Controversial Film Receives NC-17 Rating: Director Unleashes Scathing Critique on MPA's Cultural Censorship
Passages, the highly anticipated film that made its debut at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival, faces controversy as the director criticizes the MPA for its NC-17 rating, arguing it represents a form of cultural censorship Will this rating become a death sentence at the box office?
The director of Passages criticizes the MPA for giving the film an NC-17 rating, accusing them of "cultural censorship." Debuting at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, Passages follows the story of a long-term gay couple (Franz Rogowski and Ben Whishaw) and the consequences that arise when one of them has an affair with a woman (Adèle Exarchopoulos). Directed by Ira Sachs (known for Love is Strange), the movie received praise after its Sundance premiere (as evident from its 90% rating on Rotten Tomatoes) and was acquired for distribution in the United States by MUBI. However, the film's box office potential suffered a setback when the Motion Picture Association assigned it an NC-17 rating.
In response to the MPA's unexpected and controversial decision regarding Passages, director Sachs openly criticizes the ratings body. Speaking to the L.A. Times (via EW), Sachs condemns the MPA's actions as "a type of cultural censorship that is highly concerning, especially in a society that already heavily resists the existence of LGBT representation." Read more about Sachs' perspective below.
An NC-17 Rating Normally Means Box Office Death
We crave films that reflect our own lived experiences, even if only remotely. It is disheartening and regressive when we discover such movies that are unjustly excluded. This archaic mindset reminds me of the 1950s. We are referring to an invisible and secretive authority, one that operates silently without revealing its rules. This entity consists of a select few with a narrow worldview that appears to be against homosexuality, progress, and sexuality in general — aspects that I personally do not endorse.
First introduced in 1990 as a substitute for the stigmatized X, the NC-17 rating is viewed as a detrimental label among filmmakers, as numerous theaters refuse to screen movies that restrict viewership to individuals under 17. Occasionally, filmmakers have opted to edit their films in order to secure an R rating instead of an NC-17, while others have chosen to release their movies without a rating. A recent illustration of a film that was released with an NC-17 rating is the 2022 film "Blonde," which had a limited theatrical release before being made available on Netflix. An unusual historical example of an NC-17 film being released in its uncut form in theaters, and still managing to perform reasonably well at the box office, is the 1995 film "Showgirls," which grossed $37 million despite carrying the most severe MPA rating.
Sachs’ disappointment with the MPA’s Passages ruling is to be expected, considering how an NC-17 rating negatively affects a film’s chances of success. MUBI, on the other hand, firmly criticized the decision in a statement, asserting that Passages is an honest and groundbreaking depiction of modern relationships, both within the LGBTQ+ community and among heterosexual couples. They emphasized that frank and thoughtful portrayals of sex are vital in the realm of cinema and contribute to a broader representation. The claim that Passages contains explicit or unnecessary depictions of sex, as suggested by the NC-17 rating, is incorrect and misleading. Furthermore, they believe that the assumption of mainstream audiences being offended by the film’s portrayal is also unfounded.
Sachs stated in an interview with the L.A. Times that he has no intention of editing Passages to obtain an R rating, affirming that "the film cannot be separated from its essence." Passages has yet to be assigned a release date in the United States, and due to the MPA, its availability may be limited once it is released.
