WOMEN'S groups have accused the Glasgow Film Theatre of undermining' their work on sexual exploitation and urged the independent cinema to scrap its screening of the Quentin Tarantino "torture porn" film Death Proof planned for tomorrow.
The acclaimed director will answer questions from the audience after the screening of his post-modern homage to 1960s and 1970s exploitation movies, Death Proof. Written and directed by Tarantino, this latest film focuses on a stuntman, played by Kurt Russell, who hunts down and sexually exploits various "voluptuous" women that he follows in his "death proof" car.
The Scottish Coalition Against Sexual Exploitation (SCASE), Scottish Women's Aid, and the actress and comedienne, Elaine C Smith, a trustee of the anti-domestic violence charity, Zero Tolerance, are supporting a protest outside the theatre, organised by the Scottish Women Against Pornography group (SWAP).
SWAP co-ordinator, Catherine Harper, said the decision to screen the 18 certificate film damaged the GFT's reputation with anti-violence campaigners, especially after screening sympathetic productions such as Lilya 4-Ever, a moving film about a 15-year-old Estonian girl lured into sex trafficking.
Harper told the Sunday Herald: "Considering that Scotland has some of the lowest conviction rates and we are struggling with rape as a real issue in women's lives, it's unacceptable that the theatre, of all organisations, want us to enjoy women being stalked, preyed on, stalked, tortured and murdered.
"This kind of violent, sadistic, women-hating content creates and continues to reinforce a society which sees rape and violence as normal and legitimate. These crimes have the most devastating effect on the victims' lives. Tarantino claims it is ironic, but he is effectively saying in this film to women: be afraid, be very afraid.' "The Glasgow Film Theatre showing this film is undermining the hard work and comittment by many organisations, including Glasgow City Council, to tackle rape and sexual assaults on women, and is hugely insulting. GFT should reconsider its decision."
Smith, who has called for change in male attitudes towards prostitution and attacked the GMB union for "legitimising" the lap-dancing industry, believes the film highlights the wider issues of sexism in society.
She said: "There is a correlation between the dehumanising of women and rapes in Glasgow over the last couple of years, whether that's in lap-dancing clubs or through films. I've nothing against Tarantino, but the film's not helpful, and unless action is taken against things like this, the dehumanising of women will seep into the pyschology of everyday life."
Lily Greenan, manager of Scottish Women's Aid, which provides refuges and advice for domestic abuse victims, believes there is a direct link between films such as Death Proof and violence in the home, the largest growth area of violent crime over the last 20 years, according to Home Office studies. She said: "I share the concern about the eroticism of violence against women and how extreme it is. I'm not pro- censorship, but there is a balance between artistic freedom and promoting a film which is quite disturbing."
SCASE, which is carrying out a major study among men who buy sex with prostitutes, said in a statement: "This protest is about more than one film and one man. It is about the burgeoning porn' culture, in which these films are flourishing. These torture porn' movies are eroticising violence against women and selling it to the public as entertainment'."
Death Proof, originally intended to partner Robert Rodriguez's zombie flick Planet Terror as a "Grindhouse" double-bill, premiered at the Edinburgh International Film Festival last month.
Despite mainly positive reviews from critics, lead star Russell was reportedly angry at changes that were made to Death Proof. Grindhouse went on to perform poorly at the US box office and has since been split into its constituent parts, and re-cut, ahead of a European release.
Rape Crisis is planning to stage a similar protest before Death Proof is shown on Tuesday at the Film Art and Creative Technology Centre in Liverpool, which the director is also expected to attend.
Allison Gardner, GFT's head of cinema, stressed the film was approved by the British Board of Film Classification and it was a one-off performance. She added: "We always support the right to protest, but they must realise we take the motto the GFT is for all' seriously.
"If any of the audience have criticisms of Death Proof in the question and answer session, I am sure Tarantino will answer them in his usual robust way."
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