Toronto Int'l Film Fest.- Boycott Screening of"CASUISTRY: The art of Killing a Cat"

Toronto Int'l Film Fest.- Boycott Screening of"CASUISTRY: The art of Killing a Cat" Hi All,

-PLEASE CROSS-POST TO ALL LISTS- and email to anyone planning to attend the Toronto International Film Festival:

The Toronto International Film Festival is planning on screening a film called "CASUISTRY :The Art of Kiling a Cat".
This is an URGENT request to boycott and/or write the Toronto Film Festival unless they remove "Casuistry: The Art of Killing a Cat" from their "REAL TO REEL" program.

The film to be shown at the Tor Int'l Film Festival discusses the notorious case of 2001 in which Jesse Power, Anthony Wennekers, and Matt Kaczorowski videotaped themselves brutally torturing and killing a cat in Toronto in 2001.

For those who don't know- a little background. The case was called "Kensington" named after the cat who was brutally tortured and murdered. Three males, Power, Wennekers, and Kaczorowski videotaped themselves torturing a cat. It was a horrific case of animal cruelty. They killed it slowly, by hanging it, cutting it open, removing an ear with pliers and an eye with dental tools, all while the cat was still alive!!!! There is no doubt about what happened or who did it, because the men videotaped it. Jesse Power said the video was an art project. He claimed he was an animal rights advocate who wanted to make a point about the hypocrisy of our society's eating some animals (cows, pigs, chickens) but not others. Despite his claims that he was involved in animal rights, he had never been involved in any of the active animal rights groups in Toronto. All animal rights groups have condemned the cat torture video.

The producer, Linda Feesey, is an associate of the cat torturers'. (For example, her 2002 film, Mr. Kafka's Holiday, starred Jesse Power's friend Jubal Brown, who was outspoken in his support of Power during the cat video case.) "Casuistry" is another opportunity for Power and his friends to defend their horrendous actions. According to the review in the Toronto Sun, the film features many apologists for the cat torturers. The killers show no remorse for their crime. The film features the killers' "excuses" for what they did (they were disorganized, the razor was dull, they were on drugs) and apologists defending what they did (as well as a few critics). The director, Zev Asher, said, "I cannot condone or condemn what they did." See the SUN news article http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/Toron.../28/605840.html

This is a film that, by its simple existence, glorifies that atrocities committed by three youths in 2001 when they videotaped the skinning alive of a domestic cat and called it art. Several of the police who watched the videotapes had to stop watching, some of them cried. (And cops see a LOT of horrific stuff!!) The three youths were all given slaps on the wrist (thanks to our shameful lack of animal welfare laws in Canada) and are are now out on
the street today. Sick minds capable of further atrocities!!

Under Canada's antiquated cruelty to animals law, the maximum sentence is only 6 months. The Canadian Senate (an unelected body) has been delaying the passage of a stronger anti-cruelty law because of pressure from special interest groups (hunters, farmers, animal experimenters, etc.)

It is disgraceful and shocking that TIFF would want to involve itself in showcasing such a horrible act of cruelty. By the way, Jesse Power was arrested again about a month ago, he is continually in and out of court rooms, last time for theft and resisting arrest. I think he will eventually end up doing something more and more hideous, eventually to humans, as he has already been convicted of assault. He is one sick twisted individual. A direct correlation has been shown between individuals who are cruel to animals and a likelihood to go on to commit even more violent acts towards people.

I am ashamed that Toronto's Film Festival plans to showcase this sort of trash, give these convicted criminals a forum to justify their depraved acts of abuse and murder, and have them believe themselves to be movie stars.

I personally look forward to the TIFF every year, but this year, I am boycotting the festival should they allow this film to be screened. I think others should consider doing the same

Please, help me and the many other humane citizens to stop the TIFF screening of this horrid film.

Pls let them know how disgusted you are and, if you were planning to go, please reconsider your attendance. If you do decide not to go, tell them you are boycotting the festival if this film is not pulled. THANK YOU for the animals!!!


