James Franco slams Australia’s Classification Board for banning gay film

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Actor James Franco has criticised Australia’s Classification Board for banning a US film because of its gay sex scenes.

The ‘Milk’ actor said it was “embarrassing” that the Classification Board chose to ban the film ‘I Want Your Love’, reports the AFP.

The board felt the film’s sex scenes were too explicit and refused to allow it to appear at the Melbourne Queer Film Festival or the Brisbane Queer Film Festival this year.

Franco explained in a YouTube video posted on Monday that adults should be able to choose what they want to watch.

He said: “I don’t know why in this day and age something like this, a film that’s using sex not for titillation but to talk about being human, is being banned.”

In an attempt to make the Classification Board re-evaluate their decision, he pleaded: “It’s just embarrassing. I hope you’ll reconsider.”

The movie tells the start of a young gay men living in San Francisco who returns to his Midwestern roots and was directed by Travis Mathews who Franco recently worked with on ‘Interior. Leather. Bar.’

The Hollywood star praised Mathews for “using sex in such a sophisticated way.”

He also said: “It’s how we create children, it’s how we connect.

“To keep it away from films that want to explore it as human behaviour is very shortsighted and I think very hypocritical.

“I don’t think we would be having this conversation if he had made a very violent film.”

The outspoken actor recently made headlines when he said that he has no problem with people questioning his sexuality, and said that it was “partly my fault” when discussing rumours that he might be gay.

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