A new film about censorship, “Censoring Palestine”, is itself under attack by “secret censors” out to suppress it, according to its producer.
A number of screenings of the film have been dropped at short notice following “back-door pressure” being put on the venues, producer Norman Thomas has claimed.
Mr Thomas said: “In the last few weeks we have received reports of three screenings being axed in different parts of the country because of pressure being put on the venues. Venues are told to drop the film, or there’ll be trouble.”
He added: “This is the most crude and malicious form of censorship — the worst kind because it’s secret.”
The documentary, which is the work of London-based Platform Films, investigates allegations that mainstream media has consistently failed to tell the truth about what’s happening in Palestine and that counter-terrorism laws are being abused to stop people speaking out. It includes contributions from Ken Loach, Roger Waters, Alexei Sayle and two mothers of imprisoned pro-Palestine activists.
Platform, which in the past has made programmes for the BBC and Channel 4, are also the producers of the film “Oh Jeremy Corbyn – The Big Lie”. This film itself was subject to extraordinary attempts to stop it from being screened in 2023, including most famously being axed by Glastonbury Festival after an online campaign led by pro-Israel lobby groups.
Mr Thomas said: “I believe the reasons behind the attacks on our new film, ” Censoring Palestinine, are at bottom the same as the attacks on our film about Jeremy Corbyn. We are trying to tell the truth about what’s happening in Palestine, and there are people and organisations out there who just don’t want that truth told.”
He added, “But whatever happens, we will carry on. Screenings of the films are continuing across the country, from Penzance to Glasgow, and we will carry on supporting them. We need to get the truth out there.”
Mr Thomas and the film’s director Chris Reeves will be speaking live about the attempts to censor their film at a screening of “Censoring Palestine” in the Palace Cinema in Broadstairs, Kent, at, 7pm on Sunday 23 March. Tickets from https://thepalacecinema.co.uk
To see a trailer of the film, go to:
