Filipino directors guild oppose proposed ‘Plane’ ban

The Directors’ Guild of the Philippines Inc. (DGPI) released a statement opposing Senator Robin Padilla’s call to ban the screening of the Gerard Butler-led action film, Plane.

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On February 17, the country’s Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTCRB), told ABS-CBN News that they would re-evaluate the film for its “negative and inaccurate” portrayal of the Philippines’ Jolo Island. MTRCB chairperson Diorella Maria “Lala” Sotto-Antonio said, “The MTRCB will reevaluate the film in view of their concerns and will take all necessary measures if found to be in any way injurious to the prestige of the Philippines or its people.”

In response, the DGPI posted a statement on Facebook on February 19, saying that they oppose “moves to stop the showing of this movie, as we believe agency and free choice must remain with the public, rather than imposed by politicians.”

They continued by saying, “If the state can tolerate free expression for trolls, fake news, and historical revisionism without worrying about their effect on the country’s prestige, then the state can do the same for a work that members of the foreign press have regarded as mindless B-movie entertainment rather than a reliable commentary on our country’s affairs.”

Plane follows pilot Brodie Torrance (Butler) after his aircraft is forced to land on the Philippines’ Jolo island, where he finds that the island is run by separatists and militia. Jolo is located in the southernmost part of the Philippines. While it has been the seat of conflict for decades, the Philippine government has been in peace talks with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) since 1975.

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