LOS ANGELES: The Interview, the Sony Pictures film about a fictional plot to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, opened in more than 300 cinemas across the United States on Christmas Day, drawing sell-out audiences in many theatres where outspoken patrons said they were championing freedom of expression.

Seth Rogen, who co-stars in the low-budget comedy with James Franco, and co-director Evan Goldberg surprised moviegoers by appearing at the sold-out screening of the movie at a theatre in Los Angeles where they briefly thanked fans for their support.

The movie features Rogen and Franco as journalists who get recruited by the CIA to assassinate the North Korean leader.
Sony Pictures this week backtracked from its original decision to cancel the release of the $44 million film after it became the target last month of the most destructive cyber attack ever on a US company. The US blamed the attacks on N.Korea.

Sony decided to release the film after U.S. President Barack Obama, as well as such Hollywood luminaries as George Clooney and Republicans and Democrats in Washington, raised concerns that Hollywood was setting a precedent of self-censorship.

Published in Dawn, December 26th, 2014