Good News - June 2019

GoodNewsFL.org www.goodnewsfl.org 43 JUNE 2019 NEWS Distribution companies are effectively banning the film Unplanned from screening in Canadian cinemas, according to the producers of the pro-life biopic. Speaking at an Ottawa news conference on May 8, producer Lisa Wheeler said, “We have been effectively blocked from distributing the film in Canada.” Chuck Konzelman, the film’s writer, director, and pro- ducer, told LifeSiteNews via email that at least one of the two largest Canadian film distribu- tors said “content” rather than a lack of consumer demand is the reason for banning the film. According to Konzelman, Canadian law requires that films have distributors so that they can be shown theatrically. In addition, no rating from one of the provincial film boards can be granted, because the producers must list a distribu- tor on the application forms to the film boards. Based on the memoir of Abby Johnson, a former Planned Parenthood leader who eventually left the move- ment, Unplanned experienced success in the United States, taking in more than $18 million at the box office since its re- lease in March, having been budgeted for $6 million. Regarding the ban on the film, Johnson told a news con- ference earlier this month, “I would like to say I’m surprised, but I’m not.” Speaking on the day before Canada’s March for Life, Johnson told the media, “I have to wonder what they’re afraid of.” Two of the largest distrib- utors in Canada, Landmark and Cineplex, have no plans to show Unplanned. In an email response to LifeSite- News, Konzelman confirmed that there are still no distribu- tors for the film in Canada. “In Canada, Cineplex ba- sically has monopolistic power ... the National Post mentions them as controlling nearly 80 percent of all movie screens, and from our limited experi- ence, they seem to have many of the most desirable loca- tions, in and near the major metropolitan areas,” Konzel- man wrote. “So rejection by Cineplex basically means we're not playing in Canada.” Landmark did not respond to a request for comment. Konzelman confirmed that Canada’s largest distributor, Mongrel Media, turned down the film because of its “con- tent.” Writing that Mongrel’s response begs the question, “What's wrong with our con- tent?” he confirmed that there is “nothing objectionable in the film; no foul language, no nu- dity, no sexuality, and the only violence is that which is nec- essarily connected with an abortion procedure.” He con- cluded that “it's the pro-life message itself which is objec- tionable” to the distributors. Konzelman said Cineplex gave “unsatisfactory answers” when asked why it did not dis- tribute Unplanned. He said it is highly unusual for a successful indie U.S. film to lack theatrical distribution in Canada. The movie should have started dis- tribution in Canada in March and at the time of its premiere in the United States, Konzel- man said. But Cineplex, as well as other distributors, and shareholders may suffer profit losses throughout the summer season and into Christmas as a result of the ban. Johnson called on Canadi- ans to defend “fearlessly” the sanctity of human life. At Canada’s March for Life at Ot- tawa, she called Canadians “the most polite people in the world.” Calling Canadians to ac- tion, Johnson said March 9, “You gotta stop being so dang polite. Life is on the line. Chil- dren are being killed, dismem- bered in their mothers’ wombs. There is nothing polite about abortion, and it is time for us to stop cowering to the liberal media, to your liberal parlia- ment. Enough is enough.” Johnson left her job as a manager at a Planned Parent- hood abortion facility in Octo- ber 2009 after being told the number of abortions should be doubled. And in a scene de- picted in the film, her water- shed moment came when she witnessed the ultrasound- guided abortion of a 13-week preborn child. She now leads And Then There Were None, a nonprofit that helps abortion workers who leave the industry. Viewers in Canada and the U.S. can watch Unplanned via PureFlix, an online stream- ing video service that offers family-friending, Christian pro- gramming. Reprinted with permission from LifeSiteNews.com. ‘Unplanned’ film banned in Canada Martin M. Barillas Photo credit:Shutterstock.com