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16 Feb 2011

Singapore censors limit screening of lesbian-themed 'The Kids Are All Right'

The Board of Film Censors rated Oscar-nominated drama The Kids Are All Right as category R21 and limited its release to one single print.

Not content to just slap a R21 rating on The Kids Are All Right, Singapore's Board of Film Censors has imposed an additional condition on the film's distributors in that the film can only be released on one print – effectively limiting the number of screenings. The film is scheduled to next Thursday with no cuts.

Above: Lisa Cholodenko. Bottom pic: Annette Bening (left) and Julianne Moore star in The Kids Are All Right

Directed and written by Lisa Cholodenko (High Art and Laurel Canyon) who is herself a lesbian and biological mother of her son whom she raises with her partner, the film centres on a lesbian couple played by Annette Bening and Juliane Moore who used the same anonymous sperm donor to each give birth to their two children. In their teens, the children track down their biological father played by Mark Ruffalo. It has received four Academy Award nominations for Best Picture, Best Actress (Annette Bening), Best Supporting Actor (Mark Ruffalo), and Best Original Screenplay.

According to the Singapore Straits Times today, the move is said to be the "first time an R21 film will be screened under such a condition outside of a film festival".

The report quoted the explaination provided by the censorship board to the co-distributor Cathay-Keris Films in rejecting its appeal: "The majority of the members agreed with the board that the film normalises a homosexual family unit and has exceeded the film classification guidelines which states that 'Films that promote or normalise a homosexual lifestyle cannot be allowed'."

Under the board's film classification guidelines, films should not "promote or normalise a homosexual lifestyle. However, nonexploitative and non-explicit depictions of sexual activity between two persons ofthe same gender may be considered for R21."

The board also said in the letter quoted by the Straits Times that the fact that the film is allowed for release in Singapore at all was already a concession. It said: "Imposing a condition of one-print serves as a signal to the public at large that such alternative lifestyles should not be encouraged."

Other gay-themed movies including Brokeback Mountain and A Single Man were rated R21 without further conditions imposed. The Kids Are All Right is however the first to portray a same-sex parental household.

Low Yuen Ping, managing director of co-distributor Festive Films, was quoted as saying that the condition was one that he had not encountered before and had he known, he might have reconsidered acquiring the film.

"As a distributor, it means that it will be extremely difficult to recover the cost of acquiring and releasing this film. Had I known this condition beforehand, I probably wouldn't have been able to justify the cost of acquiring this film."

Prominent members of the local cinema industry were also shocked by the news.

"I thought we had grown up. I am flabbergasted," said Lesley Ho, former director of the Singapore International Film Festival.

"That's ridiculous. I'm shocked, this has never happened before," the report quoted filmmaker Eric Khoo as saying.

The Kids Are All Right is scheduled to open in Singapore on Feb 24, 2011. Click onto cathaycineplexes.com.sg for more details.

Reader's Comments

1. 2011-02-16 20:16  
...whatever singapore. thats the lowest you can go
2. 2011-02-16 23:52  
whats the big surprise? they could not even allow Will and Grace to be shown even on cable... what else is new? yawn.....
3. 2011-02-16 23:57  
look at the bright side, at least we still get to watch a good movie with great acting and a message. Hope it is fully-packed for every screening to thank/support the distributor. Let's all learn to love more & judge less.
4. 2011-02-17 01:30  
Singapore... I'm not surprised!
5. 2011-02-17 01:42  
already watched tat online ... nice movie !
6. 2011-02-17 02:06  
Couldn't stop laughing when I saw this article…Singaporean men so terrified of lesbians lol
7. 2011-02-17 03:59  
What utter nonsense.

Okay, everyone knows that Singapore is one of the world's few remaining police states, but I wonder how her Rulers feel when meeting other politicians, organisations and groups from around the world who - shock, horror - allow their citizens to Think for themselves? Not only 'allow', but see it as the fundamental Civil Right of their citizens?

Then again, allowing Singaporeans to think for themselves could lead to the slippery slope of them starting to ask tricky questions of their (friendly-ish) regime's leaders, and refusing to do what they're told like docile sheep. Before you know it, why, a tiny percentage of Singaporean people might actually want to Pay to see a lesbian-themed film at more than one cinema! Oh my God! Whatever next - anarchy in the streets?! Citizens actually daring to look for some True democracy in Singapore?!?!

