In The Faith - A Chronicle of the Christian Faith

A movie dubbed the most sexually explicit ever to go on mainstream release has passed the New Zealand film censor with an “18” rating.

Nine Songs, which includes more than 30 minutes of unsimulated sex scenes, including penetration and close-up shots of oral sex, caused a storm of controversy on its British release. Opponents tried to get the government to stop the film from screening in November. The film, originally given an X-rating in Australia, effectively banning it, was given an 18 rating there last month on review.

David Lane, spokesman for Kiwi moral watchdog the Society for the Promotion of Community Standards, would not comment tilltill he had read the decision. But before its approval Mr Lane opposed the film’s screening and said it would open the door to hardcore pornography on the big screen.

Chief film censor Bill Hastings disagreed. He said the sexual conduct in the film was not contrived and took place within a loving, adult relationship. “It was not a tough decision. The sex in it was quite loving.”

The film, directed by Michael Winterbottom, is so far scheduled to screen only at the 2005 New Zealand Film Festival starting in July, but its classification paves the way for its screening in mainstream cinemas.

Listen to this podcast

Filed under: Society and Culture