Little Sister’s vs. Big Brother 2002
Distributed by National Film Board of Canada, 1123 Broadway, Suite 307, New York, NY 10010;800-267-7710
Produced by Carl Green and Aerlyn Weissman
Directed by Aerlyn Weissman
VHS, color, 47 min.
Sr. High - Adult
Canadian Studies, Gay and Lesbian Studies, Human Rights, Law
Date Entered: 12/10/2003
ALA Notable: ALA.gif
Reviewed by Monique Threatt, Indiana University, Herman B Wells Library, Bloomington, IN
Little Sister’s vs. Big Brother is a documentary about the historical legal struggle between one independent gay and lesbian bookstore and their fight against Canadian government officials and censorship. In the winter of 1985, after Customs arbitrarily seize books and magazines earmarked for Vancouver’s Little Sister’s Book & Art Emporium, co-founders Jim Deva, Bruce Smythe, manager Janine Fuller, book buyer Mark McDonald, lawyers Joe Arvay and Eileen Faulkner fight back and challenge Customs policies and obscenity laws in Canada’s Supreme Court.
Little Sister’s vs. Big Brother is unique for several reasons. First and foremost, filmmaker Aerlyn Weissman is able to document 15 years of legal wrangling between Little Sister’s and the courts which results in Canadian policy makers rewriting its Customs and Revenue Agency Policy on the Classification of Obscene Material. Secondly, the trial inspires and gives hope to local community activists and organizations such as PEN, an international organization that supports imprisoned and censored writers, to further protest and fight for freedom of expression for all citizens. Lastly, the film serves as a brutal reminder that inhumane treatment against gay rights, gay literature, and the suppression of free speech is still an issue in the 21st century.
The Canadian Constitution Act, 1982, Charter of Rights and Freedoms lists several fundamental freedoms, one of which states that Canadian citizens are entitled to the “freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication.” Based on this fundamental freedom, it comes as a shock that in 2002 Canadian Custom officials at the Fort Erie border are seizing and banning materials they deem obscene. In essence, Customs officials are robbing Canadian citizens of their rights and fundamental freedoms.
Since opening its doors in 1983, Little Sister’s is able to survive escalating court costs, bigotry, bombings, and the death of writers and friends. Therefore, when the Supreme Court of Canada renders its decision in December 2000 that no more will be the case in Canada that an importer of books, magazines or videos bear the onus of proving that materials are obscene, but that the onus will be Customs to prove materials are obscene in a court of law, Little Sister’s owners and employees rejoice in knowing their long struggle has not been in vain. The Supreme Court also rules that the legislation applies equally to heterosexual and homosexual material; depictions and descriptions, and includes written material such as books.
Legal commentary is provided by Canadian law professor Bruce Ryder, Osgoode Hall, who offers historical information about Canada’s Customs and censorship laws; and, American Civil Liberties Union President, Nadine Strossen who speaks about American and Canadian anti-pornography laws, and the Women’s and Feminist Movements.
Unfortunately, Little Sister’s is faced with two major setbacks: they are unable to overturn the definition of the obscenity laws, and in September 2001, terrorists attack the United States. Bruce Smythe points out that the attacks allowed ‘Big Brother’ to reassert and provide a rationalization for Customs to continue its illegal search and seizure tactics.
Book buyer Mark McDonald believes Customs will never cease seizing and banning materials because, as he puts it, “images, ideas and art are something Customs will never be able to deal with properly.” So why is gay and lesbian literature so offensive to Customs officials? Author and family therapist Patrick Califia-Rice proffers that censors who are not comfortable with their own sexual identity have problems looking at sex acts in books and movies for fear it may trigger an emotion from within. It is easier to suppress or burn the sexual literature rather than confront one’s own sexual attraction to the images in books, magazines or movies.
The film is wonderfully edited, and the narrative is succinctly documented. Forty-seven minutes is appropriate for showing the film during scheduled class lectures. The National Film Board (NFB) of Canada is a respectable distributor, so this reviewer expects nothing but the best from NFB. The documentary includes graphic sexual images, archival television clips, and interviews with writers and advocates such as Jane Rule, Nino Ricci, Pierre Berton and Sarah Schulman.
This film should be of interest to students of gender studies, gay and lesbian studies, law, and the Canadian diaspora. Highly recommended for secondary, academic, law, and public library collections.