MANILA, Philippines?The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) gave a second X rating early this week to Rosanna Roces? comeback movie ?Aurora,? directed by Adolfo Alix Jr.

The independent film got its first X following its initial review by the board, which declared it unfit for public viewing.

Roces plays a social worker abducted and molested by members of a ?lost command? (Sid Lucero and Kristofer King).

In a previous interview, Roces told Inquirer that the film?s first X rating was ?unbelievable, noting that what ?Aurora? showed was ?nothing compared to what I did in my old sexy movies.?

Kid stuff

Compared to those, she said, ?Aurora? was kid stuff. ?Why does the board make it difficult for indie movies to be shown in theaters [by rating them X]?? she asked. ?Independent movies bring honor to the country [when they win in festivals abroad].?

Co-star Lucero added that ?art will never be given much leeway in a Catholic country like ours.?

The second review committee consisted of Fr. Nick Cruz, Mario Hernando, Noel del Prado, Jojo Alejar and Marra Lanot.

Board chair Marissa Laguardia said the film?s producers have the option to refer the matter to Malacañang?s appeals committee. Alix said he plans to do that.

?Too explicit?

According to Laguardia, the committee reported that the ?controversial? scenes had been retained. In its first review, the board had found those scenes ?too explicit.?

Lanot said the ?mashing of Rosanna?s breast and the pumping scene ... [were] prolonged and gratuitous.?

Hernando said he wanted to give the movie an R-18 rating without cuts.

Alix plans to screen the uncut ?Aurora? at the Cultural Center of the Philippines or the UP Film Institute, both censorship-free zones.