Little Sisters versus Big Brother

Organizers of Vancouver's Queer Film and Video Festival are angry about what they see as attempted censorship of a documentary about the Little Sisters bookstore.

The film which documents the gay and lesbian bookstore's fight against government censorship is scheduled to open this year's film festival.

However, Little Sisters co-owner Jim Deva says a last minute move by the provincial government almost killed the screening.

"Out of the blue, the film and video classification board here in B.C., which is our provincial government censorship board, said that Capitol 6 – the theatre that was going to show the film – does not have the proper licensing to show the film," he says.

Then, with just a few hours before the premiere of Little Sisters versus Big Brother, the film classification board granted the festival the permit it says all festivals require to show films.

• FROM DEC.15, 2002: Top court closes chapter in gay bookstore feud

While the screening is going ahead, Deva says the controversy is just part of Little Sisters' ongoing struggle against harassment.

"The film is about a small store taking on a very large government, and we'll succeed as we have succeeded in the past."

Festival organizers says that in the 14 years they've been in operation, they've never been asked for a permit before this.