TIFF selection and queer coming-of-age story The People’s Joker, an unauthorised trans origins story set in the DC Universe, has been pulled from the festival over rights reasons.
The Midnight Madness entry directed by and starring Vera Drew premiered in Toronto on Monday and follows an aspiring clown grappling with her gender identity who battles a facist caped foe.
It is understood that besides the titular role the film includes a character called Harlequin, recalling DC’s Harley Quinn. Public screenings scheduled for today (September 14) and Saturday and a press & industry screening lined up for Thursday have also been cancelled.
According to reports Warner Bros. spoke to the filmmakers over copyright concerns, however Screen has not been able to confirm this. Warner Bros Discovery had not replied to an enquiry from Screen at time of writing
Last week the festival pulled Ulrich Seidl’s Sparta in response to an article in Der Spiegel concerning child safety during the production. The story is the second in the Austrian filmmaker’s diptych after Berlinale selection Rimini earier this year and follows a man with paedophiliac urges who moves to Romania and transforms a decaying school building into a safe hang-out for boys.
The film will play at San Sebastian which starts on Friday, although it emerged today that Seidl will no longer be presented with the Douglas Sirk award at the upcoming Filmfest Hamburg.
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