God forbid that Anything threaten the political status quo! I'd squash any chance that a few people might want to see something about Lesbians - and so it seems that Singapore's ridiculous censors have.

Meanwhile, most of the rest of the world carries on with Gays - and, yes, 'even' Lesbians - represented on television and cinema as regular, ordinary characters and citizens, no longer deserving of the "Look! It's a gay! Where's its horns and tail? And why isn't it molesting children?" treatment.

Indeed, there's a 50:50 chance that the next President of Ireland will (probably) be the country's most famous gay man - and a highly-regarded Senator, to boot; David Norris (I think he's a bit of a bore, but he's enormously popular with citizens and politicians alike - and EVERYONE knows about his much, much younger long-term Brazilian boyfriend). I'm sure that Singapore's censors must be quaking in their boots - we could have a gay President of Ireland, with our nearby lesbian President of Iceland. Look out, Singapore! The homosexuals are coming! Country by country, we're taking the highest political posts going!

And who knows? Maybe We'll ban all films with a Heterosexual content once we take over Singapore, too! I guess that Singapopre's censors and politicians better hide all their Straight porn collections that they have before We take charge, and perhaps we'll even forget the ridiculous problem they seem to have with even the suggestion of... I... I can hardly bring myself to type it... two women... holding hands...

(Faint.)
8. 2011-02-17 05:22  
Its rulers control everything include what you can eat and can't. lol This wasn't a breaking news for the above news. I believe many foreigners do not know the below interesting Singaporean law. Lets take a look

"The chewing gum ban in Singapore was enacted in 1992 and revised in 2004 and 2010[1]. It bans the import and sale of chewing gum in Singapore. Bringing chewing gum into Singapore, even small quantities for whatever purpose, is prohibited."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chewing_gum_ban_in_Singapore

The law tells me 2 different views about Singaporeans. Either Singaporeans can't live and behave properly without this type of rulers to control every aspect of their lives or simple its rulers are too powerful to touch.

Is there anyone here can tell me, beside Singapore, which country in the world prohibit ....cewing gum. The law was updated in 2010. It seems to me, since 2004 the law was created, Singaporeans are still not be able to dispose consumed cewing gum in the right place according to its law makers. Very interesting piece of law. lol
9. 2011-02-17 07:42  
i absolutely love this movie, its great and so inspirational

go see if anyway and bring your mom

gosh, singapore lesbians moms would be an awesome tiger mom double whammy

i just got back from NYC and met all the gay dads there, wow such super over achieving kids they have and in the best schools, its a challenge to keep with these days and I feel inspired to work harder
10. 2011-02-17 08:39  
if they want to cover their bases in case they get criticized by the homosexual-obsessed 'conservative majority', why don't they just pay someone to stand at the cinema doors to give a crude hand gesture to people who want to see the movie? it is about as mature and more effective, since the 'signal' would be sent directly to the paying customers rather than future boundary testing distributors.

also while they are at it, they should extend the same unambiguous signal to movies that 'promote and normalize' violence towards people and property like...every other martial arts, gangster flick, sci-fi , action, superhero movie, war drama out there.

just in case, impressionable non-sophisticated natives like myself who have no idea how to eat chewing gum or cross the roads without laws, get the impression that its ok to kill and maim but 2 women in a committed relationship trying to raise children responsibly? that would be the end of civilization.
Comment edited on 2011-02-17 08:41:15
11. 2011-02-17 09:05  
We should just get on with our lives and show the world that we are just another human being.

We should love more and judge less. Everyone has their own sets of values and rights. Honestly are we more right that our neighbour ?

