Tell Singapore Film Board: Don't Censor The Kids Are All Right

The Issue

The Kids Are All Right may be one of the most successful films of 2010, garnering a number of Academy Award nominations, critical acclaim, and robust profits. But in Singapore, here's what members of the Board of Film Censors think about the flick: it promotes and normalizes a "homosexual lifestyle," and should therefore be restricted.

And that's exactly what the country has done, giving the film a rating of R21, which puts it in the category of, say, pornography. The country has also stopped the release of the film save for one single print.

The censorship has managed to galvanize Singapore's film community, with a number of filmmakers and media professionals lambasting the government's decision -- which came down from a Board of Film Censors under the country's Media Development Authority -- to clamp down on The Kids Are All Right.

"I thought we had grown up. I am flabbergasted," said Lesley Ho, who was previously director of Singapore's International Film Festival.

Send a message to Singapore's Film Advisory Board, letting them know that their decision to censor films based on "homosexual content" not only sends the message that the country is intolerant and behind the times, but it's also offensive to the spirit of art and creativity that movie professionals ought to be celebrating, not restricting.

avatar of the starter
Michael JonesPetition StarterManaging Director of Campaigns @ Change.org. On the side I write some sketch comedy, and enjoy being the proud parent of the best dog on the planet.
This petition had 764 supporters

The Issue

The Kids Are All Right may be one of the most successful films of 2010, garnering a number of Academy Award nominations, critical acclaim, and robust profits. But in Singapore, here's what members of the Board of Film Censors think about the flick: it promotes and normalizes a "homosexual lifestyle," and should therefore be restricted.

And that's exactly what the country has done, giving the film a rating of R21, which puts it in the category of, say, pornography. The country has also stopped the release of the film save for one single print.

The censorship has managed to galvanize Singapore's film community, with a number of filmmakers and media professionals lambasting the government's decision -- which came down from a Board of Film Censors under the country's Media Development Authority -- to clamp down on The Kids Are All Right.

"I thought we had grown up. I am flabbergasted," said Lesley Ho, who was previously director of Singapore's International Film Festival.

Send a message to Singapore's Film Advisory Board, letting them know that their decision to censor films based on "homosexual content" not only sends the message that the country is intolerant and behind the times, but it's also offensive to the spirit of art and creativity that movie professionals ought to be celebrating, not restricting.

avatar of the starter
Michael JonesPetition StarterManaging Director of Campaigns @ Change.org. On the side I write some sketch comedy, and enjoy being the proud parent of the best dog on the planet.

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This petition had 764 supporters

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The Decision Makers

Anthony Chaim
Anthony Chaim
Film Distribution and Exhibition Licence
Cassandra Tay
Cassandra Tay
Director, Communications
Kenneth Tan
Kenneth Tan
Singapore Film Commission
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Petition created on February 16, 2011