Houston Film Fest: "Very Threatening Calls" from Government Officials Forcing "Vaxxed" Pulled

originally posted by: Rocker2013

originally posted by: visitedbythem
a reply to: tsurfer2000h Yeah right. Only people way out there to the left believe that story you are peddling. And isnt that exactly where you stand Bro? On the far left? Am I correct?

The far left is now becoming synonymous with truth, facts and science, this is something I completely approve of.
So by this statement, you are basically admitting that the right are more interested in propaganda, junk "science", unfounded bs and ideological crusades based on nothing?

Every source in the OP is unfounded bs. It's all bloggers, all anti-vaccination crusaders, all propagandists for group of seriously mentally deranged individuals making money from putting hundreds of thousands of kids at risk of contracting diseases that should be entirely preventable.

I wonder, who is making money out of that film?

Are they selflessly putting all of that money into legally challenging the use of vaccinations? Are they taking their fight to the courts?

No, they're pocketing that money, and they wont make any legal challenges, because they know they're nothing more than sick individuals profiteering off of the sickness and death they promote through wilful ignorance.

Wakefiend and Bigtree (the producer), $28,000 in the first weekend.

I mean, this house doesn't maintain itself does it?
briandeer.com...

originally posted by: Boadicea
So from Pardon's link:

Mayor Sylvester Turner took steps to stop its scheduled screening at the city’s international film festival.

“We just couldn’t have city funding encouraging people not to have their kids vaccinated,” said Janice Evans, a spokesperson for the mayor.

So no publicity stunt....

I really wish the film festival had told them where to shove their grant monies, and had shown the film anyway, just because I want to know how far Big Brother would go...

And yet the link I posted says Todd Hunter denies the mayor called him.........

a reply to: Rocker2013

The far left is now becoming synonymous with truth, facts and science, this is something I completely approve of.

Oh dear... I don't know if I should laugh or cry or both!

Again: There are so many ways that the truth is legally kept from the public that it's literally impossible for any of us to know the whole truth, and therefore the truth. Furthermore, the double-blind clinical medical studies that might establish the facts -- and thus rightfully be called "science" -- cannot be done due to the obvious adverse outcomes it would require.

You can obviously believe what you will, but that's all it is.

originally posted by: Boadicea
So from Pardon's link:

Mayor Sylvester Turner took steps to stop its scheduled screening at the city’s international film festival.

“We just couldn’t have city funding encouraging people not to have their kids vaccinated,” said Janice Evans, a spokesperson for the mayor.

So no publicity stunt....

I really wish the film festival had told them where to shove their grant monies, and had shown the film anyway, just because I want to know how far Big Brother would go...

You missed the part out where the festival organiser stated that they were going to pull it as it had been screened elsewhere.
"By then, WorldFest chairman Hunter Todd said, he had already decided to drop “Vaxxed” because it was screening in other theaters around the country.I repeat: The film has already been screened elsewhere."

(Big Brother's really getting lax these days)

a reply to: Agartha

I'm not seeing your link -- or any comment from you! Could you post it again please?

My head is spinning here...

a reply to: Pardon?

Wait, so was the letter real or fake? And if it was fake, why does the content of the letter seem to match with the mayor's opinion?

It really just gets smellier and smellier, IMO.

Also, all kinds of films in film festivals have been screened elsewhere first. That's no reason to drop a screening.

originally posted by: Boadicea
a reply to: Agartha

I'm not seeing your link -- or any comment from you! Could you post it again please?

My head is spinning here...

Here www.abovetopsecret.com...

originally posted by: Agartha
a reply to: Boadicea

I agree with Mystikmushroom, this is a clever marketing plot and it worked, everybdy wants to watch the Vaxxed documentary, in fact they (Wakefield and chums) have already made more than $28,000 over the weekend! (LINK)

According to Todd Hunter (chairman of Houston film fest) the mayor never called him:

...he denied any pressure from city officials. "The mayor did not call me," he said. "I am sure that he has better things to do." "Hunter Todd, WorldFest's founder and director, said festival sponsors threatened to pull their financial support if the film showed. He said the monetary hit would have been around $50,000 and could have affected the festival's ability to return next year for its 50th anniversary. FROM HERE

And Boadicea, you did get the ethyl and methylmercury correct (

) but vaccines DO NOT contain any thimerosal at all. That's what people dont' seem to understand.

There's a little more to the story as to why the film was pulled from the festival.

for Houston’s festival.

Then someone called Harris County Judge Ed Emmett.

A spokesperson for Emmett, who’s interested in childhood vaccination efforts, said WorldFest had mistakenly produced promotional materials implying the county government was providing some funding to the festival.

Emmett not only contacted the festival, his spokesman said, he also alerted Mayor Sylvester Turner.

