FILMS AND POLITICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19698, 26 July 1927, Page 9

FILMS AND POLITICS.

TROUBLE-MAKING EXHIBIT.'

A new terror in the way of "reprisals is reported from Kattowitz, where, as A reply to the German propaganda film, "A Country under a Cross/ 8 dealing with the troubles of Upper Silesian peasantry, thfe other side has manufactured a film showing Upper Silesia's history throughout the ages. Not only the historical claims of Poland to the much-disputed province are shown, but various debatable spots that have caused heart-burnings, since, such as the nitrogen works of Chorzow. In short, all that Germany dislikes is screened in detail. Germanv has already put forward a proposal that films should be boycotted which make a practice of showing pictures known to be objectionable to other countries. Certain American films were ,in mind, but there is every reason to hope, that some commonsense will in future be exercised nearer home, and that relations that are being smoothed over in one quarter will not be disturbed in another. The German censorship. had vetoed the Upper Silesian film at the time, but was forced to give way at the outcry that was raised in Nationalist quarters. v The idea of an international committee of judges as representative as the League of Nations to pronounce a verdict upon every film with a " regional " background has only been taken up gingerly as yet, but it appears to be a comiDg necessity.