Fur flies at cinema chain over Bad Cat’s bad language
Turkish adult animation Bad
Cat, which opened in UAE cinemas at the weekend, is raising hackles among audiences, seemingly because of poor enforcement of the rating system by certain cinemas.
The film, an adult comedy, was given a PG-15 certificate in the UAE and features a promotional poster clearly stating “not suitable for kitties”.
It opens with Sero the cat smoking while using the lavatory, and that sets the tone for 90 minutes or so of toilet humour, profanity and violence.
For one major cinema chain, however, it seems the film’s certification, as well as repeated warnings about its content from distributor Front Row Entertainment, was not enough to make them aware of what they were screening.
The chain has complained to Front Row about the language in the film, saying that an average of 10 customers per screening are demanding a refund, and it has said it will drop the movie from its programme.
Front Row’s Gianluca Chakra said: “The film received a PG from the censor. We actually got a ‘clean’ version from the studio for release, because the original version is insane, but even then we still asked the cinemas to push it to PG-15.
“They did, but one exhibitor appears to not have been enforcing it. We’ve had no issues with the other theatres.”
Mr Chakra did not consider the situation to be a problem with censorship, but rather with a particular exhibitor’s inability to enforce the rules.
“I don’t have a problem with the censor, this is a PG-15 film and I’m fine with that,” Mr Chakra said. “It’s certain cinemas that seem to be not enforcing the ratings, and seem to be programming films that they don’t know anything about.
“We sent them everything, we warned them that it was adult content, but I just don’t know if they even read it. It’s like they just went, ‘Oh yeah, it’s an animation, that’s for kids’.”
But a one minute and 16-second glance at Bad Cat’s trailer will reveal drinking, smoking and kitty-on-kitty violence.
Authorities have given greater attention to ratings in UAE cinemas, with posters and tickets clearly displaying restrictions.
Mr Chakra said: “There was a meeting recently for the whole ratings system, but I wasn’t able to attend. They were discussing guidelines and we sent over recommendations, but I honestly don’t know if anything was taken into account officially. We didn’t receive any feedback.”
Bad Cat is directed by Mehmet Kurtulus and Ayse Unal, and based on the graphic novel
Kotu Kedi Serafettin by Bulent Ustun.