Having a child that has autism is not easy, much less if you’re in the public eye. Robert DeNiro pulled the film, Vaxxed from this year’s Tribeca Film Festival and at the same time revealing that he has an autistic child.
LIKE DailyVitamina.com on Facebook! Get Your Daily Vitamin…FOR LIFE!
The actor is getting a lot of grief from critics and even the filmmaker of the controversial anti-vaccination documentary, but DeNiro explains that he pulled the film for all the right reasons.
“My intent in screening the film was to provide an opportunity for conversation around an issue that is deeply personal to me and my family,” explained DeNiro to The Hollywood Reporter. “But after reviewing it over the past few days with the Tribeca Film Festival team and others from the scientific community, we do not believe it contributes to or furthers the discussion I had hoped for.”
The film was directed by Andrew Wakefield, a former gastroenterologist and medical researcher who authored a research paper back in 1998, claiming the the MMR vaccine is linked to autism. In 2010, a study discredited his findings, and at the same time it helped empower the anti-vaccination movement.
“Grace and I have a child with autism and we believe it is critical that all of the issues surrounding the causes of autism be openly discussed and examined,” says DeNiro. Their 18 year old son, Elliot has autism and OCD, which is why this film affects him on a personal level.
“If you’re a father, you certainly understand what it’s like to go through the worry about your kids, especially if they’ve got issues like Bradley’s character has. Sometimes it can be overwhelming. It can be nightmarish and upsetting. There’s nothing much you can do but deal with it,” he says.
The director is not happy. “We have just witnessed yet another example of the power of corporate interests censoring free speech, art, and truth. Tribeca’s action will not succeed in denying the world access to the truth behind the film Vaxxed,” said Wakefield.
Documentary filmmaker Penny Lane wrote an open letter to the Tribeca Film festival voicing her opinion on the movie. “This film is not some sort of disinterested investigation into the ‘vaccines cause autism’ hoax; this film is directed by the person who perpetuated the hoax,” explains Lane.
The problem with this film is the reaction of the viewers. DeNiro feels that people will leave the theatre convinced they shouldn’t vaccinate their children and that is a serious problem.