New movie about Scientology might not get released here due to blasphemy laws

steddyeddy · 26-09-2016 10:10AM #1

From Entertainment.ie.

Put simply this is an affront to freedom of speech and has no place in 2016. Separation of church and state my ar£e.

It's looking increasingly like his highly anticipated feature film, My Scientology Movie won't be getting a release in Ireland due to blasphemy laws.

The film has a UK distributor, Altitude and is set to be released over there on October 14th. However as we reported earlier this year, an Irish distributor has yet to be confirmed and it's looking likely that none will be.

The main stumbling block seems to be Ireland's blasphemy laws and in particular the The Defamation Act of 2009. According to that piece of legislation, any "publication or utterance of blasphemous matter" against any religion is an offence and carries a fine of €25,000.

The Act does allow for a defence of work that has "genuine literary, artistic, political, scientific, or academic value", which this documentary most likely will have. However it looks like there aren't any distributors willing to take a chance on the film for fear that they could be found to be in breach of the legislation.

Alex Gibney's 2015 Scientology documentary, Going Clear had similar problems and did not secure an Irish theatrical release.

We've contacted the UK distributors for confirmation on this story and will update once we have it.

UPDATE:

Graham Spurling, the owner of Movies@Dundrum, Movies@Swords, Movies@Gorey and SGC Dungarvan has confirmed on Twitter that the film will not get an Irish release and has suggested that the blasphemy law may be to blame though he cannot speak for the distributors.

Wibbs · 26-09-2016 10:13AM

While we have come a long way in this country and in a remarkably short time, the blasphemy law is one example of utterly backward thinking. How it got passed is beyond me TBH and every single person who signed off on it should hang their heads in shame.

Grayson · 26-09-2016 10:13AM

Is Scientology a recognised religion here?

suicide_circus · 26-09-2016 10:16AM

Wibbs wrote: »

While we have come a long way in this country and in a remarkably short time, the blasphemy law is one example of utterly backward thinking. How it got passed is beyond me TBH and every single person who signed off on it should hang their heads in shame.

Two steps forward, one step back

mcgovern · 26-09-2016 10:18AM

This is a load of crap, the blasphemy laws are unenforceable and not the reason it won't be shown.
It won't be released here because there is no demand. The UK distributer involved rarely releases to Ireland.

26-09-2016 10:22AM

Wibbs wrote: »

While we have come a long way in this country and in a remarkably short time, the blasphemy law is one example of utterly backward thinking. How it got passed is beyond me TBH and every single person who signed off on it should hang their heads in shame.

It was that or a referendum unfortunately.
Anyway they could easily just sue the ****e out of them without the blasphemy stuff and it'd be the same result.

26-09-2016 10:23AM

Grayson wrote: »

Is Scientology a recognised religion here?

That's a very good question. If it isn't, then there's nothing to blaspheme against. If it is, then there's still nothing to blaspheme against, because it's a load of sh1te.

maximoose · 26-09-2016 10:24AM

Hmm. I really doubt there were ever plans for a wide release so why is it in anyway surprising that "Movies@Dundrum, Movies@Swords, Movies@Gorey and SGC Dungarvan" will not be showing it.

Nothing but speculation in there about the blasphemy law blocking it.

Still hoping for some screenings at IFI or Lighthouse.

26-09-2016 10:25AM

mcgovern wrote: »

This is a load of crap, the blasphemy laws are unenforceable and not the reason it won't be shown.
It won't be released here because there is no demand. The UK distributer involved rarely releases to Ireland.

The evidence they produce is a tweet from someone asking "our blasphemy laws to blame?"

emo72 · 26-09-2016 10:27AM

Either way, when something is forbidden it gets more desirable. So look at the attention it's getting now. Scientology under the spotlight is always a good thing.

whisky_galore · 26-09-2016 10:27AM

mcgovern wrote: »

This is a load of crap, the blasphemy laws are unenforceable and not the reason it won't be shown.
It won't be released here because there is no demand. The UK distributer involved rarely releases to Ireland.

Tbf there's no superheroes, explosions or robots in it, so not a major draw for discerning Irish audiences.

emo72 · 26-09-2016 10:29AM

whisky_galore wrote: »

Tbf there's no superheroes, explosions or robots in it, so not a major draw for discerning Irish audiences.

I dunno, it could be a good science fiction story about aliens and invasions. Sadly I'm not joking.

steddyeddy · 26-09-2016 10:32AM

Maybe the blasphemy laws here wouldn't forbid the showing of this movie here but certainly some people, including the distributors believe they would. Is it not time for clarification on what these laws do and don't allow? Is there even a need for these laws?

Zillah · 26-09-2016 10:35AM

Wibbs wrote: »

How it got passed is beyond me TBH and every single person who signed off on it should hang their heads in shame.

At the time I remember thinking that the timing of it was extremely suspicious to coincide with something embarrassing that was going on with Fianna Fail. It was put through by some junior minister. I called shenanigans then and I'll call it now!

Deleted User wrote: »

It was that or a referendum unfortunately.

There was absolutely nothing urgent about the matter. The lacuna had existed for decades, I don't see why there was any urgency to fill it.

Samaris · 26-09-2016 10:37AM

They should show it out of sheer civic duty. Scientology is one of the nastier scams out there at the moment. And the depressing thing is that it is so -obviously-, screamingly, a scam, that it's remarkable that blasphemy laws could even remotely cover it. It's like refusing to show a film about Enron or Amway for fear of slander/libel.

