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In what French film industry group lARP sees as a potential sign of whats to come should Frances far right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen advance in Mays local elections, a feature seen as critiquing her National Front (FN) party has been pulled from a municipal cinema in the south.

Chez Nous (This Is Our Land), by actor/director Lucas Belvaux, is the story of a young woman recruited by a fictional populist party, and the ascension of the party in the north of France. Pascal Verrelle, a member of the FN and the mayor of Luc-en-Provence, a small commune in the Var region, recently decided to cancel its screenings there saying, Im not going to give (the filmmakers) the stick to beat me with. This week, lARP cried foul, condemning the anti-democratic decision as an act of censorship.

Prior to the films release last month, it had already raised the ire of the real-life FN. One party Vice President considered it anti-National Front propaganda, scandalous and unacceptable. He had only seen the trailer at the time.

Fast-forward, and employees at the municipal cinema in Luc-en-Provence inadvertently programmed it for three days this month. When Verrelle found out, he said, I had it pulled. Im not going to give (the filmmakers) the stick to beat me with. He added that the film had already caused a polemic, certain FN municipalities demonstrated against it. I wasnt going to put myself out of the game.

Could this be an indication of the future of France on a Le Pen ticket that has gained momentum? (Le Pen, incidentally, was the first international politician to congratulate then-President-elect Donald Trump on his November 9 victory in the U.S. elections.)

A spokesperson for lARP, tells me of Verrelles move to kibosh the film, The FN continues to trample anything that is not in line with its politics or which represents the smallest form of opposition It illustrates what would happen at the national level if the FN passes This is a political act: pulling a film because it bothers an elected official.

ARP, whose president is Claude Lelouch, said in a statement that it condemns with the utmost firmness the deprogramming of the film. This anti-democratic decision is an act of censorship. Through it, the National Front reiterates once again its selective and oriented vision of culture The filmmakers of ARP would like to recall how much freedom of creation and freedom of expression remain fundamental values to be defended at all costs.

French Culture Minister Audrey Azoulay also weighed in this week, reportedly saying the decision to pull the film shows the real face of the National Front, one of censorship, the negation of freedom of creation, of attack on freedom of expression and the refusal of democratic debate.

Verrelle responded on his Facebook page that the films sole purpose is to harm Marine Le Pen. The films release schedule is not innocent, since it comes within two months of the first round of the presidential election As Mayor of Luc-en-Provence, I refuse that taxpayers pay for the rental and the screening of a propaganda film at the municipal cinema (which is) exclusively financed by the municipality.

Chez Nous stars Emilie Dequenne, Andr Dussollier and Guillaume Gouix. It includes a blonde supporting character who is the head of its fictional far right party which is associated with anti-immigrant sentiment. Its distributed by Jean Labadies Le Pacte and has received solid reviews, selling about 260K tickets in France.

Belvaux earlier this year told BFMTV the movie is not a militant film: it is a committed film, and a civic-minded film. It was made to provoke discussion, not to provoke the FN or fear of the FN.

The French presidential election will be decided in May, just before the Cannes Film Festival kicks off.

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French Biz Decries Censorship As Far Right Mayor Pulls Pic On Populism's Rise - Deadline

THE DAILY PIC (#1757Whitney Biennial edition): I guess my all-around favorite objects in this years Biennial were a suite of huge paintings by Frances Stark that simply reproduce whole pages from a book called Censorship Now!! by the cranky, radicalbut not dismissableIan Svenonius. His text, so painstakingly reproduced via Starks brushstrokes, argues for the censorship of many of the nastier bits of mainstream and establishment culture, in just the way that parts of the establishment have wanted to censor parts of the counterculture that it disapproves of.

The enlargement that Stark does is of course the direct opposite of censorship, and could be generalized as a defense of free speech in all cases. Theres clearly some kind of celebration of Svenonius in Starks paintings. But in their sheer, unavoidable legibility, they might also stand as a counterweight to Svenoniuss call for silencing voices he doesnt like.

One other thing I like about these pictures. The vast majority of contemporary paintings are hobbled by the weight of authority their ancient medium carries. (Worse, they dont even notice that they are.) Stark is using just that weight to make us consider the words of a radical anti-authoritywho seems to have an authoritarian streak. (Photo by Lucy Hogg)

For a full survey of past Daily Pics visit blakegopnik.com/archive.

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At the Whitney, Frances Stark's Giant Paintings Argue Against the Censorship They Promote - artnet News

Anurag Kashyap, who had multiple face-offs with the Central Board of Film Certification over several films such as Udta Punjab, Gulaal and Black Friday, says that if he doesnt like something, he never sees that.

