‘Are All Men Pedophiles?’ - Dutch Filmmaker Jan-Willem Breure on his International Documentary #indiefilm

The controversial feature debut of Dutch producer/director Jan-Willem Breure titled “Are All Men Pedophiles?” has been making its way around the film festival circuit -- with screenings in Iowa and Amsterdam. It is said to currently be playing at Festival Mix 2012 in Mexico but the future availability of the film in the U.S. has yet to be released, so I have no idea if or when we’ll have the option of checking out this documentary.

Based on its synopsis, “Are All Men Pedophiles?” aims to question the hypocrisy within our society’s beliefs about pedophilia. It highlights misunderstandings about pedophilia that has resulted in a society that condemns attraction to adolescent girls despite history and world culture suggesting that it is natural and unavoidable. According to the website for this film, the “fashion industry sexualizes very young girls but those who act on those instincts are reviled.”

The movie features several doctors - a neurologist; psychologist; sexologist, etc. and religious leaders, historians and modeling scouts who shed some light on the meaning of pedophilia, views regarding age and sexual attraction to teen girls. It also claims to be the first international feature length documentary that has an interview with a female pedophile.

In May, I interviewed the 23 year-old Jan-Willem Breure about his documentary and am now just getting the time to post it.

Madlab Post: Does the Fashion industry's sexualization of young girls aid in the attraction to girls ages 16 and under?

Jan-Willem Breure: Yes, the average age of a fashion model is 16.

What are some misconceptions about pedophilia that this film unravels?

There is a difference between pedophiles and hebophiles,  under 18 does not mean pedophilia.

Since the age of consent for females around the world ranges from nine years-old to 20 years of age, do you think religion is a large factor in our Western society's condemnation of a man's attraction to girls under 18 years-old?

No, Mary was 12-15 when she got pregnant -- the church is not embarrassed by this, but the church was a major cause of Sex guilt and also sex before marriage, so when the marriage age goes up you know there will be problems.

Are most men who claim they aren't attracted to girls under 18 years of age lying? Are they in denial?

Puberty ends for girls at 16 -- unless they are exclusive gerontophiles they are in denial because even teleiophilia overlaps with hebophilia.

Why is our culture quick to label men as pedophiles, yet, continue to be obsessed with youth, even going so far as to using age to measure beauty -- particularly where females are concerned?

Because they were not taught the definition of hebophilia. The were only giving one term for 2 things.

What was your motivation for making such a controversial film?

I realized the age of attraction does not change, instead it expands -- if you are attracted to 17 year olds, when you pass 18 (years of age) you don't automatically find people age 17 unattractive.

Although the subject matter is alarming, I would still probably watch the movie just to find out what comes of the on-screen discussion from both sides of the topic.

Boy....if only I was vacationing in Iowa or The Netherlands or Mexico! In the meantime, I guess I’ll continue to step my classic film game up by watching old black & white movies from the 1930s on Netflix.

Breure’s own average age of attraction to females ranges from 15 to 60. The movie poster for “Are All Men Pedophiles?” seems to reflect the main points of his film -- If you find teenage girls attractive, is that or is that not pedophilia? Breure already has plans to make another film, which will be about incest.

How old do YOU think the female on Jan-Willem Breure’s movie poster is?

Do YOU find her attractive?

Here is the trailer for the movie:

Comments

[Beverly Diehl]

Nobody has been "taught the meaning of hebophilia," including Dictionary.com, because I tried to look it up. Some help, here?

There is a difference between "find attractive" and "want to have sex with." I can look at a 15 year old boy and find him attractive; likewise a 15 year old girl, or an Irish setter, yet under no circumstances would I want to have a sexual relationship with any of them.

Most men I know would not WANT an unformed girl - it's not simply about the texture of the skin or the firmness of the breasts, it's about the personality, the maturity level, the conversation. The men (and women) who want a sexual relationship relationship with a teenager are all about control, not about love. It's a (deliberately) provocative title, but I'm not buying the argument. Nor does the "fashion industry" thing make sense - the only MEN who pay attention to fashion models are mostly gay. The fashion industry is aimed at selling the youth fantasy to (straight) women, for the most part.

