Students present 'porn flick'
Movie on porn world produced by Rehovot high school students and containing some provocative scenes wins award, spurs controversy in film competition
The movie, recently screened as part of a local film competition between Rehovot schools, prompted the outrage of several religious girls who attended the event, and left the movie hall in protest when the screening of the movie began.
Scenes from the movie "Granny Tales"
The film, titled "Granny Tales," deals with the porn world from the point of view of an ageing porn star, "granny" (portrayed by one of the students). It includes interviews with major players in the Israeli porn industry and feminists, as well as clips depicting female students in provocative outfits.
Bondage scene
The more controversial parts of the production include scenes with students performing "dirty dances"; a tied up student wearing tight and revealing clothes who sends seductive glares to the camera; a male student putting his hand down his pants, and then being undressed by two female students; a student examining a vibrator; and two students dressed in lingerie and portrayed as "sex dolls."
"The object of the movie is not to offend people, but to get them to be more open… we didn't show anything very provocative, we were mild," Osnat Kishlinsky, one of the film's directors explained.
Referring to the incident with the religious students, Kishlinsky said she and her teammates were a little shocked to learn that some were offended by the film, which was predictable in light of the girls' religious conviction.
Principle: Parents convinced me
The teacher who instructed the students in making the movie, Galit Yogev, said the film's contents were granted the approval by the school, and that the students' parents were highly supportive of the production.
The high school principle Edna Levin said she was slightly less convinced that all the scenes in the movie were appropriate, but stressed she believed the movie was humoristic and ironic.
"I did have an argument with the students about one of the scenes, but they insisted, and finally the parent called me up and talked me into allowing it," Levin said.
'Example for democracy'
Education Ministry sources responded with contradicting messages to the disputed film.
Dorit Blin, the ministry's national supervisor over cinema studies in high schools, said the debate regarding the movie is "an example for education and democracy, and for ways to raise the subject involving the school management, the teacher, the students and the parents to determine a solution."
"We teach the children to criticize social dilemmas. How can they learn without creating dilemmas of their own?" she asked.
Meanwhile, the Education Ministry's official response stated that "the competition was conducted without cooperation with the Ministry," and that "we are currently looking into means to strengthen monitoring control over the contents of films produced in schools."
Deputy Education Minister Majalli Whbee, who was the keynote speaker in the competition said he was not aware of the contents of the films that were screened in the event.
"No one has informed me of the contents of the movies. I gave a speech at the event and left shortly after. Had I known that a movie containing pornographic material would be projected, I would condemn and denounce it," Whbee said.
