De Niro's Tribeca Festival Pulls Anti-Vaccination Film
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP)-- Robert De Niro is removing the anti-vaccination documentary "Vaxxed'' from the lineup of his Tribeca Film Festival, after initially defending its inclusion.
"Vaxxed: From Cover-up to Conspiracy,'' was set to be part of the film festival when it opened next month. The decision to include the film by anti-vaccination activist Andrew Wakefield came under fire, particularly since Wakefield's contention that vaccines have a link to autism have been discredited.
"The original article that was published was retracted and the evidence presented in the article was falsified," Assistant New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Jane Zucker told 1010 WINS' Roger Stern.
While De Niro on Friday defended the decision to include the film, he released a statement Saturday saying he had reversed his decision.
De Niro, who has a child with autism, said he had hoped to provide an opportunity for conversation around an issue "that is deeply personal to me and my family.''
However, he said after he and Tribeca organizers reviewed it, ``We do not believe it contributes to or furthers the discussion I had hoped for.'' He said members of the scientific community also had reviewed it with him.
An email sent to a contact listed on the film's official website was not immediately returned.
The Tribeca Film Festival runs from April 13 to April 24.