Did a production company purposefully censor the queer elements from the U.S. DVD release of this film?
"Pride," released in 2014, is an award-winning film set in the UK in the 1980s about a group of gay and lesbian activists who support miners engaged in a strike and informed changing perceptions surrounding gay rights for the British political left.
However, as discovered by Pink News, the stateside DVD release of "Pride" seems to contain a striking omission from the cover art: all the patently queer content has mysteriously vanished.
Top: U.S. DVD cover. Bottom: original image.
As can be seen in the above images, the banner in the background reading "Lesbians & Gays Support The Miners" seems to have been removed from the U.S. DVD cover. Additionally, Pink News claims that the phrase "London-based group of gay and lesbian activists" was changed to "a group of London-based activists" on the DVD's back cover.
BBC reached out to Ben Roberts, director of the BFI film fund that funded "Pride," who said, "I'm not surprised that the US distributors have taken a decision to sell more copies by watering down the gay content. I'm not defending it, it's wrong and outmoded, but I'm not surprised. It's an unfortunate commercial reality both here and in the US that distributors have to deal with and consider in getting films onto the shop shelf. LGBT material is largely marginalized outside of rare hits like 'Brokeback Mountain.'"
"Pride" director Matthew Warchus told the BBC he can understand why the change might have been made.
"I think someone in the marketing department in the US used their marketing judgement to try to remove any barrier to the widest possible audience... It's clumsily done but I understand it and it's a valid instinct," Warchus said, adding, "I'm just keen for as many people who have yet to see the film to see it."
CBS Films responded to the controversy in a statement to Pink News saying, "We're looking into this now and our page for the film remains the same as it has for months."
"Pride" recently picked up a Golden Globe nomination for best film, comedy or musical.
"Pride," released in 2014, is an award-winning film set in the UK in the 1980s about a group of gay and lesbian activists who support miners engaged in a strike and informed changing perceptions surrounding gay rights for the British political left.
However, as discovered by Pink News, the stateside DVD release of "Pride" seems to contain a striking omission from the cover art: all the patently queer content has mysteriously vanished.
Top: U.S. DVD cover. Bottom: original image.
As can be seen in the above images, the banner in the background reading "Lesbians & Gays Support The Miners" seems to have been removed from the U.S. DVD cover. Additionally, Pink News claims that the phrase "London-based group of gay and lesbian activists" was changed to "a group of London-based activists" on the DVD's back cover.
BBC reached out to Ben Roberts, director of the BFI film fund that funded "Pride," who said, "I'm not surprised that the US distributors have taken a decision to sell more copies by watering down the gay content. I'm not defending it, it's wrong and outmoded, but I'm not surprised. It's an unfortunate commercial reality both here and in the US that distributors have to deal with and consider in getting films onto the shop shelf. LGBT material is largely marginalized outside of rare hits like 'Brokeback Mountain.'"
"Pride" director Matthew Warchus told the BBC he can understand why the change might have been made.
"I think someone in the marketing department in the US used their marketing judgement to try to remove any barrier to the widest possible audience... It's clumsily done but I understand it and it's a valid instinct," Warchus said, adding, "I'm just keen for as many people who have yet to see the film to see it."
CBS Films responded to the controversy in a statement to Pink News saying, "We're looking into this now and our page for the film remains the same as it has for months."
"Pride" recently picked up a Golden Globe nomination for best film, comedy or musical.
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