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Protest Against the Behavior
of the German Distributor of "War of the Worlds"
and the Treatment of Film Journalists in Germany

German film critics, joined together in "Verband der deutschen Filmkritik" (Film Critics Association of Germany), protest against the way they are treated by American major companies, in this case by UIP, at the occasion of the release of Steven Spielberg's "War of the Worlds".

The German Film Critics Association protests sharply against the restrictions at press screenings of the Steven-Spielberg-Film War of the Worlds. The distributor UIP demands of journalists who want to attend the press screenings (on June 27, 2005) to sign a declaration not to publish any review before June 29, when the film is officially being released.

This action does not only restrict the press in its constitutionally guaranteed rights, it also gives the impression that journalists had to face juridical or other reprisals, if they didn't sign this declaration or act against it.

Some circumstances at the only press screening (until now) in Berlin on June 14, 2005 constitute also a severe hindrance of the work of the journalists. Like the press screenings of other distributors before, all journalists had to hand over coats, bags and all technical equipment including cell phones. And everyone was frisked. The entire screening was monitored by cameras and security personnel.

This treatment makes us journalists feel like criminals, and suggests that film critics would be willing to commit unprofitable criminal acts. The time for handing in and collecting their belongings could increase the time needed to review a film for more than an hour. That cell phones are included in the list of the items to be deposed aggravates the situation. A journalist must be reachable for his employer directly before or after the screening. Even the most advanced cell phones are not able to perform what distributors fear: to shoot publishable stills or record the German soundtrack for the illegal dubbing of American counterfeit copies.

The German Film Critics Association protests against these high security screenings and the forced declarations. The German Film Critics Association calls upon its members to
- inform the public about this scandalous PR-policy regarding press screenings.
- ignore future embargos by the distributor or not to review the film at all.

The German Film Critics Association appeals to the politicians of all parties, especially to the Secretary of Culture, to seek measures against these unacceptable procedures which try to manipulate the work of the press.

The German Film Critics Association urges all film distributors to abandon these measures altogether.

Saarbruecken, June 21, 2005
German Film Critics Association, The Board: Andrea Dittgen, Wolfgang Hamdorf, Josef Schnelle, Ruediger Suchsland, Rudolf Worschech

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