It hasn’t even been released to theatres yet, but Young People Fucking has already generated some heated Parliamentary debate.
Through the Senate hearings on Bill C-10, Young People Fucking has been a lightning rod for criticism from right-wing activists. They say the film amounts to pornography and is a prime example of why the government should have more power to deny funding to films that are too violent or sexual.
But really, Young People Fucking is just a comedy with sex scenes. The feds have never funded a pornographic film, because it’s already against Telefilm guidelines.
The proposed guidelines in C-10 would go one step further and give the Heritage Minister power to deny tax credits to films that are ‘contrary to public policy.’
Should Young People Fucking be considered ‘contrary to public policy’?
Charles McVety, president of the Canada Family Action Coalition, thinks so. He told the Senate committee studying C-10 that Young People Fucking is pornographic, even though he’s never seen the film himself. But this is also the guy who says gay comedies shouldn’t receive tax credits.
Sure, McVety’s views are extreme, but they’re reflective of the subjective decision-making that could be used to censor controversial Canadian films if C-10 passes.
To clear up the debate (and to generate some free publicity and hype), the distributor of Young People Fucking organized a special screening for MPs, so they could judge the film for themselves. Conservative MPs didn’t attend, which isn’t surprising given their track record of keeping an open mind and looking at the evidence.
Meanwhile, Conservative aide Victoria Van Eyk ordered tickets to the screening for herself, but was fired when her boss’ name — Tory MP Gary Goodyear — appeared on the guestlist.
She says she probably would not have been fired if the film had a different title.
“The Conservative government does not support films like this,” Van Eyk told CTV News.
That alone sounds like a pretty good reason to check it out.
Young People Fucking premieres Jun 13.
Check out the trailer below:
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