Gaby Dellal’s “3 Generations” continues to make headlines. This time around, the upcoming transgender drama is in the news because it has been assigned an “R” rating by the MPAA for “language including some sexual references” — and The Weinstein Company (TWC) is challenging the classification.
A press release from TWC reveals that they’ve “enlisted the help of top Hollywood lawyer David Boies to advise on their dissent. Largely known for his pivotal role to overturn Proposition 8, California’s discriminatory ban on gay marriage, back in 2009, Boies has consulted on numerous human rights issues for TWC including censorship of the Academy Award-nominated film ‘Carol,’ as well as a previous protest of the MPAA’s rating of the documentary ‘Bully.’ Initially given an ‘R’ rating for similar reasons, TWC successfully challenged the MPAA and brought ‘Bully’s’ rating down to PG-13, making it more accessible for the intended audience.”
Written by Dellal and Nikole Beckwith, the intergenerational story stars Elle Fanning, Naomi Watts, and Susan Sarandon. Fanning plays Ray, a trans teen, and Watts and Sarandon play his mother and grandmother, respectively. The project has been met with mixed feelings since it was announced. As encouraging as it is to see trans characters represented, many people are — very understandably — angered and frustrated by a cis-gender actress playing the role of a trans boy.
Following a poor reception at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival, TWC removed “3 Generations,” formerly known as “About Ray,” from its release schedule. The film had been due for release in just a few days. The company originally claimed that they were delaying its release so “3 Generations” could have an Oscars-qualifying run in theaters. That plan never came to fruition.
As the film’s official synopsis details, “3 Generations” follows the journey Ray, his mother, and grandmother go on “as each confronts their own identity and learns to embrace change while ultimately finding acceptance and understanding.” This is a great message to send audiences — especially teens. Plus, we caught the film at TIFF, and the “R” rating is really unwarranted. Teens can handle some cursing and sexual references. Most of them are having sex. Consider the level of violence in some movies that escape the “R” rating. If you’ve seen the 2006 doc “This Film Is Not Yet Rated,” you know that the MPAA’s decision-making process is highly questionable, and tends to skew super-conservative.
Watts, who is also one of the “3 Generations’” executive producers, commented, “This film is a beautiful and touching story about family and identity. It is important for teenagers to see it and the ‘R’ Rating doesn’t reflect today’s society.” She continued, “‘3 Generations’ doesn’t have a bad bone in its body, it’s an expression of love, acceptance, strength, and honesty, values that could not be more necessary right now.”
“‘3 Generations’ is an important movie for everyone to see, especially transgender youth who are feeling isolated or fearful and their families,” Sarandon added. “It’s ridiculous to have an ‘R’ rating which would prevent this audience from seeing the film.”
Dellal commented, “As a mother and a filmmaker, I want to speak to kids, to parents, and to grandparents everywhere in a common language of love and inclusion about a subject matter that is not only real and complicated, but one that is important and alive today. There are kids all over this country that are still too fearful to speak out and to step out; they’re too alone to fight, lacking the kinds of support that would let them feel free to be themselves. Our story wants to humanize this family experience, and to take the mystery out of the secrets. I hope the MPAA will reconsider this ‘R’ rating and encourage children to see this story and feel connected.”
“3 Generations” will open the Bentonville Film Festival May 2. The film hits theaters May 19.
