By Adam Glen – After a long uphill battle of appeals, public and celebrity outrage (including an endorsement from the king of teen heartthrobs), and a petition to change the R-rating it was given from the Motion Picture Association of America, Bully is opening in Canada April 6. The documentary, directed by Lee Hirsch, follows four American families with children who are facing bullying.
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When Bully initially got its R-rating, a Michigan teen by the name of Katy Butler took up the fight to lower the rating and started a petition on change.org. The petition currently has more than 520,000 signatures and it has helped drive public debate about the rating. At this year’s GLADD media awards in New York City, the film’s producer, Harvey Weinstein, presented Butler with a special recognition award for her efforts. You can watch Weinstein and Butler’s speeches below.