BULLY Documentary Will Hit Theaters With No Rating

After weeks of going back and forth with the MPAA, The Weinstein Co has confirmed that their groundbreaking documentary, BULLY, will hit theaters without any rating.

According to CBS News, the lack of a rating will mean that the decision to show the film will be completely in the hands of individual movie theaters.

BULLY tells the story of four children and their families who have encountered bullying firsthand.  It’s goal is to teach children about the harms of bullying and hopefully curb the horrible practice.

The MPAA recently gave the film an R rating for language.  Despite an appeal by the Weinstein Co, as well as an online petition that collected more than 485,000 signatures as of this posting, they have stood their ground.  Director Lee Hirsch has done the same however, refusing to edit the film at all, saying:

“The small amount of language in the film that’s responsible for the R rating is there because it’s real. It’s what the children who are victims of bullying face on most days.”

Stephen Bruno, president of marketing for the Weinstein Co, says that he has faith theater owners will do right by the film when it is released:

“We believe theater owners everywhere will step up and do what’s right for the benefit of all of the children out there who have been bullied or may have otherwise become bullies themselves,”