Cinemas pull inner-city gang film

The film director said she hopes it will make people discuss gang issues

Two cinema chains say, on police advice, they will not show a film about gang culture made in Birmingham.

1DAY follows the violent life of two inner city gangs and was filmed in the Handsworth area, starring local people.

Odeon and Cineworld said they would not show the movie, due for national release on 6 November, in Birmingham.

West Midlands Police said the force had not asked for the film to be pulled but it was investigating whether an officer had approached cinemas independently.

Director Penny Woolcock said: "I hope people at least start talking about some of these issues instead of ignoring it and refusing to show the films."

'No formal request'

Cineworld said it was not showing the 15 certificate film in Birmingham, but refused to comment further.

An Odeon spokesman said: "Odeon has taken the decision not to screen One Day at Odeon Birmingham, following advice from West Midlands Police.

"This decision doesn't affect screenings of 1DAY at other Odeon cinemas."

A Birmingham City Council spokesman said: "It is within the power of the local authority to prevent a film being screened.

"[We] have not decided to in this case as there has been no formal request to ban it from police.

"It would be very unusual for us to act, beyond it having a certificate restricting the age groups that can see it."