Unlike Harris County, Houston’s city government provides some funding to the film festival. Then the mayor’s office of cultural affairs contacted WorldFest.

By then, WorldFest chairman Hunter Todd said, he had already decided to drop “Vaxxed” because it was screening in other theaters around the country.

Houston’s festival, he explained, shows only premieres.

“The situation was immediately defused when I explained to (the mayor’s cultural affairs office) that we’re not showing it,” Todd said. “However, obviously, this film has struck a chord.”

Source: KHOU

So, yes, the mayor's office did ask the film be removed because it was partially funding the film festival and it was felt that there was a conflict of interest. However, Todd claims to have already made the decision to pull the film because it was being screened elsewhere and the fest only features premieres.

No doubt, that this film will ultimately make it to cable in the near future. So the film makers and this ethically-challenged, con of a researcher will be able to spread their dubious claims and fear-mongering to the masses.

originally posted by: Boadicea
a reply to: Rocker2013

The far left is now becoming synonymous with truth, facts and science, this is something I completely approve of.

Oh dear... I don't know if I should laugh or cry or both!

Again: There are so many ways that the truth is legally kept from the public that it's literally impossible for any of us to know the whole truth, and therefore the truth. Furthermore, the double-blind clinical medical studies that might establish the facts -- and thus rightfully be called "science" -- cannot be done due to the obvious adverse outcomes it would require.

You can obviously believe what you will, but that's all it is.

You don't need double-blind clinical studies to establish causation.
Especially if there isn't even a causal association.
www.sciencedirect.com...

Then if you're still not satisfied you could perform a meta analysis of all available cohort & case-control studies
Like this one.
www.sciencedirect.com...

Or you could believe a fraudulent case series of 12 children (4 of whom didn't have autism) which didn't even conclude that there was an association.

Your call.

a reply to: Pardon?

You missed the part out where the festival organiser stated that they were going to pull it as it had been screened elsewhere.
"By then, WorldFest chairman Hunter Todd said, he had already decided to drop “Vaxxed” because it was screening in other theaters around the country.I repeat: The film has already been screened elsewhere."

I'm still trying to process this. Something isn't adding up here... my gut instinct is that this Todd guy is playing some kind of game, I'm just not sure what yet.

Nevertheless, the mayor's office did own up to contacting them.

originally posted by: maria_stardust
Houston’s festival, he explained, shows only premieres..

Ah, thank you. That explains that.

Would be worth fact-checking it though because of the confusion.

a reply to: MotherMayEye

Premieres have always been WorldFest's focus.

WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival (now it’s 49th year!) continues with its totally dedicated Independent Film screening format for the upcoming April 8-17, 2016 - unspooling at the flagship AMC Studio 30 Dunvale Theaters. WorldFest will screen just 55-60 feature film and 100 Short Film Premieres, with a complete and absolute emphasis on the American and International Independent feature films and with a continuing annual spotlight on an individual country and its films. Entries open August 15th, 2015 and Close December 15, 2015 for the 2015 WorldFest.

WorldFest also offers competition in TV Production, Documentary, Corporate & Business Films, Student & Experimental, TV Commercials, Film & Video Production, Music Videos, New Media (Interactive & Web Sites) and unproduced Screenplays.

Most other festival have just two major categories, Feature and Short Films. WorldFest-Houston has a total of 12 major categories, making an exceptional opportunity for filmmakers of every genre to meet and share ideas and concepts. It is a remarkable gathering of more than 500 international film and video makers every April in Houston. Since we have 12 major competition categories and more than 200 sub-categories, WorldFest does offer more opportunities for Remi Awards and Honors than any other Film & Video Festival in the world.

WorldFest gave very first honors to Spielberg, Lucas, Ang Lee, Ridley Scott, The Coen Brothers, John Lee Hancock, David Lynch, Randall Kleiser and Brian de Palma, among hundreds of others! Before there was Sundance or SXSW, before there was Toronto or Tribeca, there was WorldFest! The oldest Indie Film/Video Festival in the world!

Source: Film Festivals

originally posted by: Boadicea
a reply to: Pardon?

You missed the part out where the festival organiser stated that they were going to pull it as it had been screened elsewhere.
"By then, WorldFest chairman Hunter Todd said, he had already decided to drop “Vaxxed” because it was screening in other theaters around the country.I repeat: The film has already been screened elsewhere."

I'm still trying to process this. Something isn't adding up here... my gut instinct is that this Todd guy is playing some kind of game, I'm just not sure what yet.

Nevertheless, the mayor's office did own up to contacting them.

