Australia bans Swedish film for child nudity

[Danee]

Censors in Australia have effectively banned a Swedish film due to scenes of child nudity, with anyone caught selling or showing the film in public risking hefty fines and up to ten years in prison.




Actor Thomas Fryk in Children's Island

The 1980 film Children's Island (Barnens ö) was based on the life of an 11-year-old boy at the onset of puberty. The movie was widely praised in Sweden winning a slew of awards. It was directed by Kay Pollack, who later went on to make As It Is In Heaven.
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But the scenes in Children's Island featuring full frontal nudity of the young boy have left the Australian Federal Police crying foul, reported the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper. The police applied to Australia's Classification Review Board, which then agreed to refuse classification for the film, a move that effectively means the film is banned nationwide.
 
The board ruled that a 49-second sequence showing the boy masturbating "was likely to cause offence to a reasonable adult". The film also features a close-up of the boy's erect penis, as well as several scenes where he poses nude.

hose who sell or show the film in public risk up to ten years in prison or a fine of A$275,000 (US$245,000).
 
An Australian advocate of free speech, Chris Berg, was unimpressed by the decision.
 
‘‘It is a bizarre and rather extraordinary overreach by the AFP [Australian Federal Police] to go to the Classification Review Board to censor movies," he told the paper. "If they believe this is genuine child pornography they should contact their state colleagues and ask them to pursue it. If they are just concerned about offence, then that is none of their business."
 
"It is not the AFP’s job to protect people from taking offence," he added.

Awards given this film:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080419/awards?ref_=tt_awd

Some reviews:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080419/reviews?ref_=ttawd_sa_2

[tomhere]

As I saw it the only part of the movie that was inappropriate was a long close up shot of the boy's penis fully erect. That could have been easily chopped/edited out, otherwise I don't know what all the fuss is about.   

[Jen]

The sensors here don't edit films - it's either banned or it's not - from what I've seen in the past.

It doesn't happen often...

[Stephen]

I can't speak my mind without going political, without mentioning the blame on the present or past party in charge, it is still the government at work.

[rajnature]

it might have happened in india too....government may banned that film? hey want to see this movie can anyone share the link to download it...

[NudieDaniel]

it might have happened in india too....government may banned that film? hey want to see this movie can anyone share the link to download it...

https://archive.org/details/Barnens

I clicked H.264 plays straight in Firefox must right click to download the file itself. A note to you Aussies if think the government will find you watched or downloaded this film use Tor and other encryption software if your worried of course.

[Danee]

it might have happened in india too....government may banned that film? hey want to see this movie can anyone share the link to download it...

https://archive.org/details/Barnens

I clicked H.264 plays straight in Firefox must right click to download the file itself. A note to you Aussies if think the government will find you watched or downloaded this film use Tor and other encryption software if your worried of course.

I do not believe the Oz ruling said you cannot view it, it says that it can not be shown in public.  I may be wrong.

[mikeisnude]

it might have happened in india too....government may banned that film? hey want to see this movie can anyone share the link to download it...

https://archive.org/details/Barnens

I clicked H.264 plays straight in Firefox must right click to download the file itself. A note to you Aussies if think the government will find you watched or downloaded this film use Tor and other encryption software if your worried of course.

I do not believe the Oz ruling said you cannot view it, it says that it can not be shown in public.  I may be wrong.

That was my take on it was well.

[NudieDaniel]

it might have happened in india too....government may banned that film? hey want to see this movie can anyone share the link to download it...

https://archive.org/details/Barnens

I clicked H.264 plays straight in Firefox must right click to download the file itself. A note to you Aussies if think the government will find you watched or downloaded this film use Tor and other encryption software if your worried of course.

I do not believe the Oz ruling said you cannot view it, it says that it can not be shown in public.  I may be wrong.

They might use the fact you had download it as excuse to spy on you. Best to try throw them off but anyway panty sniffers know how to disappoint I was expecting so much more what waste of tax spending.