CENSORSHIP UPDATE!

If you haven't already heard, Australian censors have banned Larry Clark's new film "Ken Park". A group of individuals calling themselves The Free have banded together and will be screening the film anyway.

This is definately a one-off, and probably your only chance to see it, until those German dubs start filtering through. "Ken Park" will screen at 8:00pm on Tuesday 8th, July at F4. Tickets at the door. Get there early as a sellout is a sure thing!

This is not a Melbourne Underground Film Festival event.

Background...

The censorship crisis in Australia continues with major infractions in the world of film festivals. The first, MIFF and the NSW SIFF have found out that due to a ruling by the OFLC they cannot play the new Larry Clark masterpiece “Ken Park” at their respective established festivals. “Ken Park” is now banned.

MUFF stands united in solidarity with our older siblings in this fight to the death for freedom of speech and expression in this country. The second, comes from the Customs thought police out at Tullamarine who went through MUFF mail and seized five tapes they deemed to be offensive due to the drummed up accusations of sexual violence and a law dating back to 1956. These tapes contained S&M scenes including spanking and light bondage and have been grabbed by these Nazi fucks out at Customs. We appealed to the OFLC to reverse this decision and in keeping with the conservative tone of their recent thinking have ruled our appeal for permission to import - denied. We are looking to appeal this decision based on bias towards persons with sadomasochistic sexuality plus other issues and will take this fight as high as it goes (and as far as we can take it!).

The fact that in Australia we have no right to freedom of speech is a travesty. In these post Sept 11 times filled with the hysteric fear of terrorism and racism towards Arab and Islamic peoples we must ensure the right of all to express their opinions both politically and sexually. MUFF will not take this offence laying down!!

We are planning a media protest outside the customs office at 2-6 Sperry Dve (inside Business Park), Tullamarine Melways Ref. 5, G 11 on Wednesday 9th July at 2pm. We intend to hold a “Spank In” where peoples of S&M sexuality, who are tired of having their mail opened and censored by these bureaucratic stooges, will recreate the contents of these videos on the customs doorstep, no less!

These actions will be performed for the public, media and press to witness and will feature international fetish guest Laurence Gartel and others fighting with us and reporting overseas on this sorry status quo. PS>We have also heard from a group who intend to flaunt this censorship law and play both “Ken Park” and these fetish tapes, who another collector already has in country, during the same time as our festival.

An investigative journailist should also examine why adult films are effectively banned in Syd and Melb but on sale everywhere at all adult shops, corruption and hypocrisy!! They should be simply legal everywhere, straight, gay and S&M-full fucking stop.

VIVA FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION!