In an order published this Wednesday (16) in the “Official Journal of the Union”, the National Secretariat of Justice, an organ of the Ministry of Justice, changed the rating of the film “How to become the worst student at school” to “no recommended for children under 18”.
The publication says that the analysis of the agency identified that the 2017 feature film, created by Danilo Gentili, mentions, “Indication tendencies such as sexual coercion, rape, pedophilia act [ambos com adolescentes de 16 anos] and complex sexual situation [com jovem de 18 anos]”.
In the text, signed by the National Secretary of Justice, José Vicente Santini, there is also a recommendation to be shown after 11 pm on open TV. The new film rating must be posted on any viewing platform or channel within five working days of this Wednesday, the day of publication in the DOU.
On Tuesday (15), the Ministry of Justice even determined, through the National Consumer Secretariat, the removal of the film from streaming platforms. Failure to comply with the measure could generate a fine of R$ 50 thousand, according to a document signed by the director of the Department of Consumer Protection and Defense, Lilian Brandão.
The platforms and companies Netflix, Globoplay, Telecine, Youtube, Apple and Amazon were mentioned. THE CNN activated everyone involved. Apple said it would not comment. Amazon says the film is not on its Prime Video streaming service, nor has it ever been.
Gentili’s film, with the participation of Fábio Porchat, was accused of showing an apology for pedophilia from a clipping of the film that circulated on social networks in recent days.
In the official synopsis, the story is about when two teenagers, played by actors Bruno Munhoz and Daniel Pimentel, find a diary with “tips” on how to become “the worst student in school”. The film is inspired by a book by Gentili.
The scene that generated the criticism shows when the inspector, played by Porchat, suggests a sexual act on the part of the boys.
Justice and Public Security Minister Anderson Torres shared the decision on his social media on Tuesday. Previously, Torres had already expressed himself about the controversy, saying that he had asked “various sectors” of the Ministry to adopt the appropriate measures.
The minister was endorsed by other members of the federal government, such as the Secretary of Culture, Mário Frias, and the minister Damares Alves, from the Women, Family and Human Rights portfolio. Damares claimed to have asked the Secretariat for the Rights of Children and Adolescents and the National Human Rights Ombudsman to investigate the facts and “take appropriate measures”.
placements
THE CNN contacted Fábio Porchat, as well as the film’s producer, for comments on the Ministry’s dispatch.
Porchat’s publicist said it would not comment further on the matter. Before the Ministry of Justice’s dispatch was published, however, the comedian responded to criticisms circulating on the internet and cited other fictional papers that featured villains who do “horrible things”, citing international and national examples.
“Marlon Brando played the role of an Italian mobster who had people murdered. Renata Sorrah stole a child from the maternity ward and was pushing people down the stairs. Regiane Alves mistreated the elderly. But it was all a lie, okay? These people in real life are not like that. Super heavy themes are portrayed all the time in the audio visual”, says the actor’s note.
“[…] when the villain does horrible things in the movie, that’s not an apology or encouragement for what he does, that’s that character’s wicked world being revealed. Sometimes it’s hard to watch, really. The more barbaric the act, the more repugnant,” added Porchat. Read the full statement:
“Come on: how does a fiction film work? Someone writes a script and people are hired to act in that movie. Usually the movie has the good guy and the bad guy. The villain is a bad character. That does horrible things. The villain can be a Nazi, a racist, a pedophile, an aggressor, he can kill and torture people… Marlon Brando played the role of an Italian mobster who had people murdered. Renata Sorah stole a child from the maternity ward and was pushing people down the stairs. Regiane Alves mistreated the elderly. But it was all a lie, okay? These people in real life are not like that. Super heavy themes are portrayed all the time in the audio visual. And sometimes they win prizes! Jackie Earle Haley was nominated for an Oscar in 2007 playing a pedophile in the excellent film “Intimate Sins”. It’s just that when the villain does horrible things in the movie, that’s not an apology or encouragement for what he does, that’s the perverse world of that character being revealed. Sometimes it’s hard to watch, really. The more barbaric the act, the more disgusting. Now, imagine if, because of that, we could no longer show strong scenes on screens such as drug trafficking and murders? Wouldn’t we have the exceptional City of God? Or child trafficking in Central do Brasil? Or human hypocrisy in O Auto da Compadecida. But it’s a good thing it’s fiction, right? All a lie.”
On social media, Gentili commented on the case: “the greatest pride I have in my career is that I managed to displease both PT and Bolsonarista with the same intensity”, he wrote. “The tantrums, the false moralism and the patrolling: it came hard on me from both sides”.
The greatest pride I have in my career is that I managed to displease both PT and Bolsonarista with the same intensity.
The tantrums, the false morals and the patrolling: it came hard at me from both sides.
No comedian disliked it as much as I did.
I keep laughing 🙂 pic.twitter.com/zh4sz2aZcr
— Danilo Gentili 🇺🇦 (@DaniloGentili) March 13, 2022
Globoplay and Telecine manifested, in a statement, saying that the decision is unconstitutional. Read the full note:
“Globoplay and Telecine are attentive to the criticisms of individuals and families who considered excerpts from the film Como Se Tornar O Pior Aluno Da Escola to be inappropriate or in poor taste, but understand that the administrative decision of the Ministry of Justice to order its availability to be suspended is censorship. . The decision offends the principle of freedom of expression, is unconstitutional and therefore cannot be enforced.
The platforms respect all points of view but emphasize that the consumption of content on a streaming service is, above all, a decision of the subscriber – and it is up to each family to decide what to watch or not.
The film in question was classified, in 2017, as suitable for adults and teenagers from 14 years of age by the same Ministry of Justice that today orders the suspension of the broadcast of the work.”
Source: CNN Brasil
