CONTROVERSIAL VIDEO BANNED IN IRELAND

THE Film Censor’s Office in Ireland has banned the video release of ‘Of Freaks and Men’, a haunting melodrama of hidden passions and sadomasochistic urges.
‘Of Freaks and Men’ has received an 18 certificate in the UK with no cuts, however the Irish Film Censor’s Office have banned the video because it includes ‘indecent material’.
Last year, the video release of ‘The Idiots’ was also banned in Ireland, although it was passed uncut in the UK despite the sexually explicit subject matter.
The film, by award-winning director Alexei Balabanov, received critical praise on its theatrical release in May this year, and it remained in the list of both The Guardian and The Independent’s Top 10 films for many weeks.
With the British Board of Film Classification’s (BBFC’s) recent stated intention to liberalise their classification standards, Tartan Video are planning to resubmit all of their previously cut titles for reclassification.
If successful, this will mean uncut versions of these films will be available in the UK for the first time ever.
‘Of Freaks and Men’ will be available on DVD and VHS in the UK from October 30.