Blue Story was released on Friday, a movie about teenagers growing up in London and how they are sucked into gang culture. The film, which has been likened to the hit show Top Boy, has now been banned from all Vue cinema's in light of an incident at one of their venues in Birmingham - a decision that I think is ridiculous.
Photo from Rapman's Instagram.
While the safety of cinema goers is of course integral, the incident in question has not been directly linked to the film. In addition, many of the people involved are not even old enough to watch the rated 15 movie. Police have not mentioned the movie in any of their inquiries and have not recommended a ban - something the media has not shone as much of a light on.
The reason this has got under my skin is that after I watched the movie on Sunday the message I took away from it is that the systematic culture of gangs is heartbreaking and unnecessary. At the heart of this film its creator Rapman is trying to say that, while there are alternatives to gang culture in areas of London and other cities, many see that there is no way out. The film is criticising gang culture but it is also highlighting how easy it is for people from all walks of life to be taken in to its eye for an eye nature - a piece of art that could be used to educate and find solutions to gang violence that is becoming an epidemic in our country.
Instead of leaving a similar legacy to Top Boy, the film now has a reputation of causing similar incidents that it was attempting to prevent. The ridiculous action of banning the film comes through as racist, the film showing at the time of the said incident was Frozen 2 but that has not been banned. A film with a predominantly black cast with a subject of gangs happened to be on the cinema's timetable at the same time, but that does not mean that there is a direct correlation between the two. Stabbings in London were not related to the release of season three of Top Boy because the link was stupid and tedious, just as this one is to Blue Story.
The media's reaction to the news has also shocked me. While some newspapers have questioned why the film has been pulled, broadcasters have just presented the cinema's response and not questioned their evidence and if banning the film will actually prevent further incidents from happening. If we as journalists don't question this action, who will?
Showcase have lifted their ban on the film and I hope that Vue either present evidence that directly links the film with violent crime or that they follow Showcase in reinstating this important movie.
I actively encourage anyone who hasn't watched the film to go out and see it. It's inherent message is valuable to today's climate and also smashes stereotypes of who a gang member is and who they are thought to be. It makes you realise that the devastation of gang crime could happen to your family and friends and could also be at the hands of people that you know.
Without educating people by creating films like Blue Story nothing will change and by banning it the message of the film is lost - the opportunity for change going with it.
While the safety of cinema goers is of course integral, the incident in question has not been directly linked to the film. In addition, many of the people involved are not even old enough to watch the rated 15 movie. Police have not mentioned the movie in any of their inquiries and have not recommended a ban - something the media has not shone as much of a light on.
The reason this has got under my skin is that after I watched the movie on Sunday the message I took away from it is that the systematic culture of gangs is heartbreaking and unnecessary. At the heart of this film its creator Rapman is trying to say that, while there are alternatives to gang culture in areas of London and other cities, many see that there is no way out. The film is criticising gang culture but it is also highlighting how easy it is for people from all walks of life to be taken in to its eye for an eye nature - a piece of art that could be used to educate and find solutions to gang violence that is becoming an epidemic in our country.
Instead of leaving a similar legacy to Top Boy, the film now has a reputation of causing similar incidents that it was attempting to prevent. The ridiculous action of banning the film comes through as racist, the film showing at the time of the said incident was Frozen 2 but that has not been banned. A film with a predominantly black cast with a subject of gangs happened to be on the cinema's timetable at the same time, but that does not mean that there is a direct correlation between the two. Stabbings in London were not related to the release of season three of Top Boy because the link was stupid and tedious, just as this one is to Blue Story.
The media's reaction to the news has also shocked me. While some newspapers have questioned why the film has been pulled, broadcasters have just presented the cinema's response and not questioned their evidence and if banning the film will actually prevent further incidents from happening. If we as journalists don't question this action, who will?
Showcase have lifted their ban on the film and I hope that Vue either present evidence that directly links the film with violent crime or that they follow Showcase in reinstating this important movie.
I actively encourage anyone who hasn't watched the film to go out and see it. It's inherent message is valuable to today's climate and also smashes stereotypes of who a gang member is and who they are thought to be. It makes you realise that the devastation of gang crime could happen to your family and friends and could also be at the hands of people that you know.
Without educating people by creating films like Blue Story nothing will change and by banning it the message of the film is lost - the opportunity for change going with it.
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