The Michelle Payne biopic Ride Like A Girl will no longer be shown at an independent cinema in Melbourne's north following the ABC's investigation into the fate of retired racehorses that caused shockwaves ahead of the Spring Carnival.
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The feature film, directed by award-winning actor Rachel Griffiths and starring Sam Neill, claimed the top spot at the local box office in its first week and is positioned to become the highest-grossing Australian film in 2019.
Thornbury Picture House owner Gus Berger said he had pre-sold more than 50 tickets to two sessions but decided to cancel the screenings after seeing the "extremely disturbing" footage aired last Thursday.
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"I felt that I couldn't show the film without being really conflicted about what was going on in the racing industry and how much it still needs to change," he said.
Mr Berger posted to the cinema's website on Saturday.
"Growing up I loved going to the country races ... But the image of the brutality received by these incredible creatures after the service they have provided their owners sickened us," he wrote.
The 98-minute film follows the rise of Ballarat-born Payne, who became the first female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup.
The premiere screening at the Jam Factory in South Yarra was interrupted by animal activists who stormed cinema with placards calling for an end to the horse racing industry's "cruel" practices.
Mr Berger said cancelling the film was not a decision he took lightly, given the cinema's preference of showcasing films by female directors.
"We just couldn't show it on that moral ground ... People can see it elsewhere and that's great," he said.
He also feared backlash from distributors but after consulting with his wife Lou Berger and staff, he said he received encouragement to "follow my gut".
"It wasn't really about making a statement, it was just following how I felt about screening that film.
"I don't think that the horse racing industry is bad or evil but I think it definitely needs to look at how its main stars are treated all the way through their lives."
Given the cinema only has one screen, Mr Berger said there were many factors involved in curating the schedule.
"It inherently becomes political," he said.
But other films that drew public backlash for violent scenes (Nightingale) or exploitative narratives (The Joker) were ultimately valued on their merit, he said.
"Maybe there will be a film in another 12 months time that won't sit well with me and I'll talk to my wife and the staff and ask 'do we feel comfortable showing the film?'
"I don't know where that line is, it's a grey one."
He does not want other cinemas to follow suit, and doubted his decision would have an impact on the bottom line of the film's revenue.
"We're only small ... I'd hate to try and stop a film being played. This was just a moral decision for us and our staff."
The response from customers had been positive. Mr Berger said he had received about a dozen emails from people who had their tickets cancelled saying they fully supported his decision.
"It's been extremely encouraging. I wasn't sure which way it was going to go."
