100,000+ Sign Petition to Overturn ‘Bully’ R Rating [UPDATED]

As we’ve been reporting, the battle continues to overturn the MPAA’s decision to give the new Weinstein Co. documentary Bully an R rating. Now, more than 100,000 people have signed an online petition asking to re-rate the film with a PG-13 rating.  Now more than ever, with the most recent school shooting that took place earlier this week, it’s necessary for kids to understand bullying, and the impact it has on others. **Check After the Jump For Updated Information**

There hasn’t been any word yet from the MPAA, but with the petition gaining more signatures every minute, and Harvey Weinstein threatening to pull away from the organization, it’s something that cannot be ignored. This will hopefully spark more change within the MPAA itself, not to simply rate a movie based on an arbitrary set of rules, but on the content and message of the film itself. There’s something clearly wrong when you can show hundreds of people dying on screen and get a PG-13, but you can’t have a few bits of foul language.

To sign the petition yourself, follow this link and be directed to change.org.

**UPDATE**

So it appears now instead of receiving the PG-13 that everyone is asking for, theater owners are to now treat this film as an NC-17 if the Weinstein Co. releases the film unrated.  There is so much wrong with this I’m at a loss for words.  Here’s the full response from John Fithian, President and CEO of The National Association of Theater Owners (NATO):

Dear Harvey,

The National Association of Theatre Owners partners with the MPAA in the rules and operations of the Classification and Ratings Administration. Exhibition representatives participated yesterday in the appeal of “Bully.” As you know, the appeals board voted to uphold the ratings board’s decision that the prevalence of harsh language in “Bully” warranted an “R” rating. In response, you released a statement criticizing the decision, and threatening to remove your company’s movies from the ratings process.

As the father of a nine-year-old child, I am personally grateful that TWC has addressed the important issue of bullying in such a powerful documentary. The filmmaker and especially the brave young people who participated in this project deserve our attention and respect. Nonetheless, I believe that your public response to the decision of the appeals board is unwise.

Surveys of America’s parents reflect their very strong concern with the use of harsh language in movies. The vast majority of parents surveyed have indicated that the type of language used in “Bully” should receive an automatic “R” rating. You ask us to ignore the preferences of America’s parents and our own ratings rules because of the merit of this movie. Yet were the MPAA and NATO to waive the ratings rules whenever we believed that a particular movie had merit, or was somehow more important than other movies, we would no longer be neutral parties applying consistent standards, but rather censors of content based on personal mores.

You recently released the award-winning movie “King’s Speech” and must know the language rules very well. You should not have been surprised at the rating for “Bully.”

I have nothing but tremendous respect for you and the work of TWC. Our industry is so much the better for your involvement. But if you decide to withdraw your support and participation in the rating system, and begin to release movies without ratings, I will have no choice but to encourage my theater owner members to treat unrated movies from The Weinstein Company in the same manner as they treat unrated movies from anyone else.

In most cases, that means enforcement as though the movies were rated NC-17 – where no one under the age of 18 can be admitted even with accompanying parents or guardians.

Thank you for your consideration of these thoughts. And the best of luck to you on Sunday.

Sincerely yours,

John Fithian

President & CEO

NATO