If we can love to give and take , tolerate more and judge less , I think we will be a lot happier.
12. 2011-02-17 09:37  
one of the best (LGBT) movie of 2010...sad that the Censors limits how a society work on a normal environment...people should be given their own right to choose and let them judge.... people of Singapore is matured enough already to understand the movie.....
13. 2011-02-17 10:04  
Quote... "Okay, everyone knows that Singapore is one of the world's few remaining police states" howllllllllllllllllllllllhehehehehehahahahhoho
the worlds bloody full of them, if Singapore was as bad as some whinge about there wouldn't even be ONE miserable screening at least they make an attempt to cover their charade of being a Democracy and having rule of law.. look if and when Singapore people decide they have had enough and start to collectively organise to do some thing about it then and only then will things change,
Comment edited on 2011-02-17 10:08:15
14. 2011-02-17 10:08  
Oh well what can you expect from a nation that is a polite dictatorship?Yet I find this interesting when Lee Kuan Yew's latest book indicates he has no issues with having a gay grandchild or having gay men & women serve in the Singapore government (like they don't exist already).
15. 2011-02-17 10:24  
Maybe because there are so many lesbians in Singapore and they think this movie will turn more girls into lesbo?!
16. 2011-02-17 10:30  
LMAO........... doubt a movie would turn someone into a lesbian.........more like a hot wet pussy would..........................!!!!!!!!!!!!
17. 2011-02-17 11:11  
Just absurd. Truly ludicrous.
18. 2011-02-17 11:25  
Can always go online to watch...Singapore? sigh...what's more Malaysia? Lolzz..
19. 2011-02-17 17:53  
I tot Sg senior MM said he doesnt mind his grandchildren homo no long ago...i suppose he is old alreadi, so his mentor words dont work for his ministry...oh well bureaucratic...:/
20. 2011-02-17 18:13  
'Films that promote or normalise a homosexual lifestyle cannot be allowed' - they can still say that? wut...
21. 2011-02-17 20:50  
What you really need then is two lesbians where one is a neurotic druggie and the other into a drunkard into gratuitous domestic violence.... that's what they call normal
22. 2011-02-17 20:54  
...or to be more Singaporean an over-protective paranoid mother scared of everything that moves or doesnt move and a useless ineffective male for a father... Now that IS normal
23. 2011-02-17 22:09  
Quote no. 6....i thought they totally digs lizzies kissing when they jack off? The irony. And quote 23....totally tickle my funny bone lol
24. 2011-02-18 00:41  
Be grateful that the movie is not totally banned in Singapore but I believe Malaysia definitely would. If the country don't allow legit movies to the citizens, then the people will go for other sources. Congratz for keeping piracy on the high. How you wanna combat piracy with all your extreme bans & censorships ? Besides, it also mean less revenue to the country from the entertainment industries then. Anyway, I believe the people are old enough to decide what they want or don't want to watch without you treating the people like your 5 year olds, isn't it ? Duhhh
25. 2011-02-18 00:41  
Reports of Singaporean progressivism have been greatly exaggerated. :)
26. 2011-02-18 02:20  
Oh I do not know. I have just watched this film and you know, I do not like it. sorry. I think it is a typical Hollywood "let's cash in on the lesbian thing with a movie about.............." If the couple were a man and woman........well would anyone watch it or even finance it.

Watch "The Kings Speech" for a truly fine film. :)

or Farenheit 451, maybe this is the world that SG government likes?
27. 2011-02-18 02:57  
Some things never change huh? Singapore i love to hate you... glad i left u long time ago for someonelese ... ;)
28. 2011-02-18 09:31  
say one set and do another set. isn't that what SG censors are famous for? wanted to allow R21 movies in heartland cinemas and in the end says no.

So I am not suprised that if the censors want to ban The Kids Are Alright in the first place. Never mind, there are always alternative ways to catch a good quality movie touching on mature themes if the unreliable system forbid us to watch it in cinemas.
29. 2011-02-18 12:58  
O but you are legal to gamble now in Singapore BUT still can not speak of/show case human nature . . . NO NO NO! But please bring your money . . we know we can and will try our utmost to rob you blind with a fake smile! Money! Money! Money! Gimme ALL YOUR MONEY!!!
Comment #30 was deleted by its author on 2011-02-18 12:59
31. 2011-02-19 11:59  
I noticed that Ellen is not shown on Singapore either. Is this because she is a lesbian too?
32. 2011-02-19 20:36  
Sillypore.... its 2011 come on....
33. 2011-02-20 09:09  
really ? what a surprise maybe ? he..he..he..
34. 2011-02-23 02:49  
Being gay is normal. I have no desire to live the alternative heterosexual lifestyle. For the Singapore Board Of Film Censors to say "Films that promote and normalise a homosexual lifestyle cannot be allowed", is a deeply offensive statement to me. It's like saying " Films that promote and normalise the darker skin of Malays or Indians cannot be allowed'' in Singapore because the majority are Chinese. Both statements are offensive and both should not be tolerated one bit!

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