Contact Info:

Lynnette Gryseels (in the Press Office) at: lgryseels@torfilmfest.ca

FAX the press office at: 1-416-581-0214 or CALL: 1-416-934-3200

(You can address your faxes to: Michele Maheux, Managing Director, Toronto Film Festival)


Email Piers Handling, Director and Chief Executive Officer, Toronto International Film Festival Group at tiffg@torfilmfest.ca.


Thank you!



__________________

 

Wow, I hadn't heard about this one. Isn't this the video that prompted people to lobby Canada for a stronger anti-cruelty law?
You have to wonder what sort of sick minds think torturing an innocent creature is 'art'.

 

Hi Peacegal,

Thanks for your message.

Yes, the "Kensington the cat" case did increase support and the urgency of strengthening Canada's antiquated animal cruelty laws. People were outraged across the country!
Unfortunately, just like everything today, money talks. The changes to our animal cruelty laws are extremely slow and are being stalled by groups such as hunting lobbyists, factory farmers, and animal research groups. It has been very disappointing because the passing of Bill C-10 (the actual name of the bill) has come so close to being passed by the house, but it keeps being delayed. As it stands right now, animals are considered "property" so they are not given the same rights as people, and our maximum sentence for animal cruelty crimes is 6 months! If you would like to read more about the coalition for anti-cruelty leghislation, check out these web sites: http://anticruelty.ca/other2.html and http://www.animalalliance.ca/urgentalert/index.html for more insight on the status of the passing of Bill C-10.

The current laws actually work to protect not only the interests of the ranchers, farmers, hunters and researchers, but also the individuals who commit terrible acts of cruelty and neglect- including but not limited to puppy mills, dog-fighting rings, and the like.

The film festival is HUGE news in Toronto, as it is our shining star and attracts people and celebs from all over the world. I saw some coverage of this issue on a local Toronto News station last night, and basically, the spokesperson (I didn't catch his name) from the TIFF said that the film does not actually show any video footage from the video which Powers made of the cat torture and killing, (so does that make it ok?!) He also stated that the film festival's mandate is to support films which spawn debate and to allow the screening of those films whose subject matter is "controversial". I do not see anything controversial about this matter. What those individuals did to poor Kensington was hideous and evil, and the fact they are involved in this film shows that they do not have remorse, are looking for more publicity and notoriety. I believe and fear, as do many others, that they are perhaps even capable of perhaps something even worse, and maybe next time it would be to a child or another student, or some random person. Who knows what they are capable of? There is a direct co-relation between acts of animal cruelty and future acts of violence to humans. It has been proven time and time again.

I think that the festival would not be showing this film if it involved the case of some brutal rape and murder of a young girl....ie. the Paul Bernardo case. I don't know if you are familar with that case but it, too, was horrific and is known as one of the worst, unprecedented cases of pre-meditated torture, rape and murder cases in the country. The public outcry would be enorrmous!

I just hope that the turn out for this film is very low, and ticket sales are terrible. The reflection on our city is shameful.
I am almost lost for words at this time because it is just so upsetting to me, and all I can imagine is that a screening of this film will only work to encourage others to commit terrible crimes of animal cruelty and people will think (and rightly so) that it's not going to be punished harshly, and that they will become "stars". It is very simply: SICK!!!

 

This was taken from the Film Festival website: http://www.e.bell.ca/filmfest/2004/uptotheminute/default.asp#item11

August 31, 2004
Co-Director's Statement
The Festival has received a number of concerned emails and phone calls, following recent media stories, regarding the documentary CASUISTRY: THE ART OF KILLING A CAT. The Festival Co-Director’s response appears below.

The Toronto International Film Festival Group emphatically condemns the abuse and torture of animals. The documentary CASUISTRY: THE ART OF KILLING A CAT has as its subject matter a sad and regrettable real-life incident that shocked and provoked strong feelings among many people.

