Michael Moore Rejects MPAA’s Abuse of R Rating on Where to Invade Next

The MPAA has it in for Michael Moore and has slapped his films with R rating going back all the way to Roger & Me. What for? There has never been any sense to it. Moore is fighting back by refusing to accept their R rating and asking for an appeal decision. Press release as follows:

MICHAEL MOORE REJECTS MPAA’S “R” RATING
FOR HIS LATEST COMEDY, “WHERE TO INVADE NEXT”

NEW YORK, NY (November 2, 2015) – Academy Award® winner Michael Moore announced today that he will reject the “R” rating the MPAA assigned to his latest comedy, WHERE TO INVADE NEXT. The ratings group cited Moore’s film “for language, some violent images, drug use and brief graphic nudity.” Tom Quinn, Jason Janego and Tim League, who are distributing the film, join Moore in his appeal. Moore’s new comedy WHERE TO INVADE NEXT will open in New York and Los Angeles on December 23rd.

Moore is no stranger to friction with the MPAA. “Capitalism: A Love Story,” “Fahrenheit 9/11,” “Bowling for Columbine” and all the way back to his first film, “Roger & Me,” have all received the MPAA’s “R” rating for one reason or another. “60 Minutes” took up the case 25 years ago, examining the “R” rating given to “Roger & Me” and the ratings system itself.

“It’s amazing how 25 years have passed—we invented the internet, gay marriage is legal and we elected an African American President of the United States” said Moore “but the MPAA is still intent on censoring footage that is available from any evening network news show. This film has been widely praised by critics for it’s warmth and humor and optimism. What is the real reason I keep getting all these ‘R’ ratings. I wish the MPAA would just be honest and stick a label on my movies saying: ‘This movie contains dangerous ideas that the 99% may find upsetting and lead them to revolt. Teens will be the most agitated when they learn they will soon be $80,000 in debt just by going to school.”

In his 2002 bestselling book, “Stupid White Men,” Moore described his struggles with the MPAA and why they gave “Roger & Me” an R rating over the scene in which a rabbit is killed for dinner – “but a few minutes later in the movie, the police shoot an African American man right on camera, and no mention was made at all over that by the MPAA. I guess we’re supposed to have gotten used to that image, so there’s nothing shocking enough about it to warrant an ‘R’ rating.”

The team of Quinn, Janego and League echoed Moore’s sentiments: “With this rating, the MPAA is effectively telling high schoolers they just aren’t mature enough to handle or discuss important issues directly affecting their pursuit of the American dream. The notion that a teenager can’t walk into a theater and see WHERE TO INVADE NEXT is ridiculous and frankly un-American.”

WHERE TO INVADE NEXT has been generating Oscar buzz since it premiered to raves and standing ovations at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival and New York Film Festival. It most recently won the Founder’s Award and the Audience Choice Award at Chicago International Film Festival and the prestigious audience award at the Hamptons International Film Festival. The film screened over the weekend as the Philadelphia Film Festival’s Closing Night Film and will have an AFI Fest Gala Premiere in Los Angeles this Saturday, November 7th.

WHERE TO INVADE NEXT is a rollicking, hilarious and subversive comedy in which Moore, playing the role of “invader,” lands in one country after another to steal some good ideas and spirit them back to the USA. The creator of “Fahrenheit 9/11” and “Bowling for Columbine” is back with this side-splitting and eye-opening call to arms. It is, as Israel Horwitz said recently, “simply his best film ever.”

The film was executive produced by Mark Shapiro, Will Staeger and Rod Birleson and produced by Moore, Tia Lessin and Carl Deal.