Openly gay Italian director Sebastiano Riso claims he was the victim of a homophobic attack that left him in the hospital after the opening of his most recent film A Family.
The assault happened in Rome on Monday afternoon. Riso was attacked as he entered his apartment by two men who proceeded punch him in the face and stomach while shouting antigay slurs. He suffered multiple abdominal and eye injuries and had to be rushed to the hospital, where doctors say he will stay for about 10 days.
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In a statement released yesterday, Riso explains:
How about we take this to the next level?
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Yesterday I was hit three times, and I feel it is a threefold attack [against me]: as a homosexual, as a director, and as a person.
As a homosexual because, while I was being hit, they addressed me with homophobic insults. As a director because the insults referred to the themes I deal with in my latest film, such as the possibility for gay couples to form their own family, and because the violence was perpetrated against my inclination to express myself through my work.
Despite the fear and rage that I still feel … I am sure I will continue to do that [express myself] the same way and even more than before.
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A Family opened in Italian theaters last weekend after premiering at the Venice Film Festival earlier this year. It tells the story of a straight couple that supplies black market babies for gay couples who are unable to adopt because of Italy’s homophobic adoption laws.
h/t: Variety
paul dorian lord fredine
well, we know which movie the million-minus-998,000-moms are going to be protesting next.
Doug
This sounds like an incredibly depressing film. A physically abusive man pimps a woman into having black-market babies he can sell, some to gay couples.
I’m not convinced the assault had anything to do with this film making reference to gay people.
Donston
Most openly gay or gay-leaning/homo-dominant filmmakers just aren’t interested in projects with any type of “gay theme” unless it’s depressing/disturbing or is about “experimentation” or “self-discovery”. I’ve learned to accept that.
However, I do hope they find the criminals. From what I’ve heard and read Italy is the most overtly homophobic of the “romance” European countries.
Kangol
It all sounds very strange, but if the attack did happen, I hope they catch the attacker. Downtown Rome is full of security and closed-circuit cameras (to protect all the historic sites, the Vatican, etc.), so the attack probably was captured on video.
JarMa13
Wow thats timing!
Free press the day your movie comes out.
Also 10 days in a hospital?
In America they kick you out unless youre gonna die
kelliadkins4444
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stevetalbert
Hit “as a director”??!! How bad is the film?? People usually just walk out. In paris in the late 1809s they rioted over art openings and concerts. Must be a european thing. If only kirk cameron could visit europe.