DIrector Lee Hirsch and Producer Cynthia Lowen Will Accept Next Month
The controversial documentary Bully has received official plaudits from the Producers Guild of America.
Writer-producer-director-cinematographer Lee Hirsch and writer-producer Cynthia Lowen will receive the 2013 Stanley Kramer Award award at the PGA Awards ceremony on January 26. Harvey and Bob Weinstein will be honored at the same event with the PGA's Milestone Award for "historic contributions to the entertainment industry."
Bully, about the problems faced by bullied schoolchildren, made news earlier this year when its six uses of what's colloquially referred to as "the F word" earned it an R rating from the MPAA ratings board, restricting attendance by the types of kids whose story it tells. Its distributor, The Weinstein Company, refused to edit the film and unsuccessfully appealed the rating decision. It finally opted to bypass the board entirely and release the film without a rating in six theaters.
Finally, a re-edited version of the film that elided three of the six profane utterances in question received the desired PG-13 and went on to play in hundreds of theaters. According to IMDb, Bully earned nearly $3.5 million in domestic release.
"Receiving this award is a tremendous honor," said Hirsch in a prepared statement. "Stanley Kramer's films have left an indelible impact on our society and illuminate the extraordinary power of film to catalyze and compel action. I am incredibly thankful, on behalf of our entire team, to the PGA for recognizing our work." Hirsch is represented by Moxie Pictures.
Recent winners of the Stanley Kramer Award include actor-director Sean Penn, In the Land of Blood and Honey, and Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire.
