B.C. Civil Liberties Association film fest addresses censorship

In comparison to other countries in the world, Canada may seem like an extremely liberal country. However, censorship issues remain present, and the B.C. Civil Liberties Association's first film festival about those issues will help to highlight some of the ongoing problems.

The program will consist of four features to be shown at the Granville 7 Cinemas (855 Granville Street) on November 18.

The first film, Mademoiselle and the Doctor (7 p.m.), will feature a question-and-answer period with the controversial Australian right-to-die advocate Dr. Phillip Nitschke, who founded Exit International, a voluntary euthanasia advocacy organization. His assisted-suicide workshop was  cancelled twice by  the Vancouver Public Library over the past few months  due to legal concerns.

The sexuality explicit Last Tango in Paris (also at 7 p.m.) will be shown at the same time. The film was banned in several countries, and the controversy over the film raises questions about artistry versus morality.

Brett Gaylor's documentary RiP! A Remix Manifesto (9 p.m.) takes a look at the challenges copyright law faces in the complex age of the internet.

Meanwhile, another documentary, Little Sister's vs. Big Brother (9:15 p.m.), will also be shown. The film chronicles the extensive legal battles that local LGBT bookstore Little Sister's Book & Art Emporium  faced with the Canadian Border Services Agency. The film's director, Aerlyn Weismann, and representatives from the bookstore (who continue to face censorship attempts of gay and lesbian erotica by the CBSA) will participate in a question-and-answer period.