A film critic for Movieguide asserts that a new film called Mysterious Skin may violate child pornography laws, the Adult Freedom Foundation (AFF) Monitor reports.
According to their Website, Movieguide is "a ministry dedicated to redeeming the values of the mass media according to biblical principles, by influencing entertainment industry executives and helping families make wise media choices."
The film, from TLA Releasing (www.tlareleasing.com), traces the story of two 8-year-old boys, abused by a homosexual predator, into adulthood and a life of homosexual prostitution.
Critic Ted Baehr says, “This film clearly violates the child pornography statutes written by Congress and most state legislatures. We urge authorities to take action and investigate.” Baehr holds a Ph.D. and is an attorney who worked for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New York.
Lewis Tice, national press liaison for TLA Releasing, on Thursday responded to the critique.
"Critic Ted Baehr is certainly entitled to his opinion on the artistic merits of Mysterious Skin, but to declare that the film 'violates child pornography statues' is an inflammatory statement that misrepresents the real message of the film," Tice said. "Also, by reiterating the old belief that pedophilia is automatically linked to homosexuality, only shows the homophobic rhetoric that is rampant in our country today. As distributors for Mysterious Skin, we at TLA Releasing/Tartan Films fully support director Gregg Araki's and novelist Scott Heim's artistic vision in presenting a powerful story about the traumatic effects of child abuse. We hope people take a chance to experience this emotionally engaging and hopeful film."
