CITY HOSTS UK'S FIRST SHOWING OF 'RAPE' FILM

August 20, 2001

A CONTROVERSIAL documentary including footage of an alleged rape is set to have what could be its only British showing at the Film Festival from tonight.

Raw Deal: A Question Of Consent, which is receiving its international premiere tonight, includes graphic footage of an incident at a fraternity party which sparked a scandal in the US after an exotic dancer claimed she had been raped by students.

A video of the alleged rape was produced as evidence, with the students claiming she'd been a willing partner. It provoked outrage when the tape was publicly released.

The documentary interviews those involved in the case, who each believe that the video supports their interpretation of events.

The film has not been picked up by a British distributor, so it has not yet been given a certificate by the British Board of Film Classification, which could demand cuts in the explicit footage before allowing it to be shown in other cinemas.

The Film Festival is covered by a blanket licence from Edinburgh City Council which could mean this week's two screenings are the only time Raw Deal is shown in its original form in Britain.

Evidence

Film Festival director Lizzie Francke said the film was an interesting indictment of the Florida legal system which allowed the case to collapse amid confusion and media bombardment.

She said: "The whole story is disturbing and was a cause celebre in America. It's about how the law can go awry and about the nature of visual evidence. The situation is exploitative but what the film tries to do is address that and give back some justice in a case where justice failed.

"The principle of the Film Festival is to give audiences an opportunity to see pieces that can raise interesting questions."

The film was one of those highlighted to the city council as potentially controversial when the Film Festival submitted its licence application for this year's programme, but councillors did not see the individual films.

A BBFC spokeswoman said that it would only make a decision about Raw Deal if a distributor bought the rights to the film and submitted it to them.

"Whether we gave it a certificate or not would depend upon whether we felt that the material was there to educate and inform or simply to entertain," she said.

There will be a debate about the film after tonight's first showing, at the Filmhouse.