In response to the controversial banning of same-sex marriage doc Gayby Baby from being screened at a Sydney high school this week, a nearby cinema has announced plans to screen the film at a discount rate for high school students on its opening weekend.
Gayby Baby pre-release high school screenings had been planned to take place today at schools such as Burwood Girls High School for Wear It Purple day, a youth-led initiative that promotes sexual and gender diversity. A controversial News Ltd article sparked an outcry that resulted in NSW Education Minister Adrian Piccoli and Premier Mike Baird cancelling the screenings in all public schools.
It later emerged that no parents had complained about the screening at Burwood Girls and neither of the politicians had watched the film, which profiles four children being raised by same-sex parents.
In reponse to the widespread coverage of the ban, Dendy Newtown (a short distance from Burwood) has announced a slightly reduced ticket price of $12 for high school students on the film's September 3 opening weekend.
A post from the 'Students of Burwood Girls' Facebook page. Source: Facebook
Gayby Baby director Maya Newell draws on her own experiences growing up with two Mums, to follow the lives of four 10-12 year-olds with same-sex parents.
Newell told SBS Movies earlier this year that the documentary was inspired after seeing her family unit represented on screen for the first time in Lisa Chodolenko's feature film with Julianne Moore and Annette Bening The Kids Are All Right.
Watch an interview with Gayby Baby director Maya Newell:
Gayby Baby had its world premiere on April 29 in Toronto at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival. It also screened at this year's Sydney Film Festival and Melbourne International Film Festival.
It will open in Australian cinemas on September 3, at Dendy Newtown in Sydney, Cinema Nova in Melbourne and Cinema Paradiso in Perth.
