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Sarah Jane, KSL Newsradio The Catholic League wants the US Department of Justice to investigate a Sundance film depicting the rape of a twelve year old. But is this child porn or just art?
Child star Dakota Fanning plays a precocious twelve year old obsessed with Elvis in the Sundance film, "Hounddog." But the Catholic League of America is up in arms over a scene where Fanning is raped. The publicist for the director of the film refused to comment today, but spokesperson for the league, Kiera McCaffery says this film has the potential to turn on child molesters.
Kiera McCaffery, Spokesperson, Catholic League of America: "There are sickos out there who are going to watch this, get ideas, and it's going to feed into their twisted minds."
She says the scene may violate child porn laws and now the League wants an investigation.
Kiera McCaffery, Spokesperson, Catholic League of America: "Nobody is denying that this girl filmed the graphic rape scene. What we are saying is that we'd like the government to look at it."
McCaffery says the League's concern is over child stars who may be too young to make wise career decisions.
Kiera McCaffery, Spokesperson, Catholic League of America: "What we are saying is yes, this girl's mother and her social worker may have been with her, but we don't care that they gave consent. If anything this troubles us even more that these people are saying it's ok to film this for a twelve year old because she may win an Oscar."
Now, no one from the League has even seen the film yet. But McCaffery says she doesn't need to see it to know it's wrong.
The Saturday edition of the LA Times quotes the director, Deborah Kampmeier as saying there is no graphic nudity. She also says the scene was tastefully done. Also prosecutors in North Carolina, where the film was made, eventually dropped their case after finding it did not violate child porn laws. But McCaffery says that doesn't mean there shouldn't be a national investigation.
The US Department of Justice did not want to comment on whether or not they thought the film violated any laws. They also say it's too early to make a decision on whether or not to investigate.
"Hounddog" premiered at Sundance last night.
