Upcoming PureFlix film I’m Not Ashamed, based on the life story of Rachel Joy Scott, the first victim killed in the 1999 Columbine shootings had its trailer removed from YouTube along with its YouTube channel last October.
The film is based on Rachel’s own journal, as she recounts her search for acceptance, her journey of faith, and a desire to show compassion to everyone, regardless of how well they were accepted by others. The trailer contained no inappropriate or offensive content and was removed without any reason.
Click here to watch the I’m Not Ashamed Trailer
The Hollywood Reporter has said that the filmmakers of I’m Not Ashamed have questioned whether YouTube’s removal of the trailer was an example of anti-Christian bias after YouTube continued to ignore their requests to put the trailer and channel back up, YouTube also failed to give any explanation as to why the trailer was taken down in the first place.
The trailer has now reappeared on YouTube last week after a year apparently after the Hollywood Reported contacted the Googled owned video sharing site. YouTube has responded to the magazine with the following statement:
“With the massive volume of videos on our platform, sometimes we make the wrong call on content that is flagged by our community. When this is brought to our attention, we review the content and take appropriate action, including restoring videos or channels that were mistakenly removed.”
The filmmakers have sought the help from lawyers and are seeking compensation for 11 months of lost online marketing for the movie.
This is not the first time that Christians have had a video banned and it would increasingly seem that Christians trying to share their faith within the film industry are facing difficulties within the secular media, last year UK cinemas banned an advert that featured the Lord’s Prayer and then in December last year also banned an advert which featured a Nativity scene.
I’m Not Ashamed opens in theatres across the US on October 21st 2016.