The documentary neither glorifies nor condones the torture of animals. It does NOT show any of the actual, graphic video footage from this criminal event. It does include interviews with those who were outraged by this event including the detective who handled the case as well as committed animal-rights activists. People who have viewed the film – and that includes several Toronto journalists and our curators - indicate that it certainly does not allow room to sympathize with the actions of the convicted criminals portrayed in the documentary and shows them to be morally bankrupt.

The rights of Toronto audiences to engage in meaningful discussion about the issues of the day are inviolable. Film festivals exist, in part, to generate intelligent, reasoned discussion, not to stifle it. The Festival programming decision to show this documentary remains unchanged.

Noah Cowan
Co-Director
Toronto International Film Festival

 

Hmm, interesting. If the movie is indeed as the festival describes, I can see it from both sides. On one hand, it could be a profile of a community's reaction to an infamous and reviled cruelty case. This is in itself an example of society's evolving view of animals. On the other hand, making such a film plays right into the killers' hands. They obviously did not torture a cat on film under the belief that it would be hailed as the next Mona Lisa. They did it to gain infamy, get attention, and cause a storm of controversy with themselves in the center. The movie (and its media coverage) gives them more attention.

I knew that the Canada bill was having problems, but wasn't aware whether it passed or not. I don't know if it makes you feel any better, but a few of the same things are going on in the States. Animal People News reported in 2002 that the ballot initiative to establish a felony penalty for animal abuse in Arkansas (once again in response to cat and dog abuse cases) was fought by groups such as the Farm Bureau, the Game and Fish Commssion, Poultry Federation, Ducks Unlimited, and the University of Arkansas Medical Sciences. Similar groups have also pushed measures to make it harder to enact ballot initiatives on behalf of animals in some other states. Industries in both countries seem to be getting ideas from each other.

 

Hi there- More letters regarding the upcoming screening- to which the TIFF group has responded that they will not revoke it from the line up.

An editorial in the Toronto Star, follows: (The Toronto Star is one of the top three local news papers in Toronto)>
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1093990211033&call_pageid=968256290204&col=968350116795





Toronto Star, September 1, 2004.

Festival should pull plug on cat-killing movie

RONDI ADAMSON

Twice this year I have gone to movies I didn't particularly want to see,
because, as a journalist, I figured I may want to write about them. In both
cases, Mel Gibson's Passion Of The Christ and Michael Moore's Fahrenheit
9-11, I did end up writing about them. In both cases I hated the movies.

Similarly, people tell me I should also see Casuistry: The Art Of Killing A
Cat, scheduled as part of the Toronto International Film Festival, before
making a judgment.

No, I don't need to. I can make a judgment. I am willing to make a judgment
right now and stand by it.
The movie is sick, and I hope no one goes to see it.

Better yet, I hope the people at the film festival will come to their senses
and consider pulling it out of their lineup before the festival begins.

The movie, a 90-minute documentary, examines the videotaped skinning alive
of a stray cat at the hands of Jesse Power, Anthony Wennekers and Matt
Kaczorowski in Toronto in 2001 (for which our justice system delivered some
stern slaps on the wrist).

Several justifications have been made for the videotaped torture. One was
that it was some form of art.
Another was that it was a deep commentary on society's cruelty toward
animals.

Apparently, it was actually a pro-kindness to animals video.

Imagine being asked to believe that Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka were
actually making a statement about the wrongs of child rape and murder with
their videos.

A particularly preposterous argument I have heard this week, trying to
justify both the original torture, and Casuistry: The Art Of Killing A Cat,
is that animals are brutalized in slaughterhouses, too.
Even slaughterhouses have standards. And while I'm willing to believe some
don't respect those standards, the standards exist.

Animals that are killed for food are killed as humanely as possible, not
slowly tortured to death by three young men who smirk about it afterwards
and become stars of a movie three years later.
And as 5-year-olds know, two wrongs do not make a right.

