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Film-maker accuses Italian government of censorship after premiere is called off Film-maker accuses Italian government of censorship after premiere is called off
(about 1 hour later)
He was persona non grata in Italy during the reign of Silvio Berlusconi, who was so irked by the Economist's unrelenting criticism that he gave its editor the rather unlikely title of The E-Communist. He was persona non grata in Italy during the reign of Silvio Berlusconi, who was so irked by the Economist's unrelenting criticism that he gave its then editor the rather unlikely title of The E-Communist.
But the British author and journalist Bill Emmott proved on Friday that, even after Berlusconi's departure from Palazzo Chigi, he still appeared to have the ability to cause a stir.But the British author and journalist Bill Emmott proved on Friday that, even after Berlusconi's departure from Palazzo Chigi, he still appeared to have the ability to cause a stir.
Emmott has accused the government of censorship after the Italian premiere of his film, a critical look at the country and the problems it faces, was cancelled. He has hit out at the Italian government and a leading contemporary arts centre in Rome after the Italian premiere of his film, a highly critical look at the country and the problems it faces, was cancelled for being too political in the run-up to the election later this month.
A message to organisers by the National Museum of the 21st Century Arts in Rome said it was "compelled" to postpone the screening until after the elections this month owing to "very strict directions" from the ministry that forbade it from hosting an overtly political event in the runup to the vote. "I think this confirms the thesis of the film … which is that a true understanding of the nature of Italy's problems and of what needs to happen – a kind of cultural revolution – has not begun; that there is still a sense of denial and a sense of resistance to the full reality of what has happened in Italy," said Emmott, who said he was the victim of censorship.
The museum, known as the Maxxi, is managed by a foundation created by the culture ministry but the ministry denied having given any instructions for the screening to be cancelled. The documentary, Girlfriend in a Coma, named after a song by the Smiths, was directed by Emmott and Annalisa Piras, and features interviews with Italian figures including technocratic prime minister Mario Monti, author Umberto Eco and anti-Camorra writer Roberto Saviano. It has been screened in several European countries and the United States and was due to be shown in Italy at the National Museum of the 21st Century Arts on 13 February.
Emmott, under whose editorship Berlusconi attempted twice to sue for libel, and twice failed, said he would protest directly to the office of the prime minister, Mario Monti, as well as to the museum and ministry. However the museum, commonly known as the Maxxi, contacted the screening's organisers on Friday to inform them that, due to guidance from the ministry of culture, it was "compelled" to postpone the event until after the vote on the 24 and 25 February.
"My reaction [to the cancellation] is one of disbelief," he said. "I wouldn't have been surprised at being banned by a government run by Silvio Berlusconi but I'm very surprised at an independent British film that's not connected to any political party being banned by the technical government of Mario Monti. Quite incredible." The museum is managed by a foundation funded by the culture ministry, which denied having issued any instructions for the postponement of the premiere and said the museum was referring to general guidelines about political involvement. A spokeswoman for the director of the Maxxi's foundation, Giovanna Melandri, said the decision had been taken out of respect for the state museum's "institutional propriety" during the "delicate" election run-up.
A ministry spokesman said the museum had interpreted pre-existing rules regarding political events and the ministry had in no way given instructions for the screening to be postponed. "There is no censorship, there was no order," she said. "As we told Bill Emmott this morning, it would be a pleasure to welcome him here after the elections," she said.
Asked if it would be asking the museum to reinstate the screening, a spokesman said: "We cannot say that because the Maxxi is a private concern under the vigilance of the ministry, but we cannot say what to do or what not to do. It's its own decision." But Emmott, under whose editorship Berlusconi attempted twice to sue for libel, and twice failed, said he would protest directly to the office of the prime minister, Mario Monti, as well as to the museum and culture ministry. "My reaction is one of disbelief," he said, adding that he hoped whoever had taken the decision would think again.
The film, Girlfriend in a Coma, named after a song by the Smiths, was co-directed by the former Economist editor and Annalisa Piras, and features interviews with Italian figures including Monti, author Umberto Eco and anti-Camorra writer Roberto Saviano. It has been screened in several European countries and was due to be shown in Italy on 13 February. "I think that, in most democracies, reason would prevail and that the ministry and the Maxxi would realise that free speech and free discussion generated by a non-political independent film was absolutely appropriate during an election campaign. That's what would happen in Britain, France or Germany."
"I think this confirms the thesis of the film … which is that a true understanding of the nature of Italy's problems and of what needs to happen – a kind of cultural revolution – has not begun; that there is still a sense of denial and a sense of resistance to the full reality of what has happened in Italy," said Emmott. Other screenings will go ahead in cities including Milan, Pisa and Venice.
He said he hoped whoever had taken the decision to stop the premiere would think again: "I think that, in most democracies, reason would prevail and that the ministry and the Maxxi would realise that free speech and free discussion generated by a non-political independent film was absolutely appropriate during an election campaign. That's what would happen in Britain, France or Germany, but I wait to see whether it also happens in Italy." Asked if the culture ministry would encourage the Maxxi to reinstate the premiere, a spokesman said: "We cannot say that because the Maxxi is a private concern under the vigilance of the ministry, but we cannot say what to do or what not to do. It's its own decision."
Other screenings will go ahead in cities including Milan and Venice, and in Rome at a different venue, he said.
The museum said it wanted to underline its "full willingness" to host the premiere after the polls on 24 and 25 February and would offer a reduced price for the hire of the space.
A spokeswoman for the chairman of the Maaxi Foundation confirmed the museum had received no specific instructions from the ministry about the screening and that it had taken the decision to postpone it for reasons of "good sense" and "institutional propriety".
"There is no censorship, there was no order," she said, adding that the Maaxi, as a public museum, had felt the need to preserve its apolitical nature during the "delicate" election runup. "As we told Bill Emmott this morning, it would be a pleasure to welcome him here after the elections," she said.