A Romanian film about abortion, which won the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival this year, will be shown to upper-secondary school students in France, following a change of heart by government officials.

4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days, directed by Cristian Mungiu, captured the coveted Palme d’Or in May and was also the recipient of the National Education Prize at the festival.

Romanian director Cristian Mungiu's 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days beat out 21 other films for the top prize at this year's Cannes Films Festival.
(Lionel Cironneau/Associated Press)

Mungiu’s film takes place during the communist era in Romania and follows two roommates who go to desperate lengths to end a pregnancy.

The winner of the National Education Prize automatically receives a government grant to create a special DVD to be shown to French children between the ages of 15 and 18.

Last week, Education Minister Xavier Darcos announced he would not allow the DVD to be created because the film was too hard-hitting.

"The film came across to us as incredibly hard to watch," a source within the ministry told the newspaper Le Figaro, adding that Darcos wanted "to protect a vulnerable audience."

Critics say the decision amounted to censorship and accused the minister of bowing to pro-life lobbyists. Now, Darcos says the film will be screened in French schools.

Laure Tarnaud from the society of French directors pointed out that Gus Van Sant’s Elephant, which won the education prize at Cannes in 2003, was screened in schools despite its violent scenes.

Elephant chronicles seven high school students on the day of a shooting.

"The censorship of [4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days] appears to be motivated by the desire not to talk about abortion," said Tarnaud.

Christine Juppe-Leblond, founder of the education prize at Cannes, told Le Figaro the film was appropriate for children.

"The film is unsettling, but it deals seriously and delicately with a subject that affects today’s teenagers. The best way to tackle it is to give teachers the educational tools to talk about it, as this movie does."