Mistaken North Korea Accuse Film Festival Of ‘Instigating Terrorism’ Over ‘The Interview’
It’s been well documented that The Interview caused quite a stir just ahead of its release in the United States. In fact, the film was single-handedly responsible for an international incident between the USA and North Korea.
North Korea have once again been voicing their disdain that The Interview is being screened. But this time, they are aiming their discontent towards Germany, in particular the Berlin Film Festival, rather than the United States of America.
The problem is though the Berlin Film Festival was never actually showing The Interview. Instead, Sony have decided to release The Interview in Germany on February 5. North Korea simply made a colossal mistake.
However, they only realized that they’d made this error after they’d released a rather scathing attack on the Berlin Film Festival, which came courtesy of North Korea’s Foreign Ministry.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, North Korea insisted that the Berlin International Film Festival was “instigating terrorism” with its selection of The Interview. They then released a strongly worded statement condemning the event even further.
“[The submission] has nothing whatsoever to do with the freedom of expression, nor does it suit the character of the Berlin Film Festival, and is clearly an act instigating terrorism.”
North Korea even declared that if the Berlin Film Festival did screen The Interview, then it meant that they would be siding with the United States in their terrorism schemes against North Korea.
“The West’s idea of freedom of expression would turn out to mean the freedom of violence and terrorism.”
North Korea’s message went on to mention Germany’s own “shameful history,” as it made a pointed reference to the Holocaust.
However, Dieter Kosslick, who is the Berlin Film Festival’s director, admitted that he would meet with the North Korean ambassador to Germany on Thursday to stop the incident from escalating even further.
“I am going to tell him that (this screening) has nothing at all to do with the Berlin Festival. It’s simply a coincidence. We are in regular contact with Sony, but at no time did they, or we, consider having the official premiere of The Interview as part of the festival.”
In December, the original release date of The Interview was cancelled because of North Korea’s outrage over the film’s content. The Interview revolves around James Franco and Seth Rogen’s characters attempting to murder the Supreme Leader of the country, Kim Jong-Un.
It was finally released online on December 24, and it also had a limited released across the U.S. in cinemas. It has since grossed $45 million, much less than Sony originally estimated.
[Image via Sony]
