(story run today in NZ):
Passion age limit lowered on appeal
06 April 2004
By ROBYN MCLEAN
The rating on Mel Gibson's film The Passion of the Christ has been lowered to R15 in time for Easter.
Its R16 rating was appealed against by church groups, watchdog group the Society for the Promotion of Community Standards, and Hoyts, the film distributors, who wanted mature school groups to be able to view the movie.
The film was in the No 1 slot at the box office for four weeks after it was released seven weeks ago and has grossed more than $2 million.
"I'm pleased with the decision," Catholic Church communications manager Lyndsay Freer said.
The decision had come at a significant time and the movie was expected to be popular with people over the holiday period, Mrs Freer said.
In its decision, the Film and Literature Board of Review said: "To view this film, persons must be able to process the content to the extent that they can recognise its historical foundation, and have the maturity to be able to start to analyse and reject ideas . . . It is the board's view that young people of 15 years and above will have the capacity to decide if this film is something they wish to see after reading the description which will accompany it."
The board also said it did not find any direct evidence to suggest the film, which is based on the last 12 hours in the life of Jesus, is anti-Semitic.
The film is the 10th most successful film of all time in the United States after grossing more than US$330 million (NZ$505 million).
