Fire

Fire had its world premiere as the opening film of the Toronto International Film Festival in September 1996, placing second for the People's Choice Award there; it won the Audience Award for Best Canadian Film at the Vancouver International Film Festival and Silver Hugos for Best Director and Best Actress in Chicago. The real controversy erupted after the film opened in India on November 13, 1998: the far right Shiv Sena movement staged protests that forced the closure of several theaters in Bombay and New Delhi, storming cinemas, tearing down posters, and smashing windows. Director Deepa Mehta received death threats and lived under round the clock police protection for a year; India's censor board pulled the film for a second review and, after a five week delay, returned it to theaters uncut. Who it's for: anyone curious about a film that opened as Toronto's festival opener and won several awards, yet triggered violent protests and death threats against its director in India. Who it's not for: viewers wanting an uncontroversial, calm viewing experience, since the film's own release history is itself a story.