“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.