The Backwards Man · 26-09-2016 10:37AM

"Giddy Pythonesque delight" - Daily Express

Any distributor reading that would automatically assume it's a load of shìte.

ohnonotgmail · 26-09-2016 10:38AM

emo72 wrote: »

I dunno, it could be a good science fiction story about aliens and invasions. Sadly I'm not joking.

no, its a terrible science fiction story about aliens and invasions written by a hack.

Grayson · 26-09-2016 10:46AM

Samaris wrote: »

They should show it out of sheer civic duty. Scientology is one of the nastier scams out there at the moment. And the depressing thing is that it is so -obviously-, screamingly, a scam, that it's remarkable that blasphemy laws could even remotely cover it. It's like refusing to show a film about Enron or Amway for fear of slander/libel.

Someone needs to be audited.....

ohnonotgmail · 26-09-2016 10:48AM

Grayson wrote: »

Someone needs to be audited.....

a million years in sea org would do them the world of good.

26-09-2016 11:07AM

steddyeddy wrote: »

Maybe the blasphemy laws here wouldn't forbid the showing of this movie here but certainly some people, including the distributors believe they would. Is it not time for clarification on what these laws do and don't allow? Is there even a need for these laws?

The major issue with or without the new-ish blasphemy law would be getting sued for defamation. Whether frivolous or not the cost of defending oneself from such legal action would be an awful lot more than the penalty for the blasphemy law.

topper75 · 26-09-2016 11:18AM

Hoping for a little Streisland effect on this myself. ha ha
Can't wait to see it.

Osgoodisgood · 26-09-2016 11:30AM

emo72 wrote: »

Either way, when something is forbidden it gets more desirable. So look at the attention it's getting now. Scientology Religion of any kind under the spotlight is always a good thing.

fyp

enda1 · 26-09-2016 11:40AM

Wibbs wrote: »

While we have come a long way in this country and in a remarkably short time, the blasphemy law is one example of utterly backward thinking. How it got passed is beyond me TBH and every single person who signed off on it should hang their heads in shame.

It's not the law's fault, it is our constitution's.
Having a retarded constitution which runs to reams of pages describing what it means to be "Irish" is the problem - plus no legislative means to change it.

Stoogie · 26-09-2016 11:42AM

Samaris wrote: »

They should show it out of sheer civic duty. Scientology is one of the nastier scams out there at the moment. And the depressing thing is that it is so -obviously-, screamingly, a scam, that it's remarkable that blasphemy laws could even remotely cover it. It's like refusing to show a film about Enron or Amway for fear of slander/libel.

It's no more obvious to me than the Zombie Jesus cult .

BattleCorp · 26-09-2016 12:05PM

I'm assuming that there is some sort of a jail sentence attached to the blasphemy laws because I can't see a €25k fine stopping it being shown.

Imagine how many people would go to see it because it is banned because of blasphemy.

ohnonotgmail · 26-09-2016 12:33PM

BattleCorp wrote: »

I'm assuming that there is some sort of a jail sentence attached to the blasphemy laws because I can't see a €25k fine stopping it being shown.

Imagine how many people would go to see it because it is banned because of blasphemy.

I think you overestimate how much a cinema would pull in for a film like this. €25K would put a big hole in it if not completely wipe it out.

Samaris · 26-09-2016 12:41PM

Stoogie wrote: »

It's no more obvious to me than the Zombie Jesus cult .

Noo, seriously, look into it. I have plenty of issues with organised religion, but this isn't even a religion. There isn't actually belief at the top of the organisation in their stories, it's pure money-making scam and with a vicious streak through it.

If religion is the opiate of the masses, cults like this are the cocaine cut with bath salts and rat poison.

Samaris · 26-09-2016 12:47PM

Admittedly, I am unsure I'd go see it, partly because the cinema is insanely expensive these days (Force Awakens was an expensive enough trip at least, and that's without the hour and a half journey to get to the cinema). But also I'm more dubious of a fact-based showing of Scientology in movie form. I'd honestly be more inclined to watch it as a documentary rather than not know what's embellished and/or made up for the sake of the story and what's the actual mad crap that Scientology high-ups pull. Some of it is so semi-unbelievable that it would be pretty hard to tell!

longshanks · 26-09-2016 12:56PM

I'd go see it because Louis Theroux is always quality, and Scientology needs to be called out for the pile of cock that it is.
Also didn't Sky show an anti Scientology film that was broadcast here a while back?

endacl · 26-09-2016 01:10PM

longshanks wrote: »

I'd go see it because Louis Theroux is always quality, and Scientology needs to be called out for the pile of cock that it is.
Also didn't Sky show an anti Scientology film that was broadcast here a while back?

It wasn't anti-Scientology. It simply showed the facts and allowed the discerning viewer to come to their own conclusions.

So...... yeah.... I suppose it was anti-Scientology.

Moo Moo Land · 26-09-2016 01:15PM

Wibbs wrote: »

While we have come a long way in this country and in a remarkably short time, the blasphemy law is one example of utterly backward thinking. How it got passed is beyond me TBH and every single person who signed off on it should hang their heads in shame.

Absolutely 100% agree.

New movie about Scientology might not get released here due to blasphemy laws

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