As has been mentioned, the festival only screens premiers.
It had already been shown so it didn't qualify.

deleted because I had the wrong festival.

originally posted by: MotherMayEye

originally posted by: MotherMayEye

originally posted by: maria_stardust
Houston’s festival, he explained, shows only premieres..

"Houston’s festival, he explained, shows only premieres.."

Ah, thank you. That explains that.

Would be worth fact-checking it though because of the confusion.

And the first film I looked at on the film festival's website has already been screened elsewhere and was on PBS: "A Year in Space."

Oh, and 'Dreams Are Colder Than Death' premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival.

So, this claim sounds like bunk to me. For now, I am going with 'grant money was threatened' as the reason.

ETA: The reason I looked up a few of the films is because I could find nothing under their rules and guidelines about a film needing to premiere at the festival. It appears to be a made-up reason unless someone can find evidence to refute that.

filmfreeway.com...
" Therefore WorldFest requires a Premiere of some level, World, USA, South West! If your entry if it has been all over, we reserve those screening slots for true Premieres,"

Were you looking at the wrong website by any chance?

originally posted by: Pardon?

originally posted by: MotherMayEye

originally posted by: MotherMayEye

originally posted by: maria_stardust
Houston’s festival, he explained, shows only premieres..

"Houston’s festival, he explained, shows only premieres.."

Ah, thank you. That explains that.

Would be worth fact-checking it though because of the confusion.

And the first film I looked at on the film festival's website has already been screened elsewhere and was on PBS: "A Year in Space."

Oh, and 'Dreams Are Colder Than Death' premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival.

So, this claim sounds like bunk to me. For now, I am going with 'grant money was threatened' as the reason.

ETA: The reason I looked up a few of the films is because I could find nothing under their rules and guidelines about a film needing to premiere at the festival. It appears to be a made-up reason unless someone can find evidence to refute that.

filmfreeway.com...
" Therefore WorldFest requires a Premiere of some level, World, USA, South West! If your entry if it has been all over, we reserve those screening slots for true Premieres,"

Ok, I looked up the wrong film festival.

ETA: Although they do only say "We prefer Premieres!" They apparently have spots for films that don't premiere there, too.

originally posted by: Agartha
a reply to: Boadicea

I agree with Mystikmushroom, this is a clever marketing plot and it worked, everybdy wants to watch the Vaxxed documentary, in fact they (Wakefield and chums) have already made more than $28,000 over the weekend! (LINK)

According to Todd Hunter (chairman of Houston film fest) the mayor never called him:

...he denied any pressure from city officials. "The mayor did not call me," he said. "I am sure that he has better things to do." "Hunter Todd, WorldFest's founder and director, said festival sponsors threatened to pull their financial support if the film showed. He said the monetary hit would have been around $50,000 and could have affected the festival's ability to return next year for its 50th anniversary. FROM HERE

This is getting curiouser and curiouser. I'm not taking anyone at their word here. Something is going on behind the scenes... this is just the public show. Putting on my finest tin foil hat with the pretty twinkling red lights now...

Maybe the Houston Film Festival never had any intention of screening the film, but only pretended to schedule it in order to provoke some kind of action against it, which could then be publicized to provoke the public... all for a pretty penny from the producers?

Or maybe they did really intend to show it, but someone (Houston officials?) made them a better offer NOT to show it?

I don't know what to think -- except that this Todd guy is coming off as a real Class A jerk...

And Boadicea, you did get the ethyl and methylmercury correct (

) but vaccines DO NOT contain any thimerosal at all. That's what people dont' seem to understand.

Woohoo!!! (Patting myself on the back... but I know it's thanks to you!)

I did mean to say that thimerosal is not used in today's vaccines also but I forgot

a reply to: Pardon?

As has been mentioned, the festival only screens premiers.
It had already been shown so it didn't qualify.

I get that. But why did he agree to show it at all? Other screenings had already been scheduled/held, and he very clearly blamed the contact from Houston officials for cancelling initially -- NOT its previous screenings. And why is he denying contact from the Mayor's office and the mayor's office is publicly acknowledging it?

These strike me as more than just misunderstandings or inconsistencies; I'm seeing outright lies. I just don't know WHICH are the lies!

a reply to: Boadicea

Or, it could very well be that the film makers are exaggerating or manipulating the facts to suit their claims. They are currently on a spin spree for exposure, and nothing grabs free exposure than a possible scandal, conspiracy or claims of censorship.

originally posted by: maria_stardust
a reply to: Boadicea

Or, it could very well be that the film makers are exaggerating or manipulating the facts to suit their claims. They are currently on a spin spree for exposure, and nothing grabs free exposure than a possible scandal, conspiracy or claims of censorship.

Exactly.

It isn't hard to spin this is as something it isn't .... in order to drum up additional interest in the movie.