Protest held outside Rio Theatre for screening of controversial adult film

More than 30 people lined the outside of the Rio Theatre Wednesday night to protest the screening of the popular 1972 adult film "Deep Throat."

“They’re sending the message that rape is okay and violence against women is okay,” said Rian Cleary, supporting the Vancouver Rape Relief and Women’s Shelter.

Several protesters told CTV News they showed up because the film’s star Linda Lovelace, who died in 2002, was the victim of sexual abuse and was forced to act in the film against her will.

“She had said essentially when you’re watching Deep Throat, you’re watching me being raped,” said Cherry Smiley, an advocate with Women’s Studies Online.

“Everyone should be ashamed who comes to this film, and I’m embarrassed for the Rio management to even be playing this,” added Debbie Henry from the Aboriginal Women’s Action Network.

The son and daughter of the film’s director, Gerard Damiano, are in Vancouver to promote the screening, and suggested Lovelace had a complicated relationship with “Deep Throat,” but that the issue isn’t black and white.

“If there was actual truth to the (idea) that she participated in the film against her will, we couldn’t stand behind it,” said Gerard Damiano, Jr. “Now what happened before the film, what happened after the film, what her relationship was with her husband, was a very different story.”

Damiano Jr. told CTV News they’ve screened the film at several cities across the world and have yet to see the online backlash quite like what they’ve seen in Vancouver.

“We haven’t had this kind of negative reaction so far,” said Damiano Jr. “We’ve shown this film in New York, we’ve shown it in Italy, Seattle, for us this is unprecedented.”

Corinne Lea, owner of The Rio Theatre on East Broadway, stood by the decision to screen the film Wednesday, calling it “culturally and historically significant.”

“It’s one of the first (adult) films that was built around a narrative, which changed pornography moving forward,” Lea told CTV News.

Lea adds it was never her intention to offend anyone.

“The film contains absolutely no sexual violence and does not promote sexual violence in any way,” said Lea. “If it did, we wouldn’t be screening it.”

Damiano’s son and daughter participated in a panel discussion following the film as well. A film professor and two advocates for sex workers were also among the panelists.

The Rio Theatre added additional security for added safety, but the protest remained peaceful as the group left at around 8 p.m., just prior to the film’s screening.