Bollywood director Anurag Kashyap believes that in a world exposed to the internet, censorship doesnt hold any meaning. To have some kind of censorship in the age of YouTube and Internet is pointless. Its not even what I think is right or wrong. What are you trying to block people from? You have to start treating your audiences as adult people who can think for themselves, said Kashyap at the discussion panel at ongoing FICCI frames 2017 on Wednesday.

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The Gangs of Wasseypur helmer who had multiple face-offs with the Central Board of Film Certification over several films such as Udta Punjab, Gulaal and Black Friday, says that if he doesnt like something, he never sees that. I dont see many things. If I want to watch something, I will go to the cinema hall, he said.

While the CBFC wanted to cut a large number of scenes in Kashyaps recent film Udta Punjab, claiming obscenity and defamation, the filmmaker had approached the courts, which ruled in his favour. The film was finally passed with one cut.

Honestly, I have a problem when I watch movies which have cuts. I wait for movies to come out on blue ray or watch them when I am travelling, said Kashyap.

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Censorship pointless in the age of internet, says Anurag Kashyap - Hindustan Times

Miami Herald

A Cuban film about gay repression pulled from festival. Was it censorship? Miami Herald Santa and Andrs, which was recently shown at the Miami Film Festival, will no longer be screened at the Havana Film Festival New York next week, following days of social media controversy in which filmmakers accused festival organizers of censorship ... and more »

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A Cuban film about gay repression pulled from festival. Was it censorship? - Miami Herald

For-profit newspapers have been banned from the Bruce Township hall after action taken by the Board of Trustees March 15.

At the center of the action is The Record Newspaper, a Romeo-based publication that began publishing in January 2015.

The topic arose after Treasurer Debbie Obrecht accused Supervisor Richard Cory of throwing away copies on display at the township hall left there by Record Editor and Publisher Larry Sobczak.

The treasurer claimed that coverage critical of Clerk Susan Brockmann led to Corys action.

Brockmann was arrested on Sept. 11, 2015 at the township hall after setting off an alarm attempting to enter the building at 3 a.m. A Michigan State Police crash report from that night listed her blood alcohol content at .20, more than double the level of intoxication in Michigan and above the .17 super drunk standard.

I think it is censoring the press, Obrecht told the board. We may or may not like stories that appear, but the idea is that it does benefit the community overall.

Cory denied that he removed the newspapers.

I dont know of anyone throwing them out. This has turned into a political thing for you, Cory told Obrecht. There are articles in there that you want people to read.

Sobczak said that he has been leaving a few copies of The Record at the township hall since December 2015.

Cory said the treasurer gave away copies of The Record to residents coming into her office for them to read articles relating to Brockmanns arrest, which is being adjudicated through the 42-2 District Court in New Baltimore. Sobczak said that he never told Obrecht to personally distribute The Record, but stands by her right to do so.

It is her First Amendment right to pass out whatever she wants, he said.

Treasurer Paul Okoniewski backed up the supervisors claim.

Should we talk about the email I got from a resident citing you for handing them (newspapers) out while people were paying their taxes? Okoniewski asked Obrecht. The person sent an email to the board asking you to cease and desist.

That is absolutely untrue, Obrecht quickly responded.

Brockmann did not acknowledge articles written about her were the issue with The Record. Instead, it was the inaccurate reporting of other stories in the past, she said.

He (Sobczak) doesnt report the news, Brockmann said. I dont think that is the kind of journalism we want in this township.

Obrecht said that if Cory could be handing out materials advocating for Greater Romeo-Washington Chamber of Commerce businesses, then The Record should also be available to the public at the township hall along with publications such as Macomb Now.Magazine.

The Chamber and the Macomb Now are not causing the problems in this building, The Record is causing the problems, Cory told Obrecht. You are only doing this for one reason because you dont like somebody in this building.

You are wrong, Obrecht replied.

Okoniewski offered a motion not to provide any for-profit newspapers in the hallway at the township hall.

The motion passed 4-1 with Obrecht as the lone opposition vote.

They are stomping on the peoples right to free speech and freedom of the press, Sobczak said. I hope the board gains some wisdom and rescinds their motion.

The Record publisher said that he has spoken with Cory since the meeting, but the two did not come up with a solution to getting the newspaper back into the township hall.

Michigan State Police troopers responded to an alarm at the Bruce Township Hall at 3 a.m. Sept. 11 for a possible breaking and entering incident.

According to an MSP crash report from that night, Brockmann backed her Jeep Commander into the responding vehicle of Trooper Roger Haddad. The damage was listed in the report as minor.

Brockmann was then taken into custody and transported to the Chesterfield Police Department for booking and a chemical test on the charge of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated with a high blood alcohol content. She was released on $100 bond.

Brockmann was due back in Chesterfield Township district court March 22.

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Censorship allegation made as Bruce Township officials toss newspaper from hall - Shelby Township Source Newspapers