Australian director fined over film screening

The Melbourne Magistrate’s Court has ordered Melbourne Underground Film Festival director, Richard Wolstencroft to pay a fine to the Royal Children’s Hospital as a penalty for showing Bruce La Bruce’s Film LA Zombie last year.

The magistrate’s court asked Wolstencroft to pay $750 for the film screening that was earlier denied classification by the Office of Film and Literature Classification. It features a gay zombie who brings back the life of dead bodies through gay sex.

In an effort to express support for Wolstencroft, a film fundraiser ensued to raise the amount ordered by the court. According to StarObserver.com The event’s film fundraising showed Bruce LaBruce tribute film, The Advocate of Fagdom.

Wolstencroft said he had received some help from Bruce LaBruce while attending the court case.

“He’s been there offering me support the whole time,” Wolstencroft said, according to StarObserver. “It’s one of the first times a film festival director’s been charged like this.”

In violation of the law, Wolstencroft escaped two years in jail and a bigger fine at more than $20,000. But he was granted a diversion order that gave him no criminal conviction that will be recorded against his name.