A film festival programmer, speaking of the decision to schedule Casuistry:
The Art Of Killing A Cat, said "that's what the festival is all about,
setting the terms for debate, not stifling them." The makers of the movie
say they want to give a "balanced view."

Debate? A balanced view? Of gratuitous cruelty? Of torture?

Of taking pleasure out of the suffering of a living creature?

I guess, being blonde and all, I'm too simple-minded to get how there could
be any matter to debate here. The only balanced view is that the torture of
that cat was a psychotic act.

Many of the news reports concerning both the original video and this
documentary have focused on "animal-rights activists." Or "cat lovers."

I do not think one needs to be either to be utterly outraged and disgusted
by the original "incident" as some have politely termed it, and by the
justifications behind the making of this movie.

You need simply to be normal.

No one is suggesting animals should vote, or buy real estate, but that they
are living creatures who feel fear and pain just as we do.

If it makes a person flaky to know this, then I guess Albert Einstein,
Gandhi and George Bernard Shaw all carried the "flaky" mantle well. This is
not to mention the overwhelming evidence indicating that those who torture
animals will eventually do the same to a human.

The documentary itself will apparently show us how sorry Power, Wennekers
and Kaczorowski are for their actions.

"They really do regret the whole thing," one of the movie's producers has
said. "They're not trying to glorify themselves."

I'm so happy to hear that.

If they are sorry, and not interested in self-glorification or attention,
perhaps they can donate money to animal shelters (provided they stay
kilometres and kilometres away from the animal shelters) in between the
hours and hours of therapy I hope they are getting.

In the meantime, I suggest no one see this movie, or calibrate in order to
excuse it, or give any support to the sickos behind the real story.


Rondi Adamson is a freelance writer based in Toronto. She writes primarily
for the Christian Science Monitor in Boston.

 

Film fest defends doc about cat-killing case

Last Updated Wed, 01 Sep 2004 17:27:17 EDT

TORONTO - The furor over the upcoming screening of Casuistry: The Art of
Killing a Cat is beginning to subside, say Toronto film festival
organizers, as people realize that the film doesn't show footage of a cat being
killed nor glorify the men eventually charged in the infamous case. [FFA is
getting more and more calls, emails, and website hits--NO sign that it is dying
down. RA]

"We don't show cat-killing videos," festival co-director Noah Cowan told
CBC Radio Wednesday.

"Basically this is a journalistic essay ... These guys come in, this
incident has happened, and they're trying to figure out what would
motivate someone to do something so sick and stupid and, at the same time, try to figure out the social context of the explosion that took place around
the case."

Earlier this week, festival organizers called Toronto police after the
programmer in charge of the festival's documentary lineup received a
death threat.

The festival also received a flood of angry e-mails, faxes and phone
calls after an animal rights group posted online its letter to the festival
asking for the film to be removed from the program.

Montreal director Zev Asher's 91-minute documentary explores the
infamous animal-cruelty case that took place in Toronto in May 2001, when art student Jesse Power and two friends filmed themselves torturing and killing a cat. Power claimed he was protesting the consumption of factory-slaughtered animals by killing, cooking and eating a cherished domestic animal. The three eventually pleaded guilty to animal cruelty and mischief charges.
"When we talk about the film as being about this incident, we should be
very clear that this video – this quite sick video – is actually not part of
this movie," Cowan said.

"It would be nice if [critics of the film] had actually seen the film
... It seems as though maybe people had misinformation about what the film was about."

Casuistry presents the case in an intelligent and responsible light,
Cowan said, adding that "the filmmakers do an incredible job of giving this
guy just enough rope to hang himself from the tallest tree."

Festival organizers plan to beef up security when the film is screened
in Toronto on Sept. 14 and 17.

 

To the senior Management of the Toronto International Film Festival:
"Without prejudice"

I am disgusted that the festival has included a film about killing a cat. Were you so hard up for films that you had to put this in your lineup?

