Filmmaker Lee Hirsch left, embraces film subject Alex Libby at a special screening of “Bully” presented by The Weinstein Company and JP Morgan Chase and Company in partnership with Bing and Gucci, in New York on Tuesday, March 20, 2012. The film, directed by Hirsch, will be released in theaters on March 30.The Weinstein Co. is moving past the R rating earned by its documentary “Bully” and plans to release the film unrated.
The company announced Monday that “Bully” will hit theaters March 30 without a rating from the Motion Picture Association of America, meaning some theaters may choose not to show it.
A Murray County family is featured in the film. Tyler, their 17 year old son, committed suicide after enduring years of bullying.
The MPAA gave the film an R rating for language and declined to change it when the Weinstein Co. appealed. That inspired teen activist Katy Butler to start an online petition seeking a lower rating so more young people could see the movie.
She has collected more than 475,000 signatures so far and even met with MPAA officials earlier this month, but the group stood its ground and “Bully” remained rated R, which requires children under 17 to be accompanied by a parent or guardian.