#LookAtMe producers not appealing IMDA decision barring screening of film in S'pore, as chances are 'exceedingly slim'

SINGAPORE — The producers of Singapore-made film #LookAtMe will not be appealing a decision by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) to not classify the film, effectively barring it from being screened domestically.

In a statement on Thursday (Oct 27), the producers said that even though they disagree with the reasons for the ban, they had done a comprehensive assessment of the appeals process and decided against submitting an appeal.

This is because the chances of a successful appeal are "exceedingly slim", and the S$500 fee needed for the case to be considered by IMDA’s films appeal committee would worsen the box office revenue loss in Singapore.

The Ministry for Culture, Community and Youth, IMDA and the Ministry for Home Affairs (MHA) had announced in a joint statement on Oct 17 that the film #LookAtMe was disallowed from being aired in Singapore because it “denigrates a religious community” and because of its potential to cause “enmity and social division” here.

The film depicts a protagonist who is offended by a religious pastor’s stance on homosexuality and makes a social media post about the pastor. The post then goes viral, leading to a series of events that adversely affects the protagonist and his family.

The film then depicts the protagonist plotting a revenge attack on the pastor, and the pastor engaging “in an act prohibited by his professed religious faiths”, the authorities said.

The film's director Ken Kwek and the producers said at the time that the team would submit a formal appeal, but changed their mind after they assessed the Government's announcement, the film's creators said on Thursday.

“As producers, we do not wish to pay any additional costs or compound the loss in local box office revenue already incurred due to the ban,” the producers said, adding that they were thankful for the support from the Singapore International Film Festival and proud of the film’s achievements on the international stage.

The film festival here had reportedly retained #LookAtMe as part of its programme, despite the restrictions.

The last time IMDA had refused to classify a movie was in May, for Indian film The Kashmir Files.

When contacted, the authority did not comment on the producers' statement.