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Film for free speech

By on February 24, 2011

The Melbourne Underground Film Festival (MUFF) is hosting a free speech fundraiser in Chapel St this Sunday, February 27.

The event comes as MUFF director Richard Wolstencroft is due to appear in court this week charged with publicly showing the Bruce LaBruce film LA Zombie, which was refused classification by the Office of Film and Literature Classification.

Wolstencroft told the Star Observer the fundraiser would double as the Australian premiere of Bruce LaBruce tribute documentary, The Advocate for Fagdom.

“I think it’s important to raise this issue and the fact that we have these draconian censorship laws,” he said.

“In this day and age, when pornography is accepted, everybody’s looked at it in one form or another, it just doesn’t make any sense.”

Money raised from the screening will go to MUFF to assist paying court costs.

Wolstencroft said he doesn’t expect police to burst in on the documentary screening,

“I don’t think so. I think we won’t have that trouble. It’s a legitimate documentary, it’s considered different from the actual work of Bruce LaBruce, it’s not X-rated in any way as far as I can tell,” he said.

The Advocate for Fagdom features interviews with an honorary roll call of film directors, both queer and controversial, including John Waters, Bruce Benderson, Harmony Korine, Gus Van Sant, Richard Kern and Rick Castro.

The screening is part of a MUFF series called Mystery Muff which will feature controversial world cinema. Information on screening locations and films will not be available until the day before the film session.

Wolstencroft said MUFF is up for a busy year, with submissions now open for the 12th festival.
This year’s festival will also feature a new horror and science fiction spin-off program called Blood-fest Fantastic.

info: The Advocate for Fagdom will screen as part of Mystery MUFF at Red Bennies, 373 Chapel St at 7.30pm, February 27. Tickets can be bought in advance at www.redbennies.com

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