[Angela Brown]

I'll limit my comment given I'm a mom to a seven year old girl who has had no qualms about threatening male family members with the end of their lives if I ever caught them looking at her sideways. Thus far, I can safely say I haven't had to take any lives :-)

The content is certainly controversial. It is, sadly, historically true that women were chosen for and procreated at much earlier ages than is our standard today. Religious and cultural variances have had big impacts, along with progressive movements. Perhaps if there was the understanding of what pedophilia refers to and what it does NOT refer to. Is a 35 year old person considered a pedophile if they see a 16 year old boy out for a run with his shirt off displaying rock-hard six pack abs and think, "He's a hottie." Or is it taking further steps to get that 16 year old boy in the bed for sex? At least the documentary appears to be opening the gates to conversation about the topic.

[HermanTurnip]

I'll agree that the subject matter is controversial, and quite honestly, a bit disturbing. Not all men are pedophiles. In fact, I would guess that only a very tiny minority are. To me, and to the people I know, looking at young girls in a sexual manner is bizarre and disconcerting. But I do agree that mass media does its best to capitalize on and sexualize youth. That's the root of the problem right there.

[Nicole]

Bev,

I'm still puzzled by the meanings of all of the "clinical" terms but it appears that hebophilia (according to the websites that I found describing the term/subject) is an attraction to girls/boys who are teenagers in their mid-teen to 19 years of age and hebephilia is an attraction to girls/boys who are pre-teen to teen years, like 11 to 13 years old or something like that. It still doesn't change the fact that, like you said, there is a difference between being attracted to a teenager and wanting to have sex with them. I think the same applies to the subject of cheating and extramarital affairs between adults...finding another person attractive is one thing but jumping into the sack with them is a whole different ball game.

However, the fashion industry still caters to youth, not solely to market to adult consumers but also to get models as young as possible. A model scout even says in the movie that a teenage girl who wants to become a model at 19 years of age is a too old to start a modelling career. That is very sad, partly because by seeking out very young talent, the fashion industry is exposing these young girls to a certain level of maturity and certain sexualized images that the girls/models themselves aren't yet prepared for mentally. I think, to some extent, the fashion industry perpetuates the myth that youth = beauty = sexy through the use of their imaging to sell clothes, cosmetics, fragrances and accessories, and thus, they have some level of responsibility for aiding in men's attraction to teenage girls.

Angela,

It's good that you haven't had to take any lives...I'm sure that kind of experience would make for a killer (no pun intended) tell-all book that would sell like hotcakes (again, no pun intended) for sure ;)

I wouldn't rule out the historical attraction to young girls being widely accepted due to short life spans and fertility matters. That sliding slope or thin line between the hottie factor and the "can you drop your pants" factor is a conversation that I think this film might cause audiences to have whether they intended to have such a conversation or not. At the very least, I think that it might possibly cause people to think about the subject matter more, if for nothing else, to make sure that they are certain that someone is a pedophile before labeling them one, since people tend to be so liberal with their titles and quick to judge the meaning behind a statement or glance that someone else makes.

If I ever have kids though, I'd probably be quick to yell at any man or woman starring at my child's butt and whatnot, I'll tell you that much!

Herman,

Disturbing with a capital D indeed. After one of my family members told me about all of the registered sex offenders in just a small neighborhood, I'd often be quick to think that a lot of men are pedophiles but I guess it's all a matter of the extent of which a man's attraction to teenage girls goes. If he merely think she's cute, then nope, that doesn't spell pedophile in my book but if he wants to date her or only dates adult women who can dress up AND act like the real subject of his attraction 24/7 then I think that's a guy who needs some serious counseling.

I don't think the media will ever stop promoting and sexualizing youth....especially when us women contribute to their bottom line by purchasing products and eating up all of their messages that youth = beauty = perfection, all for the purpose of impressing or attracting you all men. It's a vicious cycle that leads to the desperation that keeps the elective surgery within the plastics sector a booming market.