What can we expect next, Carla Homolka and Paul Bernado or Peter
Pocklington being portrayed as "artists" and some sick director
making a movie of these heinous crimes and the TIFF lapping up these movies to fill their slate ?

I wonder if those involved with the TIFF and have cats can put
themselves in the "paws" of the little kitty as it was being skinned alive, while humans (their protectors) laughed and carried on with their criminal act. Do people at the TIFF have consciousness? I would love to know what goes through their minds when they go home and their lovable kitty comes running towards them?
Your latest web update proclaims that the "outrage against screening this movies is subsiding" , I guess this some how makes it morally okay. I predict you will screen the movie, because you have made a decision and will not back down. "How would it look" , your senior management will say, "we gave in to pressure. Never: we will screen the film no matter what."

Think for a moment, is this spiritual (don't confuse this with
religion). If you know about Karma, my kindred souls, you are about to attract so much negative energy the moment you screen this movie that it will take hundreds of lifetimes work off this much negative energy.
The producer and crew have already attracted this negative energy and have set themselves up for lifetime after lifetime of negative experiences.

In life we have choices and I for one will never support you
financially if you screen this movie. I believe he best way to make a statement to an organization that needs money, is to not give it any if it behaves in a reprehensible manner. I will not support those who profit from sick thinking.

You disgust me,

[Name withheld to protect privacy]

 

Hmmm, sounds like most pro-animal folks are of the view that the film only glorifies the killers. It makes sense, because after all, there isn't a whole lot that can be said on the matter than hasn't already been said--that these people were sadists and their crime was horiffic.
However, I guess we can never underestimate the public's hunger for bloody entertainment--witness all of the movie profiles of serial killers and true-crime novels.
On a side note, I really wish humane people would stop feeling the need to make the argument that killing animals in slaughterhouses is regulated and humane, but THIS was inhumane, etc. I have antifur materials from the 1970s that argued the same thing--no wonder most people didn't take them seriously. Animal advocates should just admit that the ways most farm animals are treated ARE painful, inhumane, unnecessary, and at times could also be called torture. It's wrong, and the way the cat was treated was wrong. The public should have more respect for consistency.

 

oh boo hoo. there are worse things to be protesting than free speech. yes it's terrible that the cat died and what they did to it, but by banning the tape your not allowing anyone to learn from it. it's just like the banning of photos of dead american soldiers...you can paint a picture of the world using all the pretty colours you can think of, but that doesnt mean the world exists in the frame of mind you would like it to.

at the itff there are far worse things being depicted than the death of a cat, it is merely rather unfortunate that the death occured.

 

I fail to see how this discussion could result in a ban on the movie's showing. It's going to be shown, whether or not we talk about it. Actually, if you look back over the posts, both sides to the debate were given ample time to explain themselves. I was actually taking a rather middle-of-the-fence POV after reading both statements and never seeing the film. But remember, people who dislike the idea of the movie have freedom of speech and opinion as well.
What happened was horrific, and let's hope that the story of the victim isn't overshadowed by her tormentors' quest for fame--whether through this movie or any other media outlet.

 

read the thread? lol...don't be silly. i was merely refering to the title...which i didnt even read the whole of.

my opinion remains the same, though i see now it doenst directly apply to what the discussion was about. i too don't plan on seeing that movie, and i think any profits made off of it should go towards the humane societty.

 

Now that people are actually starting to see this....

Toronto Humane Society
http://www.torontohumanesociety.com/inthenews/film.html

The Globe And Mail (Christie Blatchford)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/serv.../LAC/20040904/COBLATCH04/TPEntertainment/Film

The Toronto Sun (Bruce Kirkland)
http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/TorontoSun/Entertainment/2004/09/04/615219.html

The Toronto Star (Geoff Pevere)
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Co...geid=971358637177&c=Article&cid=1094076610388