Outrage Grows After Academy Awards Member Calls for Boycott of 'Zero Dark Thirty'
David Clennon, a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is calling for a boycott of 'Zero Dark Thirty,' the film by Kathryn Bigelow that chronicles the hunt for Usama bin Laden.
Clennon blasted the director for torture scenes used to illustrate the mission. Although he knows he could be kicked out of the Academy for stating his intention, he says he doesn't care. In an op-ed posted on TruthOut.org on January 9, Clennon writes:
"'Zero' never acknowledges that torture is immoral and criminal. It does portray torture as getting results. ...Everyone who contributes skill and energy to a motion picture - including actors - shares responsibility for the impressions the picture makes and the ideas it expresses."
Clennon isn't just urging
a personal boycott of the film, however; he wants other members of the Academy to snub it as well, blocking it from snagging any accolades at the Academy Awards.
Sony, the film's distribution company, issued an angry statement reacting to Clennon's call, saying, "We are outraged that any responsible member of the Academy would use their platform to advance their own political agenda."
Bigelow wasn't nominated for an Oscar herself, and many critics say they're unsure if the movie can pick up any awards at all because of the political controversy surrounding it.
What do you think of the boycott? Watch and react:
