where Darwin’s legacy is described as “mass murder”.
I remember a time when The Last Temptation of Christ was produced and distributed in this country over the strenuous objections of Christians. The suppression of this film, at this time, is a disturbing sign of the increasing muscle of the Religious Right.
You can watch the trailer here, and be sure to check out the movie